StressFree Holiday Event

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 4 th 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.

• Practically perfect in every way…

Nope! You’re not, I’m not, and neither is Mary Poppins.

Your holiday season is most likely filled with work obligations, family gatherings, out-of-town travel, and one too many trips to the grocery store.

Add on the task of hosting an event during the holiday season and you could have a recipe for unnecessary stress.

In order to minimize any additional stress of this busy quarter of the calendar, jot down which events are important to you to attend , and with that, you may find events which you can let go. For example, do you have to stay the length of an entire work party? That may depend on your role and the culture of your workplace.

Did you offer to bring a dish to a holiday potluck? Maybe you can share the task with another attendee.

• Time is on your side…

Do you have six weeks or six days? Given the amount of time and whether or not you’re hosting, be realistic about the size of the gathering, the amount of food needed to serve a crowd, and any other logistics concerning space, decorations, invitations, etc.

In order to start planning an event, I often use a shared Google spreadsheet with check boxes, due dates, tasks, who’s in charge, what to do and what to buy. I can also rearrange items by priority and insert notes along the way.

You can also easily share this with a buddy who can add his or her own feedback, comments, and suggestions. The best tactic is to start planning as soon as you can, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and give yourself some wiggle room for unforeseen matters.

• Are we having fun yet…

I sincerely hope so! Like the kids these days are saying on the internet “If it’s not on Instagram, didit

even happen?”

This should go without saying, but you don’t need to document every moment of every event just to

show the world you were there and it really happened. You can still have fun without being tethered to

your phone.

However, if your only camera is on your phone, take some photos and then set your phone down.

Mingle, make small talk, and be present.

This is the time to create memories, enjoy the process, and not worry about being too precious or

particular about the look of your event.

With all honesty, I will say that I do miss 35mm film cameras. You usually only had 24-36 exposures, so

your one shot mattered… and before sending the film off to be developed, the last remaining photos

were usually taken of the family cats.

• Take care of yourself…

If you’re familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you’ll know that without a solid base of addressing

your physiological needs (water, food and sleep), you won’t be able to meet your other needs as you

move up the triangle (safety, love, esteemand self-actualization).

I find this to be true when anyone is facing stress or trauma; you can’t think well, articulate your

thoughts, or listen as thoroughly as you’d like on an empty stomach, minimal sleep, or the other

necessities that help you feel 100%.

As it is always okay to say “no” to attending an event, it is also okay to say “no” when you need a little

extra time to decompress.