At first, the idea of hosting the holidays can be overwhelming, especially if it is your first year hosting guests. With family and friends traveling from all over for this one occasion, we are sure that you, like anyone, want it to be perfect. To help you become the perfect host/hostess this holiday season, we wanted to focus on five helpful tips. These are tips and tricks that we have learned ourselves over the past couple of years and wanted to share with you. Let’s take a look!
Game-Set-Match
We know it seems tedious, but you should start preparation by writing down your game plan for the holidays. This list can contain who is coming, when they are coming and from where (i.e., airport pickups), how many days each person is staying, meals ideas including dietary restrictions, holiday activities you would like to do as a group, bedroom assignments, a cleaning list, etc. Trust us; although it may seem like the last thing you want to do when you feel overwhelmed, taking a moment to write it all down can help clarify the upcoming days.
Supermarket Sweep
Another great tip that we have picked up over the past couple of years is to never grocery shop the day before the holiday (i.e., Christmas Eve). We say this because that is when everyone decides to go shopping. However, if you have the ability to go grocery shopping two or three days before the holiday, you will find it a little less chaotic than the day before the holiday.
Cleaning Machine
Some might argue that the most dreaded part about hosting the holidays is cleaning your home. While it is not everyone’s preferred pastime, you can make it less stressful the day before everyone arrives by tackling cleaning projects leading up to their arrival. Since every household is different, you will want to write down a list of areas that you can clean and will stay clean before your guests come. Whether it is cleaning the guest bathroom and marking it off-limits until their arrival or deep-cleaning the finished basement, you will want to tackle feasible areas for your lifestyle.
A Little Prep Never Hurt Anyone
Since you had the ability to clean a little beforehand and perhaps already grocery shopped, next, you will want to meal prep what you can for the big day. In fact, the day before your holiday festivities can be an excellent time to prepare anything that is able to be refrigerated and kept overnight. First, take a look at the list that you previously wrote and look at the meals that can be prepped the night before your festivities. Try to prep whatever meals you can in advance to give you more time with your family on the actual holiday.
Help, Please
Lastly, being the host/hostess does not mean that you are inclined to never ask for help. In fact, since you are hosting your entire family, they may be more willing to help than you realize. If you are feeling overwhelmed, try to ask for help whenever possible. We understand that it can be awkward, especially if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person. But in the end, this holiday is about coming together and celebrating; therefore, you may be surprised by their reaction when you just ask. Even one person helping you can make a world of difference during the holidays.
If you have hosted before, what are some tips and tricks that you have learned over the years? We would love for you to share your advice with other reads below in the comment section.