My Annual Friends & Family Holiday Party

If there’s something more valuable than money, I think it’s relationships.

If there’s one lesson I learned early in life from my parents, it’s the power of relationships. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs and lawyers, and growing up, I watched how much of life happened through people. Friendships, introductions, trust, reputation. Someone willing to open a door, make a call, offer advice, or simply be there when you need them.

But there’s an important distinction I’ve always believed in: A relationship is not a transaction.

It’s not about knowing people because of what they can do for you. It’s about genuinely investing in them. And the older I get (I’m not that old BTW), the more I realize how much the quality of our lives depends on the quality of our relationships.

Think about some of the biggest decisions we make. Who we marry. Who we surround ourselves with. Who we raise our children around. Who we call when something goes wrong, and who we want beside us when something goes right.

Choosing my husband was probably one of the most important decisions of my life. More important than where I lived, which job I took, or even which business I decided to build.

And then there’s family. Mine is far from perfect. My parents are divorced, I still fight with my sisters (and I’m 43! 😂), but somehow we’ve built a modern family where we genuinely enjoy being together.

That makes my life infinitely richer.

As a founder, I’ve seen the same thing professionally. Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my career have come from conversations, friendships, introductions, DMs, dinners, and people believing in what I was building.

I always say, “The magic happens in the DMs.” And I mean it.

But as much as I love the connections we can build online, there’s something different that happens when we sit across the table from someone.

Which brings me to something I’ve been thinking about lately.

Are we forgetting how to gather?

I recently read a fascinating article by Derek Thompson called You Are No Longer Invited to Dinner.

One statistic stopped me.

According to survey findings discussed in the article, the share of Americans who host friends or family at home at least once a month has fallen from 42% in 1975 to just 12% in 2026.

That’s a decline of approximately 70%.

Think about that. We work online. Shop online. Build businesses online. Meet people online.

And now, with AI, we talk more with our AI than with people IRL.

I love technology. I’m building a technology company in the hospitality space.

But I don’t want us to become so efficient at living online that we forget the value of being together offline.

Interestingly, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies of adult life, has found that the quality of our relationships is deeply connected to happiness, health, and longevity.

So we know relationships matter.

The question is: Are we making enough time for them?

I think part of the problem is that gathering has started to feel like another job.

Between careers, children, family responsibilities, and everything else on our calendars, inviting people over can feel overwhelming. I get it, I built a business around this painpoint.

The menu. The groceries. The cooking. The cleaning. The table. The expectations.

But when did spending time with people we love become something that requires so much perfection?

Think about how you feel after a really good dinner with your girlfriends. Or Sunday lunch with your family. Or a conversation with someone you’ve just met that leaves you feeling inspired.

Those moments matter. And I believe we need to intentionally create more of them. For us and for future generations. I want my kids to EXPERIENCE life IRL.

Make your table.

I’ve been gathering people for as long as I can remember. Even as a little girl, I was always the one organizing my friends. And today, it’s still one of my favorite things to do.

I’m definitely not your girl for a 500-person gala. (yet) 😂

My world is intimate. Ten people. Twenty. Fifteen is probably my sweet spot.

Over the years, I’ve hosted dozens of these gatherings, both personally and professionally. And something almost always happens.

People exchange numbers. Friendships begin. Someone discovers an opportunity. Someone hears exactly what they needed to hear that week.

Sometimes, one conversation changes everything. It makes your life happier and better.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

You don’t need to host an extraordinary dinner to create an extraordinary connection.

Sometimes, all you need to do is bring the right people together.

And that brings me to a little idea for you.

Before the year ends, make one invitation.

As we enter the holiday season, there’s naturally a lot of attention on Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and all the celebrations in between.

But instead of focusing only on what we’re celebrating, what if we paid a little more attention to who we’re celebrating with?

Who haven’t you seen in a while? Who would you love to know better? Who could use an invitation right now?

Maybe it’s Sunday lunch with family. Dinner with old friends. Breakfast with a few women in your industry. Or bringing together two couples who have never met. Perfect excuse for a Friendsgiving.

It doesn’t need to be elaborate. And you certainly don’t need to wait for a special occasion. You just need to make the invitation.

A little something to make hosting easier.

Now, I know what you might be thinking.

That sounds lovely, Diana. But when am I supposed to plan all of this?

I get it. Between work, family, and everything else, hosting can quickly become another project on an already very long to-do list.

But here’s something I’ve learned after years of hosting:

The secret to stress-free hosting isn’t doing more. It’s planning earlier.

You don’t want to be figuring out the menu, ordering rentals, and inviting people two days before your guests arrive.

That’s exactly why I created The Hosting Edit: Your Gathering Planning Checklist.

It’s a simple, downloadable guide that walks you through what to do and when to do it, starting weeks in advance and working your way toward the day of your gathering.

From the early decisions to the final details, everything is broken down into manageable steps so you’re not trying to do it all at once.

[DOWNLOAD THE HOSTING EDIT CHECKLIST]

And this is just the beginning. I already started a Hosting 101 series on IG (a show and tell with some easy hosting tips).

Throughout November, I’ll be sharing more of my favorite hosting ideas, practical tips, menus, and curated experiences for this special season. I’m making it easier for you to GATHER more.

Because whether you’re planning an intimate dinner, a birthday celebration, or a beautiful holiday gathering, I want to help you make it feel easier, more enjoyable, and a lot less overwhelming.

And yes, that also connects to why I started Chefpost: to make life easier and better, so we have more time for what matters the most/

But for today, I want to leave you with one thought.

Relationships don’t grow just because time passes. They grow when we make time for one another.

And you have to be proactive about it. Don’t wait for the invitation. Make the invitation.

Put something on the calendar. And don’t worry so much about making it perfect.

The secret ingredient of every gathering has always been who is sitting around the table.

Cheers to a season of meaningful gatherings. I hope to see you around the table. 🥂

I’d love to know: what are you planning before the end of the year? It would be my honor to help you host without the overwhelm.

What Happens When We Stop Making Time for…