8 Tips To Help You Celebrate Good Times!
Celebrations, parties and get-togethers bring family, friends, and communities together to create a special time. Throughout our lives we traditionally celebrate holidays and birthdays, and all milestones and achievements could be celebrated just the same.
Parties can be daunting to host, which sometimes will hinder a person from wanting to celebrate a certain occasion. Social media gives us many ideas on how to host, and can contribute to us feeling inferior if we do not achieve a “Picture Perfect” affair. Party preparation can be a huge stressor when deciding to have company over. Cleaning the house, planning out the “perfect” food, making sure you included everyone on the guest list, party favors, and the list goes on.
Parties do not have to be intimidating and a lot of work. A party or gathering can be a group effort from the party guests to take some of the stress off the host. Let’s remember why we are celebrating and make our company and entertainment the main focus. I assure you that your guests will not notice the dust bunny in the corner, but they will remember the laughs that they shared and the memories they made.
Destressing the Preparation
- Keep It Simple – If throwing large gatherings isn’t your thing, keep it small and simple. The little things that you stress over, your guest won’t even notice.
- Ask For Help Or Participation – Your guests will enjoy being asked for help. Be clear on what you need help with and what they can bring.
- Clean Selectively – There is no need to scrub every inch. Concentrate your cleaning efforts on where your guests will spend most of their time.
- Accept Offers Of Help – Guests will empathize with the party process and are usually willing to help prepare a dish, clean up, or bring utensils and plates, reusable or compostable.
Food is typically the first thing that comes to mind when throwing a party. You want to make sure you have plenty for everyone, as well as dishes that everyone will enjoy. Although this is not the main reason for the party, it is an important detail. Preparing all of the food yourself can be exhausting and expensive. Your guests can be active contributors to the party by bringing a dish. This will make them feel helpful and also take some of the stress off of the host.
Sharing Responsibilities:
- Create a potluck experience, having guests bring a designated dish.
- Have each guest choose which dish they would like to bring.
- Have a theme, such as Tacos, Salad bar, Chili night. An idea could be that you provide the protein, while everyone else brings the fix-ins or supporting side dishes.
- Although alcohol may be a go to for a celebration and alcohol could be included as an accent to the celebration. The main focus is fun, celebration, and together time.
Parties are not all about the food and alcohol. Celebrations are about the memories we make with our guests, and the moments we share celebrating life in all stages.
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Cheers to your health,
By Alicia Connor, MA, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Chef
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Author Bio:
Alicia Connor is a registered dietitian nutritionist and chef who is passionate about encouraging lifestyle shifts with a focus on meal planning and simplifying healthy eating. Alicia built a career as a chef, including working at a top San Francisco restaurant. As a young adult facing hereditary vision loss, she took control and pivoted to another career as a dietitian to grow roots deeper than ‘just cooking.’ She has seen the impact of meal planning and nutrition in her clients over the years, often through their increased energy, empowered weight loss journeys, and freedom to pursue more of their passions due to increased confidence.
Moving away from the mindset of dieting, Alicia helps clients build a toolkit of strategies to reduce stress and increase peace of mind. She supports her clients through one-on-one sessions and a virtual meal planning program to build helpful habits and create actionable plans to meet their goals.
‘Quick & Delish by Alicia Connor’ is a video cooking series on YouTube where Alicia presents easy recipes with minimal steps for flavorful, balanced meals.
Image Descriptions
- Header: A dinner party setting outside at night with a group of people gathered around a long table under string lights.
- Two people picnicking in a field of lavender.
- Author photo: Alicia Connor a pretty brunette with dark wavy shoulder-length hair wearing a denim jacket as she leans on a kitchen counter with assorted veggies in front of her.