‘Tis the season to drink, be merry, and surround yourself with those that you love the most. Putting the heating right up, cooking up some delicious food and snuggling up on the couch… there are many reasons why this season is simply our favorite. However, hosting your family over the holidays can be pretty stressful, especially when you’re unprepared for the difficulties that it can bring. We’ve put together some tips to make you the host with the most, so you have a Christmas party that your guests remember forever.

Be as prepared as possible

The most important thing to remember when you’re hosting your family over the holidays is preparation. Not only does leaving things until the last minute mean that you’ll be incredibly stressed, but it can also cause you to forget about some of the things that you need, which is bad news when all of the stores close for the holiday period. Prepare as well as you can with food, party decor, and other holiday supplies!

Get the ‘menu’ together

Getting your ‘menu’ sorted for the holiday period is super important, as it means that you know what food you’ll need way in advance. Don’t just think about the big Christmas dinner here; consider snacks, what you’re going to cook the day after, and most importantly, what you’re going to have for dessert. Being prepared for every meal will take some of that holiday stress off over the entire period that you’re hosting for.

Make some space

One of the biggest issues with hosting your family over the holidays is the space, and it can be difficult to squeeze everybody into your home. If you’re usually used to having 4 people in your dining room, you may wince a little when you think about how you’re going to fit 10 or 12 people in. Get creative with how you’re going to accommodate everybody; you may want to put things in storage or have a room reshuffle!

Create a table plan

Another problem that can arise in these big family get togethers is the seating plan. Remember last Christmas, when your Aunt made a passing comment to your Grandma about her Christmas jumper being below par? Sometimes it’s best to consider your table plan a little, and think about how family politics could be diffused with some clever organisation. Whether you have these issues or not, creating a seating plan does help.

Ask for help

Whilst this may not be something that has crossed your mind, you also deserve to have fun this holiday season. If you can picture yourself crying in the kitchen with a glass of wine, whilst you look at your poor turkey that has somehow made its way onto the floor, then reaching out to others and asking for help is a good idea. Even if everybody brings one thing with them, this will take some of the stress off your holiday hosting.

Enjoy the holidays, and good luck being the best host that you can be!

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