Are you hosting Christmas this year? This can feel super exciting and also a bit stressful, so we want to give you some of our tried and true hostess tips to help make things easier. The holidays should be a relaxing and fun experience for everyone, even the hostess. Here is the essential guide to hosting Christmas that will give you a quick rundown of what’s worth thinking about and what to let go of.
One thing you can go ahead and check off your to-do list is creating a Christmas playlist. We created the perfect mix of Christmas songs you can check out HERE! You can have this playing in the background while everyone is mingling and it will automatically make your home feel more festive for the holidays.
Christmas Hostess Tip #1: Make a plan.
Before everyone arrives, think about what activities you’d like to do together and/or traditions you want to continue. This could be looking at Christmas lights, going caroling, a Christmas pajamas photo shoot, or any other special activity your family loves to do every year. Think of how you can gather everyone and how to keep it simple so everyone feels included without adding too much prep work for you.
These traditions and memories are what make Christmas so special, and everyone will be grateful that you took the time to plan out fun things to do together.
Christmas Hostess Tip #2: Be flexible.
As a hostess, it’s so important to be flexible. At least one or more of your expectations will not be met and that’s okay. Think about which things you want to make sure happen, but also expect that some things won’t go as planned. and do not waste time stressing over it. It’s hard to coordinate activities, especially if it’s a larger group, so give yourself grace and be okay with letting some things go if needed.
One way to handle activities as the hostess is to have options available and let guests decide or vote on what they want to do. Some families may want to do everything together and others may want to divide up and do different things. Both are okay and can be fun for everyone!
Christmas Hostess Tip #3: Make it festive.
As the hostess for Christmas, you are probably wanting to go all out when it comes to decorating and making things festive. Go for it! Taking that extra step to add fun details will make the holidays feel more special and memorable for yourself and your guests. However, if it’s starting to feel too heavy for you to carry out, either ask for help or ask yourself if it’s worth it to do. Making things festive is supposed to be fun, so if it starts to not feel that way, make it easier for yourself and focus on what will fill your bucket.
Christmas Hostess Tip #4: Create a kid space.
It is one of the most magical things to see kids get together and bond. As the hostess, you could create a space for the kids to play that is separate from the area the adults are using for food prep, visiting, etc. You could have a room set up for the kids that has fun activities to keep them busy and entertained. This will make them happy and also keep your home a little bit more functional for everyone while they are sharing the space.
Christmas Hostess Tip #5: Ask for help & enjoy the moments.
The last thing you want is to look back on your holiday and realize that you were too busy cooking or cleaning up messes that you missed the opportunity to enjoy quality time with your family and friends. Hosting family during the holidays can be super stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Make sure you are asking for help and delegating responsibilities so it doesn’t all fall on you. You will be happier when you do and your guests will be happier too.
The Essential Guide to Hosting Christmas
We hope these 5 tips get you prepped for a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends! While this essential guide to hosting Christmas gives you tips and tricks to make things smoother for you, we know you will be an amazing hostess no matter what. It’s so wonderful to be able to share your home and spend time with loved ones you may not get to see that often, so enjoy this time and make some great memories! For more tips on gathering and other great content, follow us on Instagram @lumitory.
