Whether your extended family meets several times a year or only once every decade or so, family reunions can be stressful. The key to any large gathering is good planning. If it’s your turn to host this year’s event, follow these tips for a relatively easy gathering.
Select Some Activities
With any large group of people, things are bound to get out of control if there isn’t any guidance for activities. If you know kids will be present, try planning a few kid-friendly activities like a scavenger hunt or ball game so the young ones don’t get bored. Plan some less-energetic activities that are easy for older members to participate in too, such as board games or creating a family album.
Arrange For Food
Some families like to have a potluck, while others simply order a bunch of takeout. No matter what you’re eating, make sure there’s a plan that includes where the food will be set up, how people will be served and how cleanup will be handled. If you decide on a buffet, renting items like salad or soup bar equipment can make the plate-filling process easier and more accessible for everyone.
Prepare for the End
Once the games have been played, the conversations chatted up and the food eaten, the time will inevitably come for everyone to go home. If you’re in charge of cleanup, this can leave you with a lot of work before you can relax in peace. Make things easier on yourself by instructing guests on where to put garbage, how to leave the furniture and where to find their coats.
Family gatherings always have their good points. Don’t let your latest family reunion leave you dreading all the work that comes from poor planning when instead you could be relaxing and enjoying some good company.
