Tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi and as in most festivals, the woman of the house will be at the centre of all the preparations. She Team suggests how she could apply some festival management skills and planning in order to enjoy the festivities without feeling stressed

With Ganesh Utsav beginning tomorrow, you must be on your toes!  There’re always some last-minute chores. Oh, and not to forget the elaborate meals that you have to cook for your family and friends, and the delectables that you have to serve the guests. Besides, the scrubbing and cleaning of your home may have already taken a toll. And you still want to do some last-minute shopping for decorating the idol. The to-do list never ends!

And amidst all the work, responsibilities and celebrations, what goes amiss is your share of fun and enjoyment. You are left managing the home, hearth, kids and guests, or left slogging in the kitchen or shuttling between making modaks and greeting the guests. Mustn’t you, like the other family members, look resplendent and radiant in your rich, shimmering nauvari, flowers and jewellery, rather than the frustrated, hapless woman running errands and doing last-minute chores?

That’s possible only if you let go of that ‘I-can-do-it-all-myself’ myth.  We know we can do 10 tasks at a time probably, but try saving yourself some energy and you’ll feel happier than you would’ve after winning the ‘Ms Superwoman’ title!

So how can you manage a festival without being totally spent? Initiate a change — a change in your mindset as well as that of your family members. They and you yourself need to understand that festivals are a great opportunity to bond and renew existing relationships and friendships. Most importantly, a festival is a family affair, so each member — from the seniormost to the youngest — should share the responsibility of making it an enjoyable experience.

To make festivals smooth sailing, all you need is some planning and skillful management. And voilà! You could have the most unforgettable celebrations.     

The planning

It should begin at least two weeks in advance. The groceries to be bought or the long-pending house work —  if it’s painting or carpentry — has to be planned and executed well in advance. The budgeting should be done accordingly, the best deals should be sought and finalised and the necessary arrangements made, including the cleaning of your home, arranging the furniture post painting and carpentry work.

• As far the groceries are concerned, you can take your pick from the supermarkets and malls. And women needn’t do the shopping themselves, the men can also chip in. All it needs is listing all the items carefully and you won’t find much reason to crib!

• It’s best to chalk out a list of the special dishes, like sweets and namkeens, to be prepared for specific days, and the ingredients to be purchased accordingly. You can also make a mental list of items that can be bought readymade. Since the ingredients for some of the dishes have to be bought last minute, it is necessary to prepare a separate list for the same, to avoid the eleventh-hour rush.

• Include the elderly and even children in the planning — small chores that won’t be strenuous for them, but which will give them the pleasure of contributing something. It will also take care of entertaining children.

-Entertaining guests forms an important part of the fanfare surrounding festivals in our country. If you are an experienced host, you won’t take very long to make a mental list of everything you’re required to do when you’re expecting guests.

- It’s good to have a clean home to welcome them. And this isn’t a last-minute job, of course. It starts by cleaning closets, scrubbing kitchen platforms, emptying the house of everything that’s excess or unnecessary. This way, you have less clutter and more space, that’s not only good to look at, but also functionally beneficial.

- You don’t need to go beyond your regular sweeping, mopping and dusting on the actual festival days.

-Check for a fresh stock of basin napkins, tissue papers, and bring out your best set of cutlery.

-Replace trays with broken, frayed edges, old bent spoons, cracked plates and overused glasses. It’s also time to spread out that pretty tablecloth and table mats. Keep a dry mop cloth handy, for post-snacks clean-ups.

-It’s best to keep the menu limited to two/three dishes. Too many dishes generate too much mess.

-Lay out a buffet even if you have two-three dishes and mocktails / soft drinks. That way, you can mingle around and talk to your guests, rather than being tied up with the serving.

-Also, start training your family (and yourself) about the importance of greeting, meeting and conversing with guests — food should not be the central theme of get-togethers.

- Keep some nice instrumental music CDs aside to play in the background — they are great mood-setters for evenings of bonhomie.

-Rajnigandha flowers look beautiful in a vase, last for days and lend a mild fragrance to your living room.

- If you have kids visiting you with their parents, keep some chocolate bars or candies ready — it’s a gesture kids always love.

Remember, you have to enjoy festivals as much as everybody else. So, don’t tire yourself trying to be a multi-tasker. Keep your chores limited and thus, well-managed.

Quickfixes

- If there’s too much of a time crunch, get professional cleaners to help you out.

- Use disposable plates/ cutlery, so that cleaning up later on becomes easy.

- Keep food ready in microwave safe bowls, so that you can just heat it up & serve. (Also becomes easy for re-heating and if you are tired after your guests leave, you can just keep the bowls directly in the fridge).