How to make the most out of a holiday with the extended family

The first and most obvious questions are when and where. The answer depends on the time of year and your budget. If you have children in school, you're all confined to school holidays, while some older members of your family may not want to travel in the hottest part of the year.

Budget will play a large part of the question of where, and the last thing you want to do is upset or single out a family member with less money to spend. There are plenty of options when it comes to a large family holiday, so look around for one that offers the best value for everyone.

The answer to both questions, as with most things on a family holiday, lies in compromise/ Offer a wide choice of dates and destinations, and go with the majority decision.

However close your family is, it’s unlikely they will all want to do the same thing at the same time. Some may be culture vultures, wanting to visit every museum and gallery in the area, while others won’t want to move more than five yards from the pool. The key is to let people do their own thing during the day and come together at night. All-inclusive family holidays offer kids clubs for all ages, as well as plenty of sports, fitness, excursions, beach and spa activities, so everyone should have plenty to do.

While Villas are one of the more popular options for large families, they can get claustrophobic after a few days, with domestic duties such as cooking or washing up taking time away from the beach. A better option is to go all-inclusive, where everything is taken care of and there's huge choice of things to do, whether that's napping with grandma or banana-boating with dad.

Having a few pre-arranged day trips or activities will give a bit of structure to your holiday and get everyone off their sun loungers. Whether it’s a boat trip to a local beauty spot or beach volleyball for the entire family, doing something together will bring you all closer and give you lots to talk about in the evening.

When you’re at home, mealtimes are great for bringing the family together and catching up, and being on holiday should be no different. So whatever happens during the day, make sure everyone gathers for breakfast, lunch and/or evening meal to laugh, chat and enjoy each other’s company away from the hectic world of normal life.

You may sometimes be off doing your own thing, but there’s no reason why you can’t stay in touch with each other. Set up a Whatsapp group just for your family to share stories and pictures so that you can all enjoy the different activities you’ll be doing. It also makes it a lot easier to arrange to meet at the same time.

The great thing about going away on a large family holiday is that there will always be people to help look after the kids and activities they can go and do. That means allowing yourself to relax and taking time to really enjoy your holiday. Is there an activity you’ve always wanted to do? A place you’ve always wanted to visit? A book you’ve always wanted to read uninterrupted? This is the perfect opportunity to do all those things.

One of the best things about going away on a large family holiday is the treasure trove of memories you’ll make. No matter where you go or what you do, you’ll create memories that will stay with you and the rest of your family for decades. Whether you’re all sat down for a simple evening meal together or riding camels through the desert, those moments will become some of the greatest you’ll ever have together. Or, at least, until the next family holiday.