The countdown to the holidays has officially begun and if you plan on doing any Christmas entertaining this year, now is the time to start planning and preparing. It may seem like it’s still far off in the distance, but it is incredible how fast time flies for people at this time of year. So, rather than leave everything until the last minute, causing yourself unnecessary stress and anxiety, why not plan and go about things in a much less panicked manner? This guide to preparing your home for Christmas entertaining is sure to help you.
Create Conversational Seating Areas
The first tip has to do with furniture arrangement. Depending on how many gatherings you plan on having, and how many people you’ll be hosting at one time, it may be necessary to change the furniture placement. You want to focus on conversational seating areas, which means the furniture should face inwards to allow for the natural flow of conversation. If you have the available space, you may want to create a couple of these areas so people can break off into separate groups. Depending on what you already own, you might need new dining or living room furniture; visit homeaccents2.com/entertainment-occasional-tables/ for options.
Once the holidays have finished and you no longer plan on having such large gatherings, you can put everything back the way you like. Then again, you may find you like the new set-up better and decide to leave everything as is.
Think About Ambience and Atmosphere
As any host will tell you, the most important thing for them is to make sure all their guests feel welcome and comfortable. This is done through ambience and atmosphere, something that you can also start planning for.
Some of the different ways you can ensure the ambience and atmosphere are perfect include:
- Have something tasty cooking in the oven, as the scent will hit guests as they arrive and instantly create a sense of happiness and comfort
- Avoid bright stark lighting and opt for softer lights instead
- Be sure to have a wide array of drinks on-hand (warm and cold) to offer guests after they sit down
- Have scented candles burning – just be sure not to use multiple scents at once as this will be over-powering
- For the perfect home entertainment experience, you may consider installing audio visual devices with the help of a professional A/V Company.
Take Full Advantage of Your Fireplace
The Christmas holidays are also the perfect time to embrace your fireplace, as nothing creates a sense of comfort and warmth quite like a fire burning. You may even want to give your fireplace a bit of makeover before the holidays arrive; installing a new mantel is one of the quickest and easiest ways to change its look. You can visit sites like stonewoods.co.uk for ideas.
Your home’s exterior is also important. If you’re planning to install or replace your fence, check out these Denver fencing supplies from Rocky Mountain Forest Products.
Don’t Forget the Festive Décor and Delicious Food
And of course, what would the festive season be without the Christmas décor? This is what sets the scene, creates a festive mood, eats festive food like this Edmonton bbq sale and shows you have put in the extra effort for your guests.
If you’re not usually big on decorating and aren’t sure where to start, begin with something simple like those vintage rugs.
Pick a Christmas theme, item or colour palette and let that be the anchor for all your purchases and design choices.
Lastly, don’t stress yourself too much with all the planning and shopping! If you start to feel overwhelmed by the stress of your to-do list, consider hiring a christmas catering company to handle all the cooking and preparation of the food. With less to worry about, you can focus more on enjoying the festivities.
By using these tips, you’ll find that entertaining over Christmas will be much smoother and more enjoyable this year because you’ll be well prepared in advance.