Hey Hosting Queen,

The (dreaded) Family Gathering.

Love them or not, they can definitely bring up a lot of emotions. I'm sure you're nodding along.

Well, here's the answer: Family Gatherings can be complicated (of course), but they certainly don't HAVE to be.

If you're the one hosting the Family Gathering, you actually have a lot of power to make it as uncomplicated as possible. While you have very little control over the people in your family and all of those interesting family dynamics, you can still choose to have boundaries in place.

Like... the things that you will or won't tolerate.

Just know and expect that certain people will act in certain ways. You know... Uncle Stan who always has a few too many, or Great Aunt Edna who asks questions that are far too personal.

Rather than trying to change people, focus on creating a gathering that feels welcoming, comfortable, and easy to enjoy. If children will be part of your family gathering, these easy ideas will help keep the day running smoothly.

Here's a few things to keep in mind, especially if you're the one hosting the Family Gathering:

🌻 Set up your Family Gathering well (Plan, Prepare and Party)

🌻 Let go of expectations that people will behave differently than they usually do

🌻 Keep your gatherings alcohol-free (I never serve alcohol, but people are always welcome to bring their own supply. This works well because most people only bring a few drinks for themselves.)

🌻 Set up a smoking area with a bucket for cigarette butts, away from the main gathering area

🌻 Family picture? Scavenger hunt? Group activity? Do it before the food is served. That's when you'll have the most attention. After dinner, people usually just want to relax and visit.

🌻 Allow people to sit where they want and with whom they want, if possible

🌻 Have self-serve drinks and snacks set up before guests arrive. (My beverage of choice is cases of flavoured sparkling water. It's sugar-free and still feels like a treat.)

🌻 Have dinner ready when you said it would be

🌻 Potluck is perfectly acceptable for Family Gatherings if you don't want to handle all of the food yourself

🌻 Have simple activities available for the kids such as bubbles, frisbee, badminton, or corn hole toss

At the end of the day, people aren't usually remembering whether the napkins matched the tablecloth. They're remembering the conversations, the laughter, and the time spent together.

Do you have a Family Gathering coming up this summer?

We can work together to make yours as uncomplicated as possible in as little as 4–6 weeks. Book today

Less Stress, More Magic ~ Always

With Love,

Krista