The holidays are a time for spending time with family and friends and hosting can be a great way to show your loved ones how much you care. Here’s the thing, hosting can seem daunting and stressful to make your house “perfect” for guests, whether those guests stay overnight or just come for a casual (or fancy) dinner. But if you really think about it, guests come to spend time with you, so just a few simple touches to create a welcoming environment really goes a long way. A few thoughtful things added around the house are really all you need. I’ve included my four go-to tips for hosting during the holidays – they are simple ideas anyone can implement!
This post is a collaboration with Wayfair. All thoughts, content, and opinions are my own. See my disclosures here.
1 // SELF-SERVE COFFEE BAR
A self-serve coffee bar is an easy way to make guests feel welcome and allows everyone to create a coffee drink of choice.
We love to make coffee in our french press and use our milk frother to make having coffee feel extra special. We use these every day when we make coffee for ourselves, but using these items when you have people over really makes the experience memorable.
Serve the coffee essentials on a wooden cutting board (this one is our favorite for cooking and serving!), with a pretty plaid table runner, and a turkish towel for an easy self-serve coffee bar that entices people to make their own concoctions. We like to serve coffee this way in the mornings when we have guests stay the night or even for an after dinner treat.
Add in marshmallows, hot cocoa packets, and cinnamon for a mocha inspired holiday drink. Mix all these items into half a cup of coffee and top with frothed milk – trust me, it’s delicious!
I always have a festive scented holiday candle burning nearby too – it just adds to the warm, holiday feel. I also like to burn soy candles because they tend to last longer!
2 // SIMMER SOUP ON THE STOVE
Whenever we have people over for dinner I love to make a prepare ahead dish, like soup or stew. For me, this makes me feel more relaxed when people come over because I’m not completely preoccupied in the kitchen prepping dinner while they are here, rather almost everything can be done in advance, which maximizes the amount of quality time you can spend enjoying each other’s company. Plus it makes your house smell fantastic! Chili and and chicken soup are our favorites.
Adding a red dutch oven to your cookware collection is a festive nod to the holidays, while still being something that can be used year round. I think it looks so pretty sitting on the stovetop!
I like to use turkish towels in our kitchen and bathrooms. Guests love these towels! They are pretty and absorbent, which is a win-win. Just make sure to soak them overnight in cold water before you use and wash them for the first time – this ensures the towels stay extra soft and absorbent. I learned this tip from my friend Sarah at Room for Tuesday!
3 // COZY BLANKETS AND THROWS
Add a few cozy throws and blankets around your living space to encourage people to sit and stay awhile.
Velvet throw pillows are the perfect addition to any sofa – we have a few around our living room and love them, they are so soft!
A chunky knit blanket is perfect for draping over the back of your sofa so guests can easily access it, plus it looks cute and adds a lot of warmth and texture to any space!
Faux fur pillows are another favorite holiday-esque item to add to our living room.
Adding throw pillows and blankets to unexpected places, like your fireplace hearth, creates additional seating!
4 // WREATHS AND GARLAND
I love to adds wreaths and garland in unexpected places. I think it helps create a cozy holiday atmosphere with minimal effort!
A pre-lit garland above a kitchen window provides a lovely warm glow.
Drape garland from your banisters (or bookcases!) tied with ribbon for an effortless, classic look.
Hang a faux boxwood wreath from your bookcase with ribbon for a pretty and simple holiday touch.
I hope you found these tips useful! Here’s to easy and stress free hosting over the holidays!
I have included a shop-able table below for your convenience.
