Hosting a Holiday Party? How to Prepare

The holiday season is right around the corner! Which means you may be selected or volunteered amongst your friends and family to host a holiday gathering. While some relish the opportunity to provide a frivolous party, others may feel the pressure that comes with it. After all, it’s important that attendees are comfortable, well fed, and enjoys their time spent together.

Whether you plan on only having a select few people over or your entire extended family, this guide will help you prepare your home for the big event!

Invitations

No matter how you invite your guests (word of mouth, social media, hard-copy invitations, etc.), make sure you give your guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and make plans to attend. This will also give you the ability to plan ahead of time for food and activities. If you’re in a new home or a number of guests haven’t been to your home before, include a small map of your neighborhood within the invitations.

Accommodations

Holiday gatherings often attract out-of-town friends and family, many of may require special accommodations. For those arriving by plane, supply directions if they’re choosing to use a ride sharing service for the weekend. If you’re their main mode of transportation, make sure your vehicle is clean.  

Additionally, there should be enough seating and cargo space to accommodate everyone in one trip. This is especially important if those traveling are planning to stay longer than the holiday. If guests are staying at your home, make sure to have sleeping quarters prepared for everyone. Provide clean sheets, pillows, and extra blankets just in case your guests get cold.

Cleaning

A clean house is essential to an enjoyable holiday party. With plenty of food and foot traffic, the first step is to identify which rooms will be in use during the party. Give the floors a good vacuuming and dusting. It’s also important to clear any clutter or if you have pets, place their toys in a basket off to the side for the day. Not only will the room be more appealing to the eye, it’ll be safer for guests navigating the room.

If you need a place to store the clutter in the meantime, opt for a room that’s away from the crowd. Make sure to lock the door so children don’t get their hands on anything they aren’t supposed to. Avoid stuffing items away in coat closets so your guests can have a place to hang their outerwear.

Menu

Perhaps the most important aspect to any party, and the most stressful to accomplish, is food that everyone will enjoy. Since there are inevitably varied tastes in food, the easiest and safest way to accomplish a satisfactory spread is a potluck style menu. On your invitations, notify your guests to bring a simple side dish or two. This way if a guest doesn’t prefer what is on the table, they will at least have brought a dish they’d enjoy.

As the host, plan to provide the main course and a couple side dishes. Prepare what you can in advance. If anyone in the family has food allergies, make sure to make it explicit on your invitations.

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At the end of the day, the holiday season is about getting together and enjoying each other’s company. However you choose to organize your party, socializing with friends and family is what matters most. Prepare, prepare, prepare. To be safe, send out a reminder or two along the way to keep your less-organized guests aware of their plans. So, go celebrate your way and have fun!

‘Tis the season!

Article written by Haley Kieser