As the holiday season approaches, preparing for guests can be a hassle. No fear, we got you! Beyond cooking and decorating, ensuring that your home is inviting and comfortable for guests is essential for holiday hosting. From upgrading rooms in your home, ensuring your dining set-up will accommodate all guests, and decorating, join us as we discuss all the steps you should take to prepare ahead of a memorable festive season.

Upgrading Your Furniture Ahead of Holiday Hosting

When it comes to the holidays and hosting, many people focus on the food and decorating. However, it’s important to also look at the bigger picture ahead of these hosting details, including whether your furniture needs an upgrade. If you’ve been thinking about a few new pieces, perhaps a larger table or a new sofa, now’s the time to invest in items that you can enjoy during the holiday hosting season and throughout the next year.

Dining Room

There is still time to shop for new in-stock dining sets that you can enjoy over the holidays when hosting.

• Consider upgrading to a large dining set that will comfortably accommodate your guests.

• Alternatively, opt for an extendable dining table, such as a dining table with leaves, to allow you to change the length of the table. Oftentimes, larger tables can be extended to different lengths with multiple sections to accommodate the guest list.

• Ensure that you have enough dining chairs for your table. Benches are another flexible seating option that can accommodate more people in smaller places.

Guest Room

Often, guestrooms hold multiple purposes throughout the year, from an office space to a place for people to store their clutter. It is time to clean it out and make that room as comfortable as possible.

• Invest in a good quality mattress to ensure your visitors have a restful night.

• Change out the linen for fresh holiday-themed bedding.

• For guests who plan to stay longer, consider a dresser or a storage option so they are not living out of their suitcase.

• Do not forget good lighting and a comfortable chair for those who enjoy reading to wind down the day.

Living Room

If your living room needs an upgrade, you may want to consider seating options that your family can enjoy year round - and work well for hosting duties.

• Perhaps you have room to change out your sofa for something bigger. A sectional provides many opportunities for seating for a casual space for gathering.

• If you lack a guest room, a sleeper sofa offers flexibility and a convenient sleeping arrangement option.

• Adding a recliner can provide a comfortable spot for relaxation and a perfect place for your uncle's post-meal nap.

Holiday Table Arrangements

Once you’ve addressed some of the bigger hosting challenges and, perhaps, invested in a new piece of furniture or two, it’s time to think about decor and other details. When it comes to the table, creating a stunning tablescape is an excellent way to add elegance and festive cheer. Choose from many different styles, utilizing traditional to modern table decor. You may also want to try mixing the old with the new by pairing family heirlooms with new pieces to create a table that reflects a nostalgic style and becomes a conversation starter for your guests.

Thanksgiving

When creating a Thanksgiving tablescape or a table setting for any fall harvest themed meal, you’ll want to start with a warm-toned base. A tablecloth in colors like cream or beige paired with a table runner is sure to earn you compliments. The next thing to consider is your centerpiece. There’s many options, but you’ll want to choose a primary piece. Consider placing a vase in the center filled with fall stems such as dried hydrangea with autumn leaves next to a glass sculpture or tabletop piece. Items may range from a glass turkey to pumpkins to a cornucopia. You can then place smaller items like small gold candle holders with LED candles between smaller pumpkins of different fall colors along the table runner. Don’t be afraid to incorporate some nature-inspired items, like pinecones and more fall foliage. These rustic pieces create a nice contrast with your sophisticated gold items. Add gold vintage-styled napkin rings to linen napkins. Something that has meaning to your guests can take this tablescape up to the next level, such as the family antique cake platter loaded with the famous pumpkin pie.

Christmas

For Christmas and other holiday tablescapes, deciding on a decor theme is a good first step. Here are a few ideas:

1. Glitter: This theme is all about warmth and gold! There are many ways to decorate with a glitter theme. For instance, choose a white tablecloth as the base and add a glitter table runner in gold. In the center of the table place a vase with white flowers paired with gold coated twigs and a gold glitter reindeer on each side. Alternatively, you can decorate with different size glitter Christmas trees and small glitter ornaments with gold candles. Don’t forget to tie the napkins with glitter ribbon.

2. Shimmer: A shimmer theme should focus on silver, and typically falls on the contemporary style side. You can start the tablescape by choosing a tablecloth and/or table runner with a little sparkle. Your centerpiece may consist of a vase and metallic colored ornaments, a sparkly floral display, or small silver Christmas trees.

3. Traditional: Start with a red tablecloth or runner on your table and add a traditional garland, perhaps with some red berries. You can intertwine a red ribbon to enhance the design. Place tall candle holders with LED taper candles and traditional pieces like nutcrackers along the garland.

4. Northwoods: Start with a deep-colored tablecloth like dark green or burgundy layered with a rustic looking table runner, accented with rich plaids placemats and napkins. The Northwoods theme centers around natural elements, so a rustic bouquet is an ideal centerpiece featuring pinecones, holiday florals, faux berries, real or faux pine boughs.

Dinner Hosting Etiquette

Once you have your tablescape planned, brush up on some etiquette before your big hosting day.

Table Setting

• A dinner plate should be in the middle of the placement, followed by a smaller plate for salad or a bowl for soup.

• Two forks should be placed on the left side of the plate and the knife to the right with the blade facing toward the plate, followed by a spoon.

• The water glass should be placed above the knife, with the napkin beneath the fork.

Cocktails and Wine

• Greet your guests with appetizers, a signature cocktail option, or a selection of wine.

• White wines pair well with salads, fish and seafood, cream sauces, and white meat like chicken.

• Red wines pair well with steak, lamb, red meat, and red sauces.

• For others a refreshing mocktail would be a holiday celebration treat, like a pineapple coconut water.

Get Creative With Your Holiday Decor

The tablescape is planned, but that’s not where the decorating fun ends. The holidays are the perfect time to let your creativity shine and think outside the box. There are endless opportunities to add your personal touches to your celebration, impress your guests, and make some truly magical and merry memories.

Stockings

The most known place to hang your stockings is on the mantel. It makes for a timeless look and naturally draws eyes. If your mantle is already full, greet your guests as soon as they walk through the doors. Hanging stockings on coat hooks, and wall hooks can create a perfect opportunity to set the mood for the rest of the night. Delight your holiday guests by adding a stocking with their name filled with some goodies like a small candle and tasty treats.

Wine Glasses

Holiday parties can get a little crazy, leading to mixing up your wine glass with someone else's. Providing a variety of glass charms or different color ribbons to put on the stem of the glass can help your guests avoid the mix-up. When having a wine-tasting party, gift your guests their wine glass to take home.

Ornaments

Displaying your Christmas ornaments in unique ways can elevate your holiday decor. Consider hanging them from a light fixture over the dining table or create a mobile with a hoop or a branch. Use a tiered tray or bowl to showcase a collection of ornaments as a centerpiece. Fill a vase or a lantern for a vibrant display anywhere in the house.

Table runner

There are plenty of options on how you can use table runners to enhance your decor. Place them horizontal, vertical, as a “x” or across your coffee table and other accent tables. Try creative ways to style them like placing a table runner across the foot of the bed or on the backs of benches and chairs as festive throws. You can even hang a table runner up on the wall as holiday themed wall art!

Wrapping it all up

Remember, while hosting for the holidays, it goes beyond food and decorating. Focusing on comfort, etiquette and creativity, you can create a welcoming place for your guests and ensure a memorable evening. Cheers to a festive holiday season with family, old friends and some new ones that you want to share your holiday family and new traditions with!