The one thing I really love about Christmas is the time you spend with family. It's rare you get extended family around table for dinner, unless it's a birthday or another special occasion. I think it's important to spend time together as much as you can, especially with the great tradition of having dinner together becoming less and less common.
Getting together with family is a great way to strengthen family bonds. Lots of families have dinner together at home, but for those who aren't able to find the time due to work or social commitments, the family dinner out is the perfect opportunity for a proper catch up. So with post Christmas family time blues sinking in fast, I thought I'd share my guide to arranging a family dinner out!
- C H O O S E T H E N I G H T -
Come up with a night to go out and ensure everyone can make it. Don't be afraid to ask people's availability far in advance; people can get booked up pretty quickly and if it's a large group you'll be amazed at how hard it can be find a night when everyone is free! Give everyone the option of a couple of days, that way no one feels pressured to arrange existing plans and everyone feels like they have a choice!
- B O O K T H E R I G H T P L A C E -
Once you've settled on a date, you need to make sure you've chosen the right venue. It needs to be big enough to accommodate you all if you're a big party. If you know there's some fussy eaters amongst you then an Italian might be best. Perhaps somewhere like L'anima which provides authentic Italian food. Even the fussiest of eaters will find something they like on a menu full of pasta and pizza! Don't forget dietary requirements too; vegans, vegetarians and gluten free's need to be accounted for.
- D R E S S T O I M P R E S S -
Everyone likes to get dressed up and a family night out is no exception. If I'm going out for dinner I prefer to wear something I feel comfortable in that's not too restrictive. We all know what it's like to get that "post dinner" bloat so it's important to stay comfy. If you're thinking about wearing a dress perhaps chose something a-line and floaty. Jeans wise I find high waisted ones can be a bit uncomfortable when I'm eating a big meal so stick with low rising ones if you can. Whatever you chose to wear, the night out will feel all that more special if everyone is dressed up nicely!
Spending quality time together as a family is really important, so be sure to make time for a family dinner or lunch if you can this year! You'll really appreciate the memories you make from the night; be sure to bring the camera!
DML
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