Christmas Day Tradition: Invite Others Over

Our family doesn’t travel during Christmas, so we have created our own family traditions. One of our favorites is to have people over for Christmas Day dinner.

We typically invite a few families who, like us, have no family in town or no other plans. Our friends the Larsons almost always join us and it is so fun for our kids to be making these memories together annually. A few things that make it work, year after year.

Keep it casual: There are no expectations for dressing up or being fancy. We have had years where all our kids were in pajamas.

Potluck the meal: Everyone brings some food, which keeps it easy and low stress. Food we usually serve: Ham, potatoes or mac and cheese (or both), salad, bread, and vegetables. We usually have a charcuterie tray and some desserts too! I also am making this punch this year.

Have games: We always end up playing games, so have a few games ready to go. A few I have for this year: Sequence, Mind the Gap and Sounds Fishy.

It is not too late to invite people over. Christmas is a lonely time for many. By being willing to open your door, you are creating opportunity for people to feel loved and connected. Don’t over think it. The size of your home or table doesn’t matter. It is all about how you make someone feel.