Gathering with family is one of those things that we look forward to. It’s important to stay in touch with brothers and sisters, parents, cousins, grandparents, and other relatives. But you need to make plans when you are going to have a family gathering. Everything from ensuring that your house is ready to hold a large number of guests to having enough food needs to be done. And if you’re like most people, you probably need a list to make sure that you don’t forget anything. Here are a couple of important preparations to consider adding to your list. If you’ve never hosted the family gathering, you might be wondering how much food you need to prepare and what you should make. How much food you need will depend on how many people are coming, so make a list and prepare a little more than what you think you will actually require. In a worst-case scenario, you can send leftovers home with some of your family. When preparing your menu, remember to plan for the dinner, which will most likely include at least one main dish and a couple of side dishes. But when you’re having large groups of people over to your house, you should also remember to have appetizers before the meal. It builds a cushion in case the meal takes longer to set up than you expected. Good appetizers don’t have to be complicated. They include easy things like nuts, chips and salsa, crudite (cut up vegetables), and cheese and crackers. Also, remember to have plenty of beverages on hand for all ages. One thing that’s easy to forget is that children might want to play outside, so you need to make sure that everything is child-friendly so that children don’t get hurt. If you want to prevent kids and pets from running off, make sure your yard is closed off with sturdy fencing for the children to play in while the adults mingle in the kitchen. If you’re going to have a lot of people over to your house, make sure that you spend some time planning the layout of your party. You need to make sure that there are enough places for people to sit while they eat and that you have plenty of space for people to walk. Kids’ tables are one option. If you have too many people, consider turning your table into a buffet and bring in extra seating; people can eat on trays or laps if needed. Planning a family gathering is a lot of work. It’s best to plan at least a week in advance so that you don’t forget anything. You can also enlist the assistance of other family members so that you’ll remember every detail or for help remembering and addressing any special needs from a family member. Did you like this article? Keep reading: • None Great Ideas to Keep Them Busy All Summer! • None How to Catch a Break as a Stay at Home Parent