The holidays are over, and I still can’t quite believe it. But isn’t that always how it goes? When there’s a lot happening and a lot of people involved, everything turns into one big whirlwind.

This year was no different — except it kind of was. Despite the packed calendar, our family actually slowed down. We connected. We let the little things roll off our backs. We pivoted when we needed to. And if you’ve been following along on my stories, you already know we’re deep in the middle of home renovations, which meant hosting during the holidays was officially off the table.

When Hosting Isn’t An Option

Not hosting didn’t mean we didn’t want family in town. It just meant we had to get creative.

My in-laws came into town. My parents came into town. And instead of spending the entire holiday in the kitchen, we made a decision that felt downright luxurious: we catered a couple of meals.

A good friend recommended La Diva, by Chef Jenn out of Ormond Beach, and I’m here to tell you — best decision I made all season. Honestly, it felt like a Christmas gift to myself.

We only needed dinner for seven, but here’s what we ordered: a whole teriyaki turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked macaroni and cheese, green beans with bacon and cranberries, and dinner rolls. Everything was delivered to our house on Christmas Eve with simple instructions, zero stress and no mess.

A Different Christmas Day

Our Christmas Day looked different this year, too. I alternate holidays with my ex-husband, so he had the kids Christmas night. We celebrated “kid Christmas” on Christmas Eve with brunch, which meant Christmas Day itself was calm — and honestly, kind of needed.

We woke up, had our coffee, and headed beachside to meet my in-laws at their Airbnb. We exchanged gifts, then walked over to Peanuts, where we spent the afternoon laughing, dancing and absolutely taking over the jukebox.

The place was jam-packed. After a perfect lunch of fried cheese curds and wings, we danced some more, laughed more, shared stories, and then headed back to the Airbnb.

Dinner, Done

We popped the catered food in the oven. One hour later, we were sitting around a fully prepared Christmas dinner that was absolutely delicious — without anyone being exhausted or stressed.

And that’s my takeaway this year: I highly recommend catering or family-style meals at least once or twice when you have people in town. Can I make a casserole from scratch to feed an army? Absolutely.

But there’s a time and a place — and this holiday season wasn’t it. Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself is letting someone else handle dinner.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and rang in the new year feeling rested, recharged and ready for what’s ahead.

XO,