Top Ten Tips - Hosting Stress-Free Family Gatherings
By Tip Diva | Mar 23, 2008
Categories: Adult, Bedroom, Children, Cleaning, Family, Food, Fun, Holiday, Home, Household, Kitchen, Party, Tips
Holidays are a time of family gatherings, which are always fun - as long as it’s not at your house! But if you are going to host a family gathering, here are some tips to make it much less stressful:
- Be Cognizant Of Your Space - If you have a small apartment, inviting 30 people over for Easter dinner is probably not the best idea. If your family gathering calls for more people than you can handle, it’s best set at some other family member’s house - or a restaurant or hall.
- Set Limits - Even though it is your family, your home is still your space, and you should have people shuffling through your bedroom, office, half-finished basement or whatever space you consider sensitive. Install locks, and make sure doors are shut.
- Remove Distractions - Whether it’s unplugging the television, closing the piano or shutting down the computer, remove any distractions that will cause disruptions to the gathering.
- Create Shifts For Feuding Family Members - Every family has a Bob and Tom who aren’t on speaking terms. To maintain the most peaceful atmosphere, make sure Bob and Tom know when each other are going to be there. Bob may come for dinner and Tom, dessert, but they may agree to be there at the same time but stay in separate rooms.
- Delegate Tasks - Don’t do everything by yourself. Have your family members help clean, cook and prepare for the gathering.
- Do Potluck - You may have a small kitchen or not enough space in your fridge, so considering doing a potluck gathering and have each family bring a dish or two. Make sure you tell people what to bring, or you may end up with seven salads or seven cakes.
- Consider Eating Buffet Style - If your table is not large enough, consider eating buffet style, so people can sit in different rooms, eat while standing, or eat whenever they feel hungry. You won’t have to worry about setting a table or everyone’s having to get up when your little cousin has to use the bathroom.
- Be Kid Friendly - If you’re going to have children at the gathering, make sure you have a kid-friendly zone or space they can hang out, whether it’s a room, backyard or even a local park. Suggest they bring some toys, but be careful - you don’t want them playing soccer in a room with a glass coffee table.
- Have A Time Out Zone - The stress will sometimes get to you, so have a place where you can escape to for five minutes, whether a bedroom with a locked door or a walk down the street.
- Be Firm When The Gathering’s Over - Your Aunt Lucy may like to stick around and chat, but you have work early in the morning and still have to clean up. Be firm, but gentle, and say, “Aunt Lucy, it’s been great seeing you and I can’t wait for another visit. We’ll talk about this some more next time you come over!” Do mention when it’s almost bedtime… fake yawns do help!
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