Host your loved ones well for the holidays
The end of year holidays are fast approaching and our loved ones are preparing to arrive to experience unforgettable moments with us. But because “receiving” can sometimes rhyme with “stress” – or even “panic”, we gives you good ideas for welcoming all these beautiful people brilliantly, and without stress!
The 12 golden rules for entertaining loved ones during the holidays
Rule #1: make a schedule
There is no secret: to be a perfectly organized hostess, you have to… be perfectly organized! Fifteen days (or even a month) before the big day, prepare a back-planning which will include: the number of guests, the menu, the recipes, the shopping to be planned (food, drinks, decoration)… This will help you will allow you to see things more clearly, to gradually cross out what you have already done, and to never feel overwhelmed.
Rule n°2: dare to ask for a helping hand
Let me be clear: just because you’re the one receiving for Christmas doesn’t mean it’s up to you to do and think of everything. So don’t hesitate to ask your guests to give you a helping hand on the big day: to bring extra chairs, take care of opening the oysters, bring back the aperitif, drinks or dessert. This will remove a significant workload from you and will allow everyone to get involved and contribute to this moment of celebration.
Rule #3: decorate (a minimum) your house
Without asking you to transform your house into Rockefeller Center with a giant tree and company, if you want to invite your loved ones under the sign of the magic of Christmas, you will have to make a minimum of effort on the decoration side. A pretty, well-decorated tree, a wreath on the front door, a garland of lights on the banister of the stairs, socks on the fireplace… and that’s it! You can also opt for a “themed” Christmas so that all your guests can play along!
Rule #4: prepare (as much as possible) the meal in advance
Nothing worse than inviting all your loved ones for Christmas if it means spending the evening in the kitchen and not seeing them. This is why to entertain your loved ones well during the holidays, you need to think about a smart menu. Namely: a menu that includes as many things as possible that can be prepared the same day, or even several days in advance and frozen.
Don’t forget to find out beforehand whether there are vegans or people with allergies: this way you can adapt your menu.
Rule n°5: think about extendable furniture
During the end of year celebrations, we often have a heart bigger than our apartment, and tend to invite more people than our modest home can accommodate… Fortunately, there is a very simple solution to successfully create large tables: extendable furniture ! Namely: modular furniture, which adapts to our needs and can go from 2 or 4 to 6, 8 or even 10 or 12 place settings or more in no time – before returning to their initial size. Extendable tables, consoles that transform into dining tables, coffee tables that expand and gain height to accommodate children for dinner… the manufacturers have thought of everything so that you can receive a gaggle of guests during the day J, but also find all your space as soon as they are gone!
Rule #6: invest in smart accessories
Inviting family and friends during the end-of-year holidays is always a pleasure… but can also quickly turn out to be tiring, and transform your clean and tidy interior into a real mess! This is why, to simplify your life as a host, you should not hesitate to invest in smart accessories, such as:
- A trolley , a piece of equipment that will not only allow you to save space (place everything you don’t want to clutter up your coffee table or your dining table), but also to avoid having to make multiple trips back and forth in the kitchen when clearing the table!
- Pretty benches , which will give you extra seats when you entertain, and can find their place in the entrance the rest of the time!
- Memory foam beanbags , perfect for sitting and entertaining children!
Rule n°7: see the dishes in XXL
To entertain your loved ones properly during the end-of-year holidays, you must not neglect the dishes either. And if you want to prevent certain guests from having to deprive themselves of turkey or log, consider investing (or having it lent) in a pretty XXL dinner service, with dinner plates, soup plates, dessert plates , coffee cups and cutlery. So there will be something for everyone!
Rule n°8: have a little attention for everyone
It can be a chocolate or a candy placed on the plate, a small personalized card, a Polaroid, a pretty quote written on sepia paper … In short, a mini-gift but which will have a maximum effect on your guests and who will show them that they occupy a special place in your heart!
Rule #9: prepare a festive playlist
To liven up the Christmas evening from A to Z, also think about creating a playlist of festive songs. Obviously there must be something for all tastes and all ages , so don’t hesitate to get people involved to avoid disappointment!
Rule n°10: give the house a good clean
Which involves cleaning all the rooms that will be frequented by guests ! The living room and the dining room of course, but also the toilets, the bathroom, the guest bedroom…
Also put away fragile objects, especially if there are children in the program!
Rule n°11: provide additional beds
The end-of-year celebrations are often endless (and well-watered). So if you have loved ones who come from very far away and want to sleep at your place, put all the chances on your side so that they have a good night’s sleep and are ready for the next day!
To do this, you can obviously rely on the convertible sofa , THE great classic 2 in 1 which allows your guests to sleep on a very comfortable mattress when they fall asleep.
Otherwise, you can also opt for “space-saving” extra beds , such as the fireside chair or the inflatable mattress . Once unfolded or inflated, they provide a functional bed, and can be stored in the living room or closet the next morning!
Rule #12: enjoy!
Knowing the golden rules for entertaining loved ones during the end-of-year holidays is one thing. But never forget that your guests come above all to have a good time, in conviviality and good humor . And they are not here to judge you! So don’t worry: if the turkey has cooked 10 minutes too long, if your father-in-law’s Santa Claus costume has become too small for him or if a flute of champagne is missing, no one will care. will formalize. On the contrary, it will spice up the evening with little anecdotes that you will joke about next Christmas!