Stress-free Holiday Event Planning By Cara Kangas
I’ve never enjoyed having a deadline for writing, however, a deadline for event planning: bring it on. When I first started thinking about what I might include in this article, I also thought of ways to carve out chunks of time at work to jot down ideas and themes. I suppose you could say I enjoy finding ways to flex my creative muscle to break up the day. With event planning, my first thoughts always drift toward the menu and seating. What new recipes can I try? What works well with a large group of picky eaters, or a small, intimate gathering of close friends, willing to tray all the things? How can I arrange the seating in a way that allows flow throughout our home without breaking up the festivities? And as a nod to a comment my Grandpa Ray used to make about my Grandma Violet’s cooking, “Did you wash the bathtub before preparing the macaroni salad inside of it?” With a one-income household of 7, food preparation was always large and inexpensive, and those marks I tend to keep in mind when preparing a meal for many. As for hosting a holiday event? Check! Events my spouse and I have hosted include: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, Memorial Day and 4th of July BBQs. Throw in a few birthday parties, baby showers and family soup nights and we’re pretty well versed in entertaining. But winter season, even as we carry on decades-long traditions with a new twist, there’s usually something that waits until the last minute, gets forgotten, or is skipped all together. I always want to enjoy this magical time to the best of my ability, especially now with young children who are experiencing holidays and family gatherings for the first time. But then again, I have to let go of the fear of missing out and not be the last person standing at the party. It’s okay to get home a bit early and reenergize for the next day. With that, here are a few tips and pieces of wisdom to pull off an event of any size this holiday season or any time of year and take care of yourself along the way.
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