When Is It Time To Stop Hosting The Big Holiday Dinners?

Posted by Richard on November 9, 2021

The grand kids love it, of course, and they are the reason we keep doing it.
Those lovely holiday dinners pass on traditions, values, heritage and fun memories. The excitement of the holidays beam in the eyes of the little ones.
But meanwhile, your back is aching and your energy isn’t what it used to be. It takes a lot of time and it costs a lot of money to put on one of these spreads.
At some point, you might ask the question: Is it time to pass the torch? Here are some warning signs:

1. Dread. When the idea of cooking a pie or peeling the potatoes conjures up visions of pain and not merriment, that may well mean someone else should be the host.
2. Scheduling. The kids may have at least two holiday dinners to attend every single holiday. They may be packing up food for every dinner and hauling their own kids around for hours. Maybe it is time for you to be a guest at their houses? You can still bring your famous dressing.
3. Expense. The family gets bigger and the cost of the celebration gets larger. One person shouldn’t have to assume the cost of the whole meal. It might be time to plan something different.

According to Martha Stewart, it’s okay to bow out. Tell the family ahead of time that you can’t host and why. You might be surprised which person would actually be thrilled to host the family dinner.
You can also re-imagine the dinner. Why throw a big sit-down dinner when a buffet and pitch-in will do? Get others to help.
According to AARP, sharing family heirlooms will make the transition easier. Give that huge turkey platter to the next host and relax.