Tips on Hosting a Dinner for your Extended Family
There’s nothing better than having a big get-together with your extended family. After all, there aren’t too many opportunities to get together. It usually happens at big family events, but if they dry up, then it could be a long time before you’re all in the same room. The solution? Make it happen! Hosting a big dinner at your property for your extended family involves a lot of work, but it’s worth it. In this post, we’ll run through some handy tips to ensure your dinner party runs smoothly from beginning to end.
Schedule It Early
It’s best to have a big family dinner on a Sunday since that’s when families usually don’t have plans, sports matches, and so on. You’ll also want to schedule it relatively early in the day, say around 2 pm, because we all know that Sunday evenings are reserved for getting kids into bed at a reasonable hour, planning for the week ahead, and so on. Also, once you’ve got a date in mind, be sure to let everyone know as soon as possible, so they can get it into their diary. It won’t be a family dinner if there are some people missing!
Recruit Help
It takes a lot of work to put together a big meal, so it’s more than acceptable to ask for help. You might ask one or two family members to come early to help you prepare the dishes. They’ll be happy to assist you — and plus, this will help to add a fun atmosphere. If people can’t come early for whatever reason, then you can ask your partner and kids to chip in. After all, many hands make light work. If you want to retain complete control over the meal, then give your family the responsibility of cleaning up. Someone’s gotta do it!
Make a Splash With Standout Touches
Your family won’t be expecting a world-class meal, but equally, you’ll know that they’ll expect something a little more than your run-of-the-mill meal. A good meat or fish dish with delicious sides will do the trick for the main dish, and you’ll also want to add a starter and dessert, too. The dessert offers a chance to take the meal from ‘good’ to ‘great’; try this creme brulee recipe and you’ll receive plenty of praise from your impressed extended family. Round it off with an after-meal liquor, and it’ll be a meal that’ll live long in the memory.
Create the Space
The setting for the meal plays a big role in the dining experience, so look at transforming your dining room into an intimate environment that lends itself well to good food and great conversation. If you’re looking for some inspiration, think ‘restaurant ambiance.’ If you have low lighting, a few candles, a nice tablecloth, and a table centerpiece, then your everyday dining space will look and feel much better, and will very much contribute to the dining experience. Ask everyone to dress smartly, and you’ll have a luxury dinner on your hands.
