BETTER LIVING: Tips + Tricks for Hosting Holiday Guests
Thursday, December 01, 2011
No matter if it's a guest room, your office, or the livingroom, make the space feel special
The best way to prepare for your holiday guests is to know your guests. Your aging mother-in-law will probably have different needs than your niece the amateur photographer. That said; consider how you like to be treated when you’re a guest in someone’s home, and build on that. It’s the little things that make the biggest difference when it comes to hosting, and it’s the little things your guests will remember when they leave.
Here are some of my tips and tricks for hosting holiday guests.
Out-of-Towners
First, avoid miscommunication by ensuring well beforehand that you and your guests each understand the others’ plans. There’s nothing worse than having guests whom you thought were headed for the motel down the street show up on your doorstep with their bags.
If you don’t have a separate guest room or enough guest rooms for a family, if your guests need more quiet or privacy than your home can provide, or if you need more privacy than your guests let you have, it may be best for everyone if your guests stay in a hotel or motel. You can make their hotel experience a little more personal by leaving a welcome basket in their room prior to their check-in. The basket can be filled with snacks; visitor’s information and whatever treats you know will make your guests feel welcome.
If your guests don’t have a favorite hotel in the area, you may consider sending them a note or an e-mail list of hotel recommendations which suit their individual tastes, in a variety of price ranges. If you have several guests coming, you can send them all the same list, but increase the variety of your recommendations.
When you have guests staying in your home, remember that they require the same things you do: privacy, comfort, and reasonable quiet during sleeping hours. If you have a guest room or two, all the better, but even if your company is sleeping in the living room you should still try to make the arrangement as comfortable and private as possible. My house doesn’t have a guest room, but I can close off my den to create a makeshift bedroom when friends come to stay. If you don’t have that option, you can make almost any area of your home private with curtains or folding screens. Rearranging furniture can open up a closed space, and allow for more freedom of movement. Make it known that the sleeping space you’ve created belongs now to your guests, and endeavor to keep it strictly theirs for the duration of their stay: no kids, pets, or other guests allowed.
Schedules and Routines
Again, when planning your days around your company it’s important to know their likes or dislikes. If you’re not sure – or if you just want to verify – you may consider contacting them prior to their arrival to ask if there is anything specific they want or need during their stay, including specific foods and drinks.
Meals: if you plan to cook for your visitors, be sure to let them know when you will expect them at the dinner table. You can leave a meal schedule taped to the refrigerator, or print a copy to give to each guest. Be sure to let your visitors know that they are free to help themselves to snack and drinks.
Bathrooms: Make sure that your guests have their own sets of towels. Tie each set with ribbon and leave the packages on the guest bed for a hotel-style touch. Also, pretty soaps, fresh bottles of shampoo and body wash, and travel-sized body lotions are thoughtful and always appreciated. If you’ll be sharing a bathroom with your guests, change out bar soap for liquid pump soap (and body wash in the shower) for hygienic purposes.
Schedules: If you or your kids are on a morning schedule, be sure to let your guests know, so they don’t feel in the way. Conversely, if your guests are on a schedule, try to be as accommodating as possible.
Activities: if your guests are independent sorts, give them a key to your house and set them loose with a list of sights to see, places to explore – and, especially if you live in a large city, places not to go. Shopping areas, museums, and parks are all great attractions. Try to tailor your recommendations to your guest’s personal taste: your 17-year-old cousin might not enjoy the local antique stores as much as she’ll like the mall. Some guests expect you to have activities planned; speak with them beforehand to determine exactly what your role should be, and what they hope to see and do during their stay. If you have family or friends in the area willing to help, see if they can take on a share of the chaperoning during times when you have other duties at work or around the house.
It’s also important to ask your guests in advance what they expect from you as a host. This may make some people uncomfortable – including you – but a clear line of communication is key to making your holiday guests as comfortable as possible. If there’s anything that you as a host expect from them – i.e. “please don’t leave wet towels on the wood floor in the guest room”; “please don’t block the driveway when parking the rental car at night, since I have to leave early in the morning” – you should make it clear before they arrive, so no one feels put out. However, asking your guests to participate in household chores, cleaning, or cooking duties is not acceptable: it’s best to wait until they offer.
The holidays should be our chance to enjoy sharing time with friends and loved ones, not just another added stress. With a little planning, you can make this holiday visiting season a pleasant, memorable experience for all.
If you valued this article, please LIKE GoLocalProv.com on Facebook by clicking HERE.
Don't miss GoLocalTV's coverage of holiday food, fashion, gifts and more, fresh every day at 4pm and on demand 24/7, here.
Related Articles
- BETTER LIVING: Pillows Worth the Money
- BETTER LIVING: Holiday Candles the Good Way
- BETTER LIVING: Green + Cost-Saving Gift Wrap
- BETTER LIVING: 4 Steps to an Organized Handbag
- BETTER LIVING: 10 Steps to De-Cluttering Your Bathroom
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It