Make a memory. You have this year and it will never have the same mix of people or diversity. How to maximize them all?
1. Celebrate the people. All other things are secondary.
2. Get your guests to interact at all levels and all ages.
3. Assign jobs for the holiday. After entering your home, let your guest draw from a jar or bowl their specific assignment for the day. For instance, give each suggested assignment to more than one person like: take care of drinks and refills; clear off table; serve the desserts; etc. Just get all on the team serving one another.
4. At the table draw cards with different questions on them for asking during dessert. Like: What was your highlight this past year? What is your most embarrassing moment? Sing the 12 days of Christmas and choose the other 11 guests for their specific day. Tell something that no one knows about you.
5. Place a verse or some quote at the top of each dinner plate. Share during dinner.
6.Have names in the bowl that one picks and then take turns telling that person what gifts you see in them.
7. Instead of watching the games, play one with teams.
8. Have name cards at plates and switch up where they sit, mixing ages.
9. Create some kind of surprise since you are the host—perhaps some memorabilia, special music playing, gift, or something special.
If you were invited to someone’s house for the holidays, what would you like and how would you like to be treated? If all the memories of holidays past are painful, change it up. Go serve at a soup kitchen, or invite some internationals to your home. Do something out of the normal and find someone to bless. When you see that the holidays are about others, you will find a new joy and sense of purpose. What do you have to lose?
The holidays come every year. If it does not work for you, then go back to your old ways and notice the difference. Just make a memory!
When you choose to look past the horizon… the sky is the limit!