6 Tips To Prepare For Christmas House Guests

During Christmas, it’s not uncommon to have a few extra house guests staying in your home. This can be a joy, but won’t feel like it if you aren’t prepared.

Having friends and family stay over can be an exciting time for the entire family, but it also means that you will be catering to one or two more people than usual. This means more loads of dishes to wash, spending more on your grocery bills, and needing to give that spare room a clean.

Whether your guests are family or friends, whether they are staying in for a week or a month, we’ve got some tips on helping them make the most of their stay, and helping you stay sane.

1. Prepare The Kids

Having a guest stay over can mean extra excitement for the kids, but they may be unsure of what to expect. It’s likely they’ll be jumping off the walls for the first couple of days with the extra attention. But, they can also be shy or upset about sharing their space, especially if the guest is bunking in their room or toy area. The easiest way to deal with this is to approach the issues head on. Talk to them about the visitor, and about what is going on before the guest arrives. When they’re there, try and keep their routine as much the same as possible, and allow them some leeway as they adjust.

2. Get Your Guest Spaces Ready

Not everyone has a spare room available for their house guests, but wherever you happen to be putting them up it does help if they have some kind of personal space and privacy. If you can shuffle your house around to provide this, you’re likely to have less issues over the holidays. For example, having a place for them to put their things, even if they’re only staying over the weekend, can really improve their moods. The same can be said for a good clean of the space, particularly if it’s an unused spare room most of the time.

3. Offer the Essentials

giphy | Stay at Home Mum.com.au — via giphy

Apart from a bed what would make your guests’ stay more comfortable? A bedside lamp as well as an alarm clock are two necessities that are often overlooked when thinking about stocking the guest room. Younger guests will have a phone to get them out of bed, but older in-laws of grandparents will likely appreciate the clock.It’s also a good idea to offer your guests their own towel and washcloth so they feel a little more comfortable in your home.

4. Food preferences

It’s important to talk to your guest and be aware of their food preferences and also what food they might be allergic of just so you can make some adjustments. You don’t have to change your entire household’s meals to cater to them, but it is great to be prepared for some options.

5. Have A Partial Plan

You don’t need to plan every second of their trip for them, but you may wish to have a few suggestions on the table. If you already have things on during their stay, such as if you are working during the week, let them know what you are doing so they can work around you. They will not want to inconvenience you and thus you need to communicate so that everyone is able to enjoy the days, whether together or separately. If there is going to be some time that you won’t be able to entertain them, think about what kinds of activities might be available for them to do around your house, or in your local area.

6. Take a Break

Spending 24 hours a day with your guests can become stale pretty quick, even if you do get along great with them and you love spending time with them. To avoid blow outs, make sure you schedule some alone time as well. Having guests, whether they are visiting for Christmas or are up for the family vacation, can be a welcoming change but it can also add unwanted stress to the table. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from your guests, even if this means asking them to pitch in with the groceries, helping clean up from dinner or watching the kids one night so you can have a night out.

Most guests will be more than happy to help!