Holiday Hospitality

Typically, the holidays bring at least one occasion when you will have guests in your home.

Here are some simple but tried & true tips to make this a  warm and WELCOME occasion:

1. Always greet your guests at the door with a smile and warm welcome.
2. Select a meal that you have made before and prepare as much food as you can ahead of time.
3. A tidy home makes people feel comfortable. (Even if you are fine amid chaos, many are not.) This does not mean it has to be so clean you could eat from the floor in the corner under the dishwasher. Present an orderly setting but do not obsess.
4. In advance, create a process for how the meal will be served and where the guests will sit. Buffet style typically works best, except with groups up to 8 which can be served family style.
5. A good hostess sees that her guests are comfortable without seeming to be in any way put out or overworked herself.  Stay calm.
6. Simple things like a pretty napkin, a tea cup and saucer, a piece of chocolate next to her plate, or even a simply designed name card can make a guest feel special. 
7. Keep it simple, Silly! (KISS) The event doesn’t have to be grand, or ‘bigger and better’ than others you’ve visited. Don’t aim to impress (as that’s really just soliciting praise); instead, aim to serve (as that is seeking to love).

*Taken from  the little booklet “Holiday Hospitality”,  by Lynn Nicewander