A 5-Step Survival Guide to Hosting Christmas

With the weather slowly but surely starting to warm up, it’s unmistakable that we’re inching closer to the most wonderful time of the year. ‘Tis (almost) the season to unwind, relax, and invite family and friends to celebrate. However, for those who eagerly put up their hands to host Christmas, the whole experience can feel daunting and quickly descend into chaos!

Fortunately, with a little bit of forward planning and a healthy dose of delegation, you can ensure Christmas day (and the lead-up) is stress-free and brimming with joy.
Read on for our 5-step guide to hosting Christmas at your place this year.

Get into the festive Spirit.
The best way to kick into gear when it comes to the holiday season is to dust off the decorations and set the scene. Whether your festive decorations start and stop with a modest Christmas tree or you literally “deck the halls,” there’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to decorate. Set aside time to dig out and organise your Christmas decorations early (preferably now, if you haven’t already). Schedule time with the family to decorate the tree, set up any lights, and hang the stockings. If you’re opting for a real tree, mid-December is the perfect time to purchase one to ensure it is fresh and smells lovely for the big day.

Plan out all the food and drinks.
It’s no secret Christmas can be the most intense cooking day of the year. So, when it comes to hosting, you have two options: if being in the kitchen truly sparks joy, you can take complete control of planning the menu and doing all the cooking, or if the thought of that level of responsibility is more likely to spark terror, there’s no better strategy than delegation. Plan your menu, list everything you need, from mains and sides to drinks and ice, and delegate to your guests. It’s best to be specific with your requests so that on the day, you end up with everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Prep the supplies.
Once the food and drinks are organised for the day, you’ll need to ensure you have everything you need to comfortably host your guests. Take stock of plates, cutlery, glassware, and serving utensils such as salad servers and water jugs and ask guests to bring any extras if you’re short. You’ll also need to map out your seating plan. If you’ve got a big family, you may need to set up an extra table or two and rustle up some extra chairs – see if these can be borrowed. If not, hiring some for the Christmas period is easy if you plan ahead.

Assign jobs.
Don’t be afraid to assign jobs to ensure the day goes smoothly. Guests and family members will likely appreciate being given a role as it makes them feel helpful and involved. Tasks like prepping food, clearing plates, and taking care of rubbish can quickly be taken care of by guests on the day to take the pressure off you.

Bend the rules.
When Christmas day arrives, expect one or two things to go wrong – it’s inevitable and happens in every household. Go easy on yourself and bend rules you might usually uphold to enjoy the day. The kids will inevitably eat too much sugar, the house will likely be a mess, and a glass of red wine just might wind up on someone’s white shirt – it’s all part of the fun and chaos that Christmas brings, and the best thing you can do is go with the flow and enjoy the day.