Holiday System Day 15- visiting and hosting people

For many, the holiday season is a month crammed full of people: out-of-town guests coming to your house, and other out-of-town relatives houses that you visit. Feeling like all the extended family and friends need to be seen in this short time is a huge cause of stress. Today's task is simple:

Re-think Holiday Visits

1. Go over this with your spouse and whole family. Who will you definitely see on Christmas Eve? Christmas Day? Maybe this year you would like to spend the holiday with just your household,and see other family members a few days before. Stand up for whatever plan you decide on.


2. Come up with a plan for the other family members and out-of-town guests. Are you visiting or will they come to you? Will they stay at your house, and what will happen for meals? If there are hard feelings from changing old traditions, try to come up with new ones. Get grandparents to watch the kids sledding, or go caroling, and then make cocoa.


3. For friends or extra-extended family, consider having a party a week or two before the actual holiday. If this seems like too much work, you can host a pot-luck, or have an appetizer party with make-ahead dishes.

Just remember that this season is supposed to be about having fun, which you won't be if you're stressed out about all the people you " just have to" see within two days. Spread out the love over a longer time- people will eventually come to see that it allows you to all enjoy each other's company more.

I am happy to share this post at Finer Things Friday.