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How To Maintain Your Sanity When Hosting For The Holidays

by lmills

Welcoming your friends and family into your home can be one of the most anticipated events of the holidays. Whether you have family visiting from out of town, or if you’re hosting Christmas dinner this year, the fact that your home is the gathering place for your loved ones is a special privilege.

However, all the stress from cooking, cleaning, and social duties of hosting may get in the way of enjoying the moments and memories with your guests. Following these tips may help you achieve balance and celebrate the joy of your holiday gathering.

Prepare in Advance

Get ahead so you don’t feel like you are falling behind. Do you wait until the last minute to do your shopping, or prepare your home for guests? Of course, doing anything last-minute is a tried and true recipe for anxiety or stress. By making a list of what you need from the store early, you may be able to beat the holiday crowd — if you wait until the day before Christmas, you are giving yourself the gift of a stress filled shopping trip. The best cure for situational stress is preparation. You can do it!

Don’t Overcommit

Promising more than you are able to deliver will run you ragged. While it is sometimes easier to say ‘Yes’ than to risk confrontation, Remember, it is okay to say ‘No.’ If you lack space or patience to host guests from out of town, or if you are uncomfortable cooking a complicated meal, it’s okay to say ‘No.’ Your family most likely loves you as much as you love them, and will understand. Ultimately, you will be more relaxed, leading to happier holidays.

Delegate Tasks

Once you have prepared and decided that you can handle hosting your loved ones, it’s time to distribute the work to those willing to help out. Relying only on yourself to get everything done will make it difficult to enjoy the experience. Ahead of time, take down a list of everything you need to accomplish, and try to delegate at least 50% of the tasks to family members or outside sources. If you have limited help, or limited space, this is where prioritization and balance really come to the rescue.

Consider Catering

If you normally find yourself trapped in the kitchen during your holiday hosting, consider catering a meal for your guests to enjoy. Sure, your grandmother’s family pie recipe is better, but is a ready-to-bake pie from the store good enough? Is the catered green bean casserole better than your old standard? Even outsourcing a portion of the kitchen tasks can give you room to breathe, and even enjoy the tasks you’ve reserved for yourself to brag about. Everyone will likely appreciate mixing up your typical holiday cuisine, and you will gain quality time spent with your friends and family instead of stressing in the kitchen. Joy to the host!

What Are Your Tips?

If you have tried these, or if you have your own tips that we should know about, please leave it in a comment below! We would love to hear from you.

best places for family summer vacations

Five of the Best Places for Families to Vacation This Summer

by bmadmin

Summer family vacations can be a blast, but picking the right get-away spot can make the difference between a vacation to remember and a vacation you wish you could forget. The following five vacation spots should help you lay the groundwork for summer fun and relaxation.

Walt Disney World (Orlando, Florida)

You can’t go wrong with the happiest place on earth! Your kids will meet their favorite Disney characters, ride classic roller coasters like Space Mountain, see live performances, and more. DisneyWorld is spread out over 30,000 acres and features multiple theme parks, water parks, and golf courses. That’s more fun than you’ll know what to do with.

Hawaii

If your family is willing to brave a long airplane ride, Hawaii should be at the top of your list. There are a host of child-friendly beaches, not to mention a wide range of activities such as snorkeling, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, and the Hawaiian Adventures Water Park. Aloha ʻOe!

The Grand Canyon (Arizona)

The Grand Canyon ranks with DisneyWorld as one of the most popular vacation destinations. 277 miles long and 18 miles deep, this natural wonder is a must-see for the whole family, especially if you’ve never been. When you’ve gotten your fill of this titanic chasm, you can also go hiking, kayaking, rafting, and ride the Grand Canyon Railway.

Circus Circus (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Despite its reputation, Sin City can be a great place to take the family, especially if you stay at Circus Circus. It’s Vegas’s fifth largest casino, and offers a variety of entertainment such as acrobatic shows, arcades, and carnival games. Last but not least, Circus Circus is home to Adventuredome, an indoor theme park with over 20 rides.

Atlantis Resort and Casino (Paradise Island, Bahamas)

Who can say “no” to the Bahamas, especially if you’re combining the Bahamas with a fantasy-adventure experience? This $850 million resort is a recreation of the mysterious lost continent of Atlantis. You’ll have access to beaches, pools, water slides, and exhibit lagoons. You’ll also come across over 50,000 different types of animals, including sharks and stingrays

What places would you recommend for the perfect summer family vacation? Let us know in the comments section.

Discover Vacation Destinations Right In Your Backyard

by I Am Benchmark

Going on a vacation doesn’t have to mean driving for hours and hours or flying to a far away place. Sometimes such an elaborate vacation isn’t in the budget, and sometimes you just need a few days to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul.

Planning short getaways within driving distance of home may be just the ticket. Close vacations are easier on the wallet and, truthfully, easier on the nerves. Planning and executing long, involved travel plans are taxing, leaving you less relaxed than you intended. Finding places nearby takes a bit of creativity, but can be well worth the effort.

Think Like a Tourist

The last time you had family come from out of town, I’ll bet you found new things to do and fun places to see. Residents often overlook some of our areas unique attractions until we have ‘tourists’ to entertain.

Start by visiting those places you’re always telling your out-of-town friends about. If you have scenic beaches, picturesque mountain views, walking trails, museums, or anything else you’ve always wanted to do, go see them for yourself. Whether it’s a day trip, or a weekend, make your plans early so you can take full advantage of your trip.

Gather Brochures 

 

Most cities print local ‘what to do’ magazines or fliers that are available in grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, or the Chamber of Commerce. Grab a handful and start browsing. Don’t be too selective at this point, just grab them.  Those racks and racks of brochures are there to entice visitors to our area, so be enticed! Give each one some consideration. Hotels are another great source for tourist brochures.

Go Online

Google is an amazing tool. Search “things to do in CITY” or “tourist attractions CITY”.  Search for state or national parks for a fun day trip. Look up Facebook events, meetup.com, or eventbrite.com for public events you may want to attend. Local radio stations tend to play commercials for events and concerts too.

Tons of Fun in Our Backyard

Water parks, amusement parks, and other big attractions can often be found within an hour or so of most cities. You may likely find that these areas cater to the ‘park going crowd’ and offer discounts at hotels.

The added bonus in going to a city that has a big water park or amusement park is that they often have more attractions. Affordable lodging, meals, and memorable experiences is the name of the game. Plan your local adventure for the ‘slightly off season’ and your experience will be less hectic than at the busy times.

Learn and Laugh Staycation

Having a learning vacation close to home could be an adventure with a little research. You may be able to visit a ranch, a zoo, a farm, a winery, a tree nursery, a crafting colony, or even a chocolate factory. There are lots of local businesses that would love to have your support.

Wouldn’t it be breathtaking to watch your kids help feed a newborn foal? A trip to a working farm could teach everyone how to milk cows, collect eggs, or make butter. Perhaps you could plant the next season of Christmas trees, or create soy wax candles, or learn how to make cake from scratch. Many factories, farms, and artist colonies offer free tours, requesting only a donation.

Change It Up

A vacation is merely a change of scenery from the usual, a time to do something fun and interesting. Chances are there are many places around town that you have never been to. You may have driven past these places and even suggested them to friends. Now is the time to experience the area like a visitor. Go ahead and plan a day or two creating experiences for your family in places not so far from home.