How to Prepare for Guests Over the Holidays

Let's face it - we're going to be mingling with a lot of family and friends over the holidays. Whether that means going over for dinner or hosting them yourselves, it's always going to be crazy and fun! Whenever I am hosting (which is very rare since we live in a small town. It's easier for us to go where everyone is), I always assume that everything has to be 'perfect'. Whether it's how the house looks, smells, what you offer to eat, the atmosphere etc...

I hate to give myself that unneeded pressure while hosting and I know that I don't need to feel like that. There are some rituals that I 'stick to' to help ease the pressure. These tips can definitely come in handy around the holidays or really at any other time of the year.

1. Take some time to tidy up the house and clean. - I like to do a deep clean before guests arrive. Doing laundry, cleaning the bathroom, mopping the floors or dusting. Making the house clean makes me feel good and helps me to relax. You also want to ensure that your place looks presentable for guests.

2. Leave an air freshener in the guest bathroom - I don't think I need to say more....you know what I mean! It makes the bathroom smell good as well as helps with other 'situations' as well. I usually get the wall bulbs from Bath and Body Works. Right now I have Mango Dragon Fruit with my Gingerbread man to make
things festive!

3. Have extra toiletries on hand - Whether its extra toilet paper, soap, toothbrush or toothpaste. You never know when someone might have to spend the night or when weather can get bad. Or simply, you might have guests staying overnight or for a period of time and maybe they forgot to pack something. I like to keep extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, soap, shampoo and some other fun stuff. I pick these up and store them away when I get extras from the dentist or from an overnight hotel stay. I also like to keep a separate set of towels and face clothes just for guests.

4. Have some snacks readily available - I don't know about you but it seems to me that my stomach is always growling! I like to eat quite frequently throughout the day by munching on snacks. Be sure to have some healthy options like fruit and yogurt and some other snacks to fulfill that 'other' craving (ie. crackers and cheese, chips, popcorn, chocolate etc..). If you are sleeping in and someone wants to get up and grab something, they know where to help themselves.

5. You can't make everyone happy - If you know that you are inviting that one family member (third cousin twice removed) that always makes a point about something, whether that's cleanliness, your decorations or cooking, try to mentally prepare yourself. You know that this person is going to make a comment. Accept it and just forget about it. At the end of the day, you can never make everyone happy. What counts is that everyone had a good time!

6. The most important tip of all....relax and enjoy yourself! - I can get really caught up in preparing but sometimes I just need to take a step back, relax and enjoy the company. After all, after the holidays everyone will be back to their daily grind. Enjoy the company with family, friends and those that are closest to you.

I hope these tips help to ease the pressure of holidays! How do you prepare for the holidays?

~RANDOMiss