Preparing for the In-Law Invasion at the Holidays

The holiday season is always hectic with parties, shopping, and decorating. Add the invasion of in-laws for a visit at the holidays, and life can become more than chaotic. It can rob you of sleep, your sanity, and your holiday cheer. The best way to prepare for any invasion is to plan ahead!

1. Space planning: how many people are coming to your house? My home seems to have more than enough room for my small family, but when you add in a mother-in-law, two brothers, their wives and children, I suddenly feel like I'm living in a shoebox. If you are comfortable with the crowds and feel that it just adds to the festivities, then you need to plan for sleeping space. Air mattresses are a great way to create beds for any number of guests. Extra sheets and blankets will be needed and if you are inflating more than one air mattress, you might want to consider an electric gizmo that will blow up the mattress for you. If some or all of your guests will be staying in a hotel, make sure they have made their reservations well in advance to avoid any last minute change of plans. You can offer to make the reservations for them as you probably know the area better than they do and can choose a hotel that is close to your home, affordable, and comfortable.

2. The menu: Count how many meals you will all be eating together. Will everyone want breakfast or can you just provide a continental style breakfast with bagels and muffins? Are there food allergies or special dietary needs you should be aware of? Consider dividing up the cooking duties. If you have six guests staying, divide up the dinners between them! You will do nothing but cook if you try to provide three meals each day for everyone there. Another consideration is finding a restaurant that caters. You could plan on purchasing one meal (we are doing this for Christmas Eve so we don't have to clean up the kitchen!) and eliminate the stress of cooking and cleaning up one evening.

3. The expenses: keep track of what you spend on food, drinks, wine, and liquor that are specifically for the time that your guests will be visiting. Granted, your guests have the expense of traveling, but depending on the number of people you are hosting for the holidays, the food and drink bill can grow astronomically. If it is uncomfortable to ask for a certain dollar amount, just ask if they could pitch in something to help cover the cost and hopefully they will be full of holiday generosity and not possessed by Scrooge!

4. Logistics: each family does things a little differently at the holidays so it is best to plan out a tentative schedule ahead of time. When will the big holiday meal be? When will presents be opened? Are there other special traditions that should be planned for as well? In addition, do you have enough tables and chairs to accommodate all of your guests for meals? If not, consider renting fold-up tables and chairs, and even tableware(!) from a party store.

5. Activities: if your guests are staying for more than a couple of days, it might be a good idea to plan an activity or two to get them out of the house. Check out local museums, art galleries, music or theatre events, or if the weather cooperates, plan a trip to a park. It will get everyone out of the house, give them a little exercise, and a chance to see something besides your home!

6. Comings and goings: you shouldn't be expected to become the cruise director for all of your guests, but it would be a good idea if you have a list of when and how each of your guests is arriving and departing. Will you need to pick them up at the airport, are they taking a cab, or renting a car? Do you need to be up early to take someone to the airport at the end of their visit? Also, keep in mind if you plan activities such as an evening out that you will need enough cars to accommodate all of your guests. Include extra space for car seats and booster seats and think about how many adults can comfortably fit in the back seat.

Sometimes, despite all our good planning, something will go wrong. My best advice is to do what you can, open a bottle of wine, turn up the holiday music, and know that you have a whole year before you have to do all of this again!