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Family Gatherings!

Inviting the family over?

Whether it's a birthday, a baby shower, or big family reunions - throwing a party for relatives is a great way to show how much you honor and cherish them.

While entertaining family takes a bit of planning ...take heart! You probably already know everyone's food preferences, dietary restrictions, or how much of a "show" is necessary for really close family.

Then there are the personality quirks. (At a big wedding reception, for example, Uncle John sits here and his brother Dave sits over THERE.).

Of course, really big to-do's like weddings and bar mitzvahs, for example, usally require formal invitations.Yet in the age of social media a Facebook announcement may be just the ticket for inviting everyone over, then coordinating who's bringing what to the next christening or confirmation party. Otherwise, family invites can be as easy as a phone call or e-mail reminder to "save the date!"

Onsite and elsewhere around the Web, learn more about planning your next big family function with advice for planning everything from mom and dad's wedding anniversary to hosting holiday house guests, plus more handy tips for whenever you're putting on the ritz for relatives ...

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