We hosted a family get-together yesterday. Normally I let these events stress me out, but this time I decided to take a more casual approach and it worked. We had a chili feed so all I needed to make was a huge pot of chili and some corn bread. It was our immediate family, and they know me well, so I decided that deep cleaning the house wasn’t really necessary. Most of them have lived with me at some point so they know my standards and should be comfortable with them. Finally, I set things up and let them run instead of trying to control it all. The food and drinks were out, from there I let the evening flow. It was great fun to see everyone and hear what was happening in their lives. The best part was that my husband was an active participant. I believe he enjoyed the event as much as I did.

We are coming up on the holiday season. My hope is that we can continue with the monthly get-togethers instead of the big holiday bashes. The goal for me is simply for my husband and I to share some time with the ones we love. It works for our kids too because it frees them up to create their own celebrations. The bonus is that we have a set appointment each month that people can plan around. If someone can’t make it this month, well we’ll see them next time. It gives us all the opportunity to stay connected beyond the holidays in a fun and loving way.