If you have strong family values, you may put a lot of effort into arranging events for your relatives to attend. Maintaining a close relationship with your family members is important. Your family can offer you support in difficult times, help you to create amazing memories, and have your back no matter what. However, being in charge of a family get-together is never easy. In fact, it can feel like an impossible task! There is always someone who becomes unavailable at the last minute, someone who has a complaint about the food you’ve prepared, and someone who tries to start an argument.
Make sure that your next event goes smoothly. Meeting up with your relatives should be something to look forward to, not something to dread. Below are five tips on how to plan a successful family gathering.
Make sure that everyone takes on their fair share of responsibility
They say if you want something done properly, you should do it yourself. However, this kind of attitude isn’t always helpful. In fact, it can often cause you an unnecessary amount of stress. Make sure that everyone in your family takes on their fair share of responsibility. If you still want to take a leadership role, why not write a list of all of the tasks that need to get done? Then, assign people tasks that will suit their skill set. For instance, you might want to give a creative family member the job of organizing for decorations. However, you will need a responsible family member to be in charge of splitting the bill. Try to embrace the fact that everyone has their own approach. It may be difficult not to get annoyed with someone who leaves everything to the last minute. However, by letting smaller tasks go, you can concentrate on enjoying yourself. You might even be pleasantly surprised by what your family has to offer. If not, at least you will have saved yourself the stress of taking everything on yourself.
Keep clashing personalities apart
If you are hoping to avoid any arguments, at your family gathering, you will need to keep clashing personalities apart. Encourage everyone in attendance to let go of the past. If you are really struggling, you should write a list of all of your guests. Decide which people will add friction to a situation, and which people will help to neutralize it. Then, make your arrangements accordingly. If you have organized a sit-down meal, you could even look for some games that provoke conversation. This is a great way to make sure that people are occupied and don’t start talking about sensitive subjects. Alternatively, if you have planned an active occasion, try to avoid making things too competitive. Don’t put your most competitive players on opposite teams. Instead, have them work together. You could also make sure that all of the kids get involved. This will hopefully encourage your family members to tone it down and act appropriately.
Have a few surprises up your sleeve
It is important that you keep your family in good spirits. One way to do this is by arranging a few pleasant surprises. If you are travelling to your location, why not splash out on a luxury car rental? This is a fantastic way to start off everyone’s night on the right note. It will also give them something positive to talk about when they arrive. As well as this, you could book a guest performer to keep everyone cheerful. Try to find an entertainer who appeals to all of your guests.
Alternatively, you could book a magician for the children and a stand-up comic for the adults. Whatever you do, just make sure that everyone is entertained. Usually it is the point at which things start to die down that people begin to argue. If you are dealing with a particularly volatile group, keeping them busy is the best solution.
Don’t forget food allergies
When you are arranging a family gathering, it is vital that you don’t forget food allergies. Not only could doing so insult some of your guests, it could also lead to an emergency situation. Make sure that you get in contact with everyone and give them a chance to update you on their allergies. If you are eating out, you should do your research beforehand. Try to find somewhere that caters to a wide range of special requirements. You should also do this if you are dealing with especially fussy eaters. Don’t give anyone the chance to complain about a lack of options.
Alternatively, if you are arranging a meal at your home, why not encourage all of your family to bring their favorite dish? This way, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. It will also save you from being responsible for all of the preparations.
Take lots of photos
Before your event begins, invest in some disposable cameras. Of course, most people in your family will have technology to do the job. However, disposable cameras are a great way to get interesting, and spontaneous, pictures. Instead of everyone worrying about getting the perfect shot, you will end up with lots of candid images. You might be surprised by the photographs that you end up with. If there are any particularly funny ones, you could send copies to all of your family members. This is a fantastic way to create great memories and give everyone something to smile about. Taking lots of photos is also a good idea, if some of your family members are missing. You don’t want them to feel left out, so passing on few happy pictures will help them to feel included. If you meet with your family on a regular basis, you could also try to arrange a group photo each time. This is a beautiful way of documenting the years as they go by. For full effect, try to make sure that everyone stands in the same place. You could even go all out and tell everyone to wear a similar outfit. Then, each year you can look back at the photos that have come before.
