10 steps to a stress-free New Year’s Eve for the whole family

In today’s society, many people suffer from gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, spice intolerance, vegetarianism and more. And when the whole family is together, there’s a good chance you’ll come across a few who follow these special diets. You’ll need to plan a few dishes that can accommodate everyone.

A few weeks in advance, think about what you’re going to serve your guests. Don’t hesitate to ask your partner what their family members like, and especially what they don’t like. This way, you’ll be able to put together a menu that’s varied enough to satisfy as many people as possible.

Holiday meals often require many hours of preparation. Do all the tasks that can be anticipated in advance, such as chopping vegetables or preparing sauces and marinades. Only what needs to be served hot has to wait. Even for the latter, you can sometimes pre-cook them and then only reheat them at the last minute.

Setting place settings for four people only takes a few minutes, but for more than twenty heads, it’s pretty time-consuming. Fortunately, utensils can’t go mouldy, so you can set your table well in advance and take the time to put up a few decorations. Then cover with a clean tablecloth if you’re worried about them getting dirty.

Imagine a party without music – it’s like a business dinner! It doesn’t have to be nightclub hits, but simple background music to immerse everyone in the same atmosphere. Don’t turn the volume up too high either, or you’ll find it hard to talk to each other.

Parties aren’t just about eating, they’re also about lots of other things. From board games to guessing contests, your imagination is the only limit. Here’s a tip: form small teams to make the games even more exciting. apart from that, you can always watch a good comedy film that will keep everyone entertained.

Family is all about helping each other. Just because the party’s at your house doesn’t mean you have to do all the work. Besides, there’s always that cousin and aunt who love to cook and decorate. It’s perfectly acceptable to let them do one or two tasks to free you up a bit.

A big family means lots of kids. And when they’re all together, they make noise… a lot of noise! So much so that you can’t hear yourself think. No, don’t worry, we’re not going to throw them out. Instead, we’ll give them a room where they can let off steam without disturbing the adults.

When you arrive at a party, it’s a bit weird to sit there doing nothing until everything’s ready. A few appetizers and drinks, however, can dispel that feeling. Just make sure it’s light, otherwise there won’t be room for the real dinner.

Let’s face it, no matter how much preparation you’ve done, you’ll still be tired by the end of the evening. So, to avoid this happening too soon, it’s important to relax beforehand. An hour or two before the guests arrive, dive into a book or take a relaxing bath while the turkey roasts in the oven.