5 Ways to Welcome Holiday Guests

As the holidays approach, I start to get antsy. I ask myself all the typical hosting questions – am I prepared? Do I have enough food? Do I have enough space? The holidays can bring some stress into your life, especially when hosting guests. While our family members live locally and don’t typically sleep over, we often have them over for dinners during the holidays – and this year is no exception.

When I’m rushing around getting everything ready for people to come over, I often have to remind myself to keep it simple. You don’t need much to make your guests feel welcome – just simple things to be welcoming and let them know you’re thinking about them.

Get rid of the clutter and tidy up! I think this is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s one I have to remind myself of! I’m notorious for having clutter everywhere since our weeks are so busy, but if I’m having people over, I take a few minutes to stash the mess away – even if it’s putting it all in a laundry basket and hiding the basket out of sight. People may have their own messes, but they don’t feel comfortable in yours.

Serve great food. Another one that may be self-explanatory, but at the holidays, I find comfort food works best. Everyone has their favorites (stuffing at Thanksgiving, latkes at Hannukah, ham at Christmas), so I like to serve traditional comfort foods as well as any new favorites. It ensures everyone has something to eat!

Make it festive! Whatever the occasion, make sure your home is dressed for it! Lots of fall colors at Thanksgiving, Lights and the tree at Christmas – make it festive and fun for everyone. It doesn’t have to be fancy – simple decorations can go a long way!

Make sure you have everything you need for them to be comfortable. That means making sure the bathrooms are stocked, cups and plates ready to go – and you have Kleenex around for sniffles as well as the sweet moments that bring tears to your eyes. I picked up this winter pack of Kleenex at Sam’s Club, and it’s got the cutest little boxes to stash around your living room with winter designs! Festive and functional!

Put the phone away and enjoy their company. We are all way too guilty of spending time on electronics rather than with each other. So put the phone down or in another room and enjoy all the holidays have to offer! It’s tiem you don’t get back.

Make sure you stock up on this cute pack of winter Kleenex and other great Kleenex products at Sam’s Club while you can! How do you prepare for guests during the holidays?