Lady In the Middle - Stability in Work , Family & Relationships
Share the Wealth This Holiday Season By Ashley Ratcliff
Just look around — the holiday season is upon us. The time between Halloween and Thanksgiving was a blur, and before you know it, Christmas and New Year’s Day will be here. But while some have a family they can look forward to going home to for these occasions, others don’t have that luxury or can’t make it back to their hometown to be with their loved ones. These days, not everyone has the day after Christmas off from work, making an out-of-town visit nearly impossible.
As a young professional, I’m starting to realize that pretty soon, I may be in that same predicament when a potential job opportunity may send me places far away from my family members. In the spirit of sharing, I extended an invitation to a good friend of mine, Yvette, to join my family and me for Thanksgiving dinner.
We’ve created our own circle of friends that basically are like family, so she was happy to accept. It’s like a home-away-from home environment. If you have friends or co-workers who can’t be with their relatives during this season, why not invite them to share in your celebration? It will allow them to make the most of their holiday in lieu of their circumstances.
Our Thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch because we followed these tips, which most certainly can apply to your Christmas celebration.
The most important thing about inviting guests over for a holiday dinner is making sure they feel comfortable. Be sure to engage in around-the-dining-room-table conversation that everyone can participate in. Make sure he or she can relate. Don’t just talk about Grandpa Joe or crazy Aunt Sue. You don’t want to invite someone over only to neglect them. The purpose of these holiday gatherings is to share in the love.
Take the time to introduce every one of your family members to your guests. It’s hard to interact when you feel like strangers. Being able to refer to each other by name will make the dinner less awkward and give way to a friendlier environment.
Another way to make your guests feel like they’re a part of the gang is to cater to his or her needs. Ask what they’d like to eat during the event, or if there’s anything they’re allergic to or don’t like, well in advance. Nothing’s more uncomfortable than having to announce to everyone that your guest can’t eat that dressing because he or she will break out in hives.
If you just put yourself in your guests’ shoes, I’m sure you can make the gathering enjoyable and positively memorable for all. Happy Holidays!
Ashley M. Ratcliff currently is city editor at the Rancho Palos Verdes-based Palos Verdes Peninsula News. She may be reached via e-mail at ashleymratcliff@yahoo.com.
