5 Tips for Successful Family Gatherings

Any time is a good time to celebrate with your family! But, let’s face it, organizing a family gathering is not always "pure joy." Menus, dishes, setting the table, decorating… there's so much to do. 

Here are our 5 tips for organizing a stress-free family gathering and keeping a smile on your family's face!

1. Make Lists and Plan Ahead

Retroplanning is your roadmap to success! Planning for your event will give you a clear timeline of when each task needs to be started and will help you anticipate the different steps for your event. Connect specific dates with tasks such as choosing the theme, sending invitations, setting the menu, or buying the decorations. It is also a good opportunity to identify who will oversee which task. Planning 1 or 2 months ahead should allow your family to get organized stress-free.

Make different lists for each job. For shopping, for instance, make one list for the farmer's market, another for the supermarket, and another for specialized stores like the butcher’s or the bakery.

You might want to consider setting up a specific budget for this family gathering or asking guests to contribute if appropriate (think of online crowdfunding).

2. Let Your Guests Know You Are Hosting a Family Gathering

Once you know where and when the gathering will take place, invite your family! A "Save the date" email will allow guests to block the date in their calendars if you organize a family gathering well in advance. You can also use an application with a shared calendar to get organized as a family and find the best possible date!

A family gathering doesn’t need to be a formal event. No need for fancy invites; this isn’t a wedding! A phone call is all it takes. Use those calls to ask about your guests' allergies and dietary restrictions. After that, treating your family to a healthy meal that everyone will enjoy will be a breeze.

3. Keep it Simple and Healthy

The point of a family gathering is to spend quality time together. When deciding on a menu, choose recipes that you are comfortable with. Don't try to impress your mother-in-law with anything complicated, especially if you’ve never made that recipe before. Keep it simple and stick to the basics. Seasonal products can be a source of inspiration and help ensure a healthy and balanced meal. After all, it's not what you eat that matters but who you eat it with!

Consider making easy-to-freeze recipes, such as stews or vegetables in sauce, that you can defrost at the last minute. Some dishes are even tastier when cooked the day before, like lasagna, tagines, or curries—and you'll spend less time in the kitchen on the big day. 

When you have a large family and too many people sitting around the table, traditional sit-down meals can turn into "elbow wars"! In such cases, prefer a buffet or "lunch/dinner cocktail.” That way, everyone can spread out and mingle instead of only talking to people sitting next to them.

4. Delegate and Get Your Family Involved

Guests are usually happy to pitch in. If some have offered to help, take the opportunity to "tap into" their culinary talents! Make sure their offering fits in with your theme and dietary requirements.

If you would rather keep control of the food, delegate other tasks such as preparing the decorations, shopping for drinks, taking pictures on the big day, and organizing activities.

Splitting tasks is also an excellent way to get kids involved. They can set the table, push the living room furniture, clean the garden furniture, and so on. Staying organized is a family team effort before and on the big day!

5. Set the Mood and Decorate

Decorations are one aspect of the party that should not be overlooked when it comes to dazzling your family... especially if cooking is not your forte! All it takes is a little creativity to produce a simple yet beautiful table setting. Avoid going overboard with glittery items and scented candles that might inconvenience your guests. Organizing a "stylish" family gathering without breaking the bank is even better! Mix and match materials, create a consistent color palette, upcycle your glass bottles into pretty vases, and don't hesitate to showcase your dishes! You can also take this opportunity to organize a creative workshop to get the kids involved.

Lastly, as far as the atmosphere is concerned, you might want to have one playlist running in the background and a more upbeat playlist available in case you feel like dancing after the meal!

Share(d)'s To-Do lists and shared calendars are very helpful when organizing family events like these. Share schedules, divide tasks, and make lists on the all-in-one family app-to make your family gathering a success!