Weekend Gatherings Made Simple

I think Weekend Gatherings are probably my favorite type of gathering.  By the time the weekend arrives, everyone is tired and just want to relax. Have a good conversation and enjoy the time together.  This is why I had to make sure my weekend gatherings were simple and enjoyable.

Simplifying our lives

Our household theme for the 2017 year has been Do less better by Simplifying our lives.  We love having gatherings at our home but our lives had got so busy that when the weekend got here, I had no desire to put on a big event like I was so used to doing.  I had to make our weekends simple but didn’t want to stop having gatherings in our home.  So here is what I have found to work for our family and our guests seem to love it.

Weekend Gatherings Made Simple has become part of the plan to Simplify.

How to Simplify Your Weekend Gatherings

• Everyone can help out  Give everyone in your family a task to do before the guest arrives.  It could be as simple as making sure there is a napkin at each place setting.  Give your guest a task to do as well.  It could be to bring a dish or set the table once they arrive.
• Forget trying to impress everyone.  I bet if you polled your guest, they would not remember the dust on the shelf or the laundry that is not down, they would remember the fun fellowship.  Stop trying to make your home to be in perfect condition.  A stressed-out host is no fun to be around. Have you read, Hospitality is NOT entertaining yet?
• Build a supply to make it easier to set up.  Have a Rubbermaid container supplied with paper goods, plastic ware, candles, bug spray, etc.  Make items that you use over and over easy to access and in one place.  When you run out of something in your container, quickly replace it to where you are not caught off guard and unprepared. This has been probably the best resource I have in my house. I love the fact it is all together and anyone can pull it out and help.
• Make it simple and not hard.  Having people over can be quiet much.  Invite people over for dessert or maybe just a simple meal.  A simple meal like BBQ or a crock pot of Chili.  I have not had one guest complain yet that the meal was too simple. There are so many great recipes on Pinterest that is for simple meals.  Guest just want the fellowship, they really don’t care how detailed your menu is.

Gatherings are about the relationships and not as much about the food.  Keep your eye on the purpose.  People that you have over on a regular basis already knows your pluses and your negatives.  Just stop and enjoy their company and not stressing over the hardest meal you would ever prepare.