Welcoming Guests for the Holidays

It's that time of year again already. The holidays are here. If you are not traveling to visit family or friends this season chances are someone may be coming to spend the holidays with you. Read the tips below to make sure that your holiday guests have a truly satisfying experience.

Plan Ahead

Nothing like a last minute call for lodging. Find out in advance who will be staying with you: a single person, a couple, or perhaps a whole family; and then consider whether or not you have the space to agree to host holiday guests.

Prepare a Room

Many experts suggest that the host spend a night in the guest room to judge whether or not the room is comfortable and has everything a guest would need. After spending a night in your own guest room, you might decide to add an alarm clock, a radio or CD player, some extra pillows or a bedside lamp. There's no better way to tell what a guest might need than trying it out firsthand. If you don't want to spend the night sleeping in your guest room then consider the following areas to increase your guests'comfort level.

The Bed: You want to make sure the bed is comfortable, not too saggy and not too hard. If your mattress is too hard and you don't want to buy a new one, consider adding pillow top padding or spread one of your extra comforters across the mattress, along with some eggshell foam, before you put the bottom sheet on. This will provide some extra cushion for a hard bed.

The Temperature: Be careful that the temperature in the home is not too cold or too hot. If the thermostat is set to a reasonable temperature and the room still feels cold and drafty, be sure to include some extra blankets for the bed or some warm throws. If your guest room is unusually warm, leave a fan in the closet.

The Bathroom: It's always nice to provide a few toiletries for your guests to use. You don't have to be extravagant, a pleasant smelling bar of soap and a bottle of lotion will make a nice impression.

Make Yourself at Home

We often say to guests, make yourself at home. So, you should make sure that a holiday guest feels at home even after they walk out of the guest room. Make sure there is an area where a guest would feel comfortable watching television or a movie and keep your fridge and pantry stocked with a variety of drinks and snacks. If you have a computer in a central location, set up a guest account so your company can use the Internet to check email, obtain directions, or take care of personal business while enjoying their holiday. If you know that children will be visiting, having some holiday activity books or crafts on hand and a couple of kid-friendly movies would be appreciated.

The holidays are a busy and exciting time. We look forward to them each year with anticipation but also a bit of anxiety and stress over all there is to do. Following these suggestions will cut down on awkward moments of unpreparedness and make way for a rewarding and relaxing experience for both you and your holiday guests.