Part 2 of my Holiday tips 2014

Tip#7 A dear friend who is no longer with us taught me to make sure  lots of pictures are taken or have people take pictures and encourage your quests to send them to each other.  William took pictures at my wedding. He made sure I had pictures of everyone who came and four years later it is William is no longer with us.   

  

in loving memory of William Lampie

 Get those selfie shots and try to get the group shots.  Get the kids together a make a scrap books or ornaments next year.  These pictures make great Christmas cards, invitations and keep sakes. There are always a few people who don’t like pictures, try a distract them. Snap pictures of them helping the kids make cookies or have one of the children give them a kiss on the cheek if it’s an elder. My favorite, hand me a baby, I don’t like my picture taken, but if you hand me a baby my focus is not on the picture it’s on the baby. I like to take pictures with my good looking friends, they make me look good. Plan a few shots like ones with Grandparents. If you have someone recovering from cancer and they have a bald head ask them if you can have family and close friends take pictures hugging them. Sometimes finding a prop, example, an Easter bonnet, reindeer horns, a turkey suit, matching t shirts, wings or funny hats make pictures easier! Have fun. When you look back at these old pictures you’ll thank me.

Tip#8 Share the recipes. Give and get recipes of your favorite dishes by just asking. If the person says when you ask just tell them you want to have the recipes for the next generation. Some recipes really don’t have written recipes so ask can you come over and watch or learn how. You can also ask to video how to cook Aunt Terrie’s dish for family only. My own family lost my Grandmothers and my Aunt Julia’s recipes when they died.  Think about making a family cookbook. This year I am  teaching my son to make my  legendary Gumbo, I've been saving this recipe.

Tip#9   Clean up and the take home plate grabbers.  Remember, I said plan a head, assign a couple of guests to help. Most people don’t mind helping out and it makes them feel a part of the house.  Don’t count on them to do it prefect. Everyone has their own way of doing things, so be happy for the effort and don’t waste too much energy on things being done absolutely you way.

 My rule is to cook extra, but I will limit how many plates someone takes.  It is a balance, I want left overs, but not more than we can eat.  You know you’re in trouble when the person gets out the car with a roll of foil and plastic containers! Or they say hello to the food before they greet you!

 If someone says Dad’s at work, can I take him a plate? Sure. It is the person who brings nothing and does as little as possible, but who wants to be fed for the week whose feelings I will get hurt.  I don’t care if they take a plate, but often else someone at my table maybe struggling and needs the food.  When I am aware of a need I make containers/plates myself in advance for the guest.

Tip#10 Kick them out!  I don’t know how many events I have hosted where it is 1 am and I was up at 6 am, with things to do. There are people in the house laughing and dancing. Kick them out at a reasonable time or keep them till breakfast. Depending on who it is and if someone in the household is staying up. Those who stay late are just comfortable and having a good time. Sometimes time flies.  It’s ok to lovingly kick them out, they’ll be back. I like to put a start and time in the invite. I plan for 2 hours after the event for talking and laughing and clean up. Just like I plan for people to be late at the start. Just my note, if you have been doing shots all night, you take keys, hand out blankets and pillows and lock your guests in.