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Christmas is a time for celebration and getting together with family and friends to follow old traditions, while also creating new ones and beautiful memories. If you’re hosting the main Christmas meal – how many can you accommodate around the table? Are you planning on having guests stay from out of town or from overseas? How many can you sleep comfortably?
The best tip is – to plan well ahead.
Communicate with your guests and get their travel itineraries well in advance – will you collect them from the airport? Are they driving – have you got adequate parking? If they’re family, you may know about any dietary requirements but it’s always wise to check anyway – it saves a last-minute run to the shops. Is there anything special they'd like to do while visiting – or are they happy to leave it up to you to plan some different things?
Create a cosy, welcoming atmosphere in your living room so you can relax, chat, play games or watch everybody’s favourite Christmas movie “Love Actually”.
Decorate your home well in advance from the wreath on the front door to welcome your guests through to the Christmas tree to stack the presents under.
Of course, the guest room is important so give it a thorough clean, and make sure there are coat hangers and plenty of space for guests to store their clothes and suitcases.
Make the bed with fresh linen, provide some thick, luxurious towels and some toiletries – even a hairdryer if you have a spare one – it saves on packing for the guests. Provide some pillows of various firmness so they can choose the one that suits them for their best night’s sleep. Pop a throw on the end of the bed for added comfort and changes in temperature – no one likes to wake up cool during the night and not know where to find a throw.
Add some bottles of water on their bedside table and even some snacks – especially if the guests are flying in from overseas and will be in a different time zone. You can also add some Christmas decorations in the bedroom – a beautiful wreath never looks out of place.
It’s easier if you think about all the things you would like to find in a room if you are staying with someone and then add them. If they’re a first-time visitor to your home – why not put together a little welcome pack with a local map, walks from your home, the Wi-Fi password, a set of keys, and any house rules?
If they know they can help themselves to drinks or snacks they will feel more at home. A lot of the celebrations centre around food – so plan your meals to cater for any dietary requirements. Order and collect food ahead to check one thing off your list, and here's another helpful idea – create a comprehensive list and cross items off as you complete each task.
Plan some fun activities – see what’s on locally – whether it’s a farmer’s market, a Christmas concert or a church service.
Some outdoor activities are always fun – a barbeque, a beach day, a picnic, cricket on the beach or in the backyard, bocce, or beach volleyball. Get a couple of teams together and enjoy some exercise to counterbalance the fabulous Christmas fare you’ll be enjoying. Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap and provide some sunscreen and hats for everyone.
Not every moment has to be planned and enjoyed together – your guests might appreciate some time to themselves, communication is the key and so is flexibility.
Make sure you have a great Christmas playlist to sing along to – even if you have no musical talent – it’s still a lot of fun.
The most important thing when you have guests to stay is to have fun – make them feel at home, create lasting memories and have a joyful and stress-free Christmas.
