6 Tips When Hosting Guests for the Holidays

I'm sure a lot of you are hosting family and friends in your home over the holidays. Even though the holiday's are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, I know it can also be a stressful time, preparing for guests in the midst of shopping, serving, and spending time with family. 

I've come up with a few simple steps to take when preparing for guest's over the holidays! The last one is the key to it all. Here you go:

1. Get some fresh flowers for your coffee table. This will not only spruce up your home, adding life to the room, but it will also make you happy :) (It least it always does that for me!)

photo by Ashley Slater Photography

2. Fill a basket with fresh towels, left in plain sight for guests. Then they feel like they can help themselves. A stack of magazines is always nice, too!

3. We always leave out cotton balls, Q-tips, lotion and an extra roll of toilet paper (in an obvious place, so they are not stranded ;) ) so guests have everything they need. 

photo by Ashley Slater Photography

4. Spruce up the nightstand with a few books, a candle and a cute print. Maybe even add a holiday pillow to the mix!

see my whole christmas home tour here.

5. Do a little light cleaning. The most important areas (to me) are vacuuming the public spaces (living room, kitchen) and the guest's bedroom. To save time, you can skip out on your own room and office. Next, wipe down the surfaces in those rooms with a damp rag or clorox wipes. This all takes about 30 minutes!

6. Finally, take a deep breath and relax. I know this can be a stressful time of year, but it doesn't have to be! For me, it helps to put this season in perspective. What are we really celebrating? Why are we rushing around digging up the "perfect" gifts, decorating like crazies, and stressing about the Christmas dinner recipes? 

My family celebrates Christmas because God sent His son to the earth to be born as a baby. This baby turned into a man, who would then offer us eternal life in Heaven with Him. That is the reason for the season. That, my friends, is the gift and the reason we don't need to get crazy about Christmas and making everything perfect. God offers us grace upon grace, and for that I am so thankful. Your house is enough, your gifts are enough, your presence is enough. Focus on serving others in the best way you know how, instead of worrying what everything looks like and tastes like.Take another deep breath. See? That takes a load off. No need to stress!

How do YOU prepare for guests?!
xoxo

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