How to Organise a Festive Family Dinner

For many people, a festive family dinner is an essential part of the Christmas or New Year’s season. Organising this can be stressful, especially during this season, which is already challenging and full of planning, preparation and, often, big spending. This article outlines how to organise a festive dinner so you get the most out of the communal and giving season without any unnecessary added stress to the planning process. 

Find a date 

Often, selecting a date where everyone is free can pose the biggest challenge, so this should always be the first thing you organise. The earlier you have sorted a date, the more free time people are likely to have in their calendars. Equally, this date will need to align with an eatery, so the sooner you can organise it within your group, the more restaurants with slots available will be able to host you. 

Dates that are not on specific celebration days tend to be easier to book in both interpersonally and at the restaurant itself. This excludes dates like: 

 

• Christmas Eve (December 24th) 
• Christmas Day (December 25th) 
• Boxing Day (December 26th)
• New Year’s Eve (December 31st)
• New Year’s Day (January 1st) 

Note down dietary preferences 

Once you have decided on a date, the next thing to do is to make sure everyone is going to enjoy the food (and definitely be able to eat it). Double-check that no one in your family has any allergies or specific dietary requirements (e.g., gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.) that you may need to notify the restaurant about. 

Check the menus of different restaurants (especially if they have set festive dinner menus) to ensure everyone can eat happily. 

Consider accessibility 

If anyone in your family has accessibility concerns, it is always important to check that the restaurant can accommodate them. By law, restaurants in the UK have to have at least some accessibility, so this should not be a major concern; it should just be checked to ensure the meal is smooth and enjoyable for everyone. 

Find a place 

Next, think about what location would be best, whether this is about where would be most convenient (between different family members’ homes), or where would be most interesting to everyone in the group. 

Some interesting spots for a family festive dinner include: 

 

• The Lake District is a great place for a festive meal, with its hearty, traditional food often sourced locally, and gorgeous natural and historic scenery. The Lakes also offer fantastic winter walks so that you can eat and digest with a nice walk afterwards. Looking in small towns, like restaurants in Keswick, will provide so many fun opportunities and delicious food for such a small place. 
• London is great for hosting a huge range of cultural dishes, making it especially good if you fancy a non-traditional Christmas dinner. It also has extensive festive decorations. 
• Edinburgh is the home of Hogmanay and hosts huge New Year’s celebrations, making it an excellent choice for people who want a cultural hotspot or fancy the idea of having a little party after the meal! 

Pre-book a festive meal 

Pre-booking from a set festive dinner menu is often the cheapest way to go for a festive meal out, and it tends to reduce any unnecessary stress. If you arrive at the restaurant knowing what everyone is having, then there is no faff with ordering or pondering on menus once you get there, saving you time and allowing you to focus on socialising and connecting. 

Celebrate the night! 

Why not have a festive celebration with your family this winter? If you follow the advice in this article, the planning process should be simplified, meaning the benefits of reconnecting and dining out will outweigh any stress of planning. 

You could even make a whole trip out of it and celebrate into the night, perhaps with an overnight stay at a hotel. If this tempts you, check hotels with restaurants – as these are often easier and can have you celebrating longer!