PHOTO BY KELSEY KNIGHT

Host a Fun Family Holiday Party

Playlists, games, holiday movies: Make it fun, and they will come

by Catherine Gannon Taintor

September 2022

Throwing a holiday party at our age is crazy to some. Remember, though, no one but you can create your vision of a warm, cozy, and fun gathering that’s just right for your family.

Hosting a multigenerational holiday gathering that appeals to all ages is tricky. I should know I’ve made my share of mistakes. I’ve learned never to let a six old near the unopened gifts, not to let a 13-year-old be in charge of the music, not to put out cupcakes on a sideboard before dinner is served…the list goes on and on.

Despite the bloopers, I wouldn’t change a single holiday party. We laugh about and enjoy all the wonderful memories (even my grandson calling me “Grandpa” all weekend). Dive into the prep work knowing you’ll soon soak up all the love that comes with a family party.

FOOD

It’s tricky to come up with a menu that will appeal to all ages. (My family spans three generations from ages 1 to 80.) The best idea is a buffet with dishes to appeal to all ages.

Think finger food such as mini pizzas and sandwiches for kids. Korean barbecue, coronation chicken (curry), or spicy chili is good for young adults, and salads, poached salmon, and beef tenderloin for older adults (those of us with sophisticated palates).

Tips for older adults:

• Ask for help. Suggest other family members bring a dessert or an appetizer.
• Cater side dishes.
• Consider a finger food buffet.
• Serve large family-style trays of casseroles, lasagne, or mac ’n’ cheese.
• Enlist clean-up help.

PREP YOUR HOUSE

• Accept help if someone offers to come early and help you set up.
• Move furniture in the middle of the room such as chairs, coffee tables, and end tables against the wall. It’s a good idea to give adults plenty of room to mingle.
• Make sure your house is clean and free of clutter. If an item is not needed, move it to your bedroom or another non-party room.
• Put away breakables or place them too high for toddlers to reach.
• Place a comfy chair in a central location for elderly guests to sit in and enjoy the other family members.
• Set up a drinks table for guests to help themselves. You can prepare a holiday punch, limit drinks to wine and beer, or provide the makings for cocktails.
• Place appetizers in different locations to encourage your guests to move around. Enlist the help of older children to pass appetizers around.
• Plan a loose timeline for dinner allowing for a few minutes for late guests and interruptions

MUSIC

Music sets the mood. Avoid fights over music and create a playlist before the party that has something for everybody.

Spotify has a multigenerational playlist “Multigenerational Party Jam 400,000”

Apple Music’s “A Family Affair: Multi-Generation Party Music” has created a playlist for all to enjoy. In their words, “a playlist that your sister will love, your mother will approve of, your teenaged cousin will want to steal, your nephew will sing along to, your grandparents will understand, and your baby niece will bounce for…”

GAMES

Games are a great icebreaker, especially for families who don’t often see each other. Instead of encouraging teens to play video games in another room or asking young children to watch a kid’s movie in another room, why not play a game that everyone can participate in on some level? Form teams or pair up an older and a younger child to play.

FAMILY PARTY GAME SUGGESTION

Fishbowl

A good memory game to play with a large group is “Fish Bowl” aka “Salad Bowl.” This game is played over three rounds and is suitable for adults, teenagers, and older children.

https://funattic.com/how-to-play-fishbowl-game/

To play:

3 strips of paper for each person

5-6 pencils

A bowl to hold the pieces of paper

A timer

Choose a category: a celebrity, an animal, or a place. Ask each person to write down a word about the category that will be guessed later. Fold the paper in half. Place the paper in the fishbowl. Mix papers in a fishbowl.

Taboo Round: Guess as many words as possible within one minute. Starting team selects a player to go first. Grab a piece of paper and silently read it. One minute timer is started. Use words to get your teammate to guess the word on the paper without saying the “taboo” word written on the paper. If a word is too hard, the player can “pass.” After one minute, the other team gets their turn. Tally each team’s score.

Password Round: The team that went second goes first this time. Papers are put in the fishbowl again. This time player can only use one word to describe the word on the paper. If the word is too hard, the player can “pass.” After one minute, the other team gets their turn. Tally each team’s score.

Charades Round: This round plays out in the same way, but the player is not allowed to speak. Each player takes one-minute turns. Scores are tallied.

Winner: Scores from all three turns are tallied. The team with the most points wins.

BOARD GAME

My family particularly enjoys Codenames. This is a social word game. Players are divided into two teams who try to guess the identities of 25 spies known only by their codenames. Two rival spymasters know the identities of all 25 spies. They each give one-word clues to their team that point to multiple words on the board.

MOVIE NIGHT

Movie night is a relaxing way to spend time with family after a holiday meal. Light a fire, serve snacks and enjoy.