Holiday gatherings can be a beautiful chance to slow down and celebrate the people who make your group practice what it is. But if you’ve ever planned (or hosted) one, you know the truth: even the most casual event can start to feel like another task on a very long to-do list.

As group practice owners, we’re already holding so much—supporting clients, caring for our teams, and managing a business that seems to have endless moving pieces. So the idea of creating a holiday gathering that feels meaningful, inclusive, and enjoyable can feel… daunting and a bit exhausting.

The good news? You don’t need to become an event planner or create a Pinterest-worthy party. What matters most is purpose, presence, and connection—three things that naturally align with the work we already do.

Drawing from the wisdom of Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, and themes from her newsletters and articles, here’s how to host a holiday gathering your team will walk away from feeling valued, appreciated, and genuinely connected.

1. Start With Purpose (Not Logistics)

Before you think about venues, food, or timing, take a moment to get clear on why you’re gathering. Priya Parker reminds us that “a category is not a purpose.” So “It’s our annual holiday party” isn’t enough.

Spend some time digging a bit deeper and ask yourself:

What does my team need this year?
What do I want people to walk away feeling?
What am I hoping this gathering will create or strengthen?
What do I have energy for so I can show up authentically?

As you define the purpose of your gathering, this becomes your filter—a simple tool that helps you determine:
✔ the tone of the event
✔ the size and style
✔ the format
✔ who is invited
✔ and how you’ll open and close the time together

When you’re clear on the purpose, you’re no longer trying to create a perfect event. You’re shaping an experience that supports the relationships and the culture you care about. Having a clear purpose for your gathering will remove pressure from you and your team, and anchors the whole experience.

2. Be Intentional About Who You Invite (and Don’t Invite)

This part can feel uncomfortable for many leaders, but Parker is clear: “Thoughtful, considered exclusion is vital to any gathering.”

Not because people don’t matter—because purpose matters.

Over-including can water down the experience, make people uncomfortable, or create a gathering where no one really connects. The purpose you defined above helps you decide:

Who belongs in this moment?
Who helps support the energy we want?
Who might feel out of place?
Who am I inviting only out of obligation?

For group practice owners, this might mean:

inviting only associates and admin—not their significant others whom you rarely (if ever) interact with
keeping the event to one location rather than combining multiple sites if your business has more than one location
choosing smaller groups even if you have one location, but deeper connection is the goal

“More people” doesn’t equal “more meaningful.” Being intentional with your invitations helps protect the energy you’re creating and bringing to the event.

3. Create an Environment That Supports Connection

Parker writes that “venues come with scripts.” The space you choose shapes how people behave, what they talk about, and how safe they feel to be themselves. This doesn’t mean you need a fancy space—it means you choose a setting that matches your purpose.

If your goal is warmth and conversation, a private dining room or cozy living room works better than a loud restaurant. If your goal is celebration and collective energy, a larger venue with room to move might be perfect.

And remember: Hosting doesn’t require perfection or a splashy, expensive event. Low-stakes gatherings often create the deepest connection—this is echoed beautifully in Parker’s newsletter stories about simple rituals, “half-assed potlucks,” and gatherings designed for the season you’re actually in, not the one you wish you were.

4. Show Up With Generous Authority

This concept from Priya Parker is one of the most transformative. Generous authority means guiding the gathering with warmth, clarity, and intention—protecting the space so people can relax and connect. This is something that you might feel naturally gifted at, considering you started as a therapist, but when there are tensions (perceived or real) before you start the event, you might need a little reminder.

As the practice owner, this might look like:

Welcoming people as they arrive
Introducing colleagues with a fun, human detail
Helping quieter voices feel included
Stepping in gently if conversations become too heavy or exclusive
Steering the flow of the evening so no one feels lost or overlooked

People feel safest when someone is guiding the experience—not in a controlling way, but in a supportive, intentional way. This does mean that you’re “being bossy” but that you’re hosting in a way that helps everyone enjoy themselves.

5. Personalize Without Pressure (Use a “Favourite Things” Form)

One of the easiest ways to make team gatherings feel thoughtful is to gather information before you ever need it. This starts with your onboarding process. Create a simple “Favourite Things” form that you include in your onboarding process. Ask about:

favourite treats or drinks
dietary preferences
preferred ways of feeling appreciated/their love language
social comfort levels
hobbies or fun facts
gift ideas (and what they don’t want)
what “fun” means to them

This is one of my favourite tools and has been a pleasant surprise to everyone new to our team. It not only makes them feel special and anticipate how you might use the information in the future, but also provides you with ways to personalize your events and accommodate their needs without having to ask every time. It helps you avoid guesswork and create gatherings that feel aligned with what you know about your team year-round rather than just when a special event arises.

And the best part? You can use this for any event—holiday parties, summer BBQs, team retreats, or even simple appreciation moments. Systems support ease. Ease supports sustainability.

6. Be Present (and Don’t Over-Function)

As leaders, we often hold the emotional energy of the room. But you deserve to enjoy the gathering too.

Before your event, ask yourself three very important questions:

What do I need to feel grounded and present today?
How do I want to show up for my team?
Is someone able to co-host or support me?

You don’t need to be a one-woman show. You simply need to be there—calm, connected, and yourself. Your team feels the difference, so set yourself up for success.

7. Close With Intention

Just like Parker encourages: Start with purpose. End with meaning.

Picture this. You’ve been having a great time together, laughing, eating, connecting. And then that moment comes when someone says “oh I’m so sorry…I have to leave to (insert reason here…get my babysitter home, go to the next event, etc.). And now the rhythm of the night is interrupted, and people wonder if they are also supposed to be going soon. Instead of letting people drift out the door, try being intentional about ending the evening. It doesn’t mean that you everyone has to leave, but allows the opportunity for a meaningful ending with everyone in the room, and still permission for people to stay and continue to connect. Try closing with one of these prompts:

a short toast
a gratitude moment
a reflection prompt
a simple “thank you for the work you do”

Being intentional about closings leaves your people with a sense of warmth and completion—something we often forget in the rush of the holiday season and getting people out the door.

Final Thoughts

Your holiday gathering doesn’t need to be extravagant or stressful to be meaningful. When you host with purpose and presence, your team feels it—and they walk away with a strengthened sense of connection, belonging, and appreciation.

You don’t have to be an event planner to pull off an amazing holiday party. You just need to lead with intention. And that’s something group practice owners are already very good at.

Footnotes & Source Acknowledgements

Concepts adapted from Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering and her related newsletters published via priyaparker.com.
Additional insights from Douglas Ferguson’s “My Favorite Learnings from Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering” on VoltageControl.com.
Gatherings examples inspired by “6 Ways to Host a Gathering You Can’t Wait to Attend” from Priya Parker’s newsletter.

Hosting Holiday Gatherings With Purpose: A Guide for Group Practice Owners