How to Make Your Home More Festive For The Holidays

The holidays are here with us and the festive season is beginning to spread its aroma. There is always something that makes end-year holidays special. It could be the joy of having made it through the year, the thought of having to spend more time with family and friends or the celebratory mood that spread like wildfire throughout the globe. Whichever, it’s the happy feeling that beats it all. And so to meet these expectations, it’s only right if you work towards reading every area of your house with the holiday spirit.

It doesn’t matter your decor preferences; whether traditional, contemporary or anything in between, these ideas will surely uplift the look of your home and make it more festive.

Make The Entrance Appealing

The entrance to your home plays an essential part in setting the mood for the insides. Before even placing their eyes on the interior decor, visitors to your house will first see the door, entryway, and the porch. So it’s always advisable to start demonstrating your creative ideas right at these spots. For instance, if we are speaking about your house, then you can start by lighting up your porch with a blend of colorful lights or even buying some super crazy festive pathway lighting. It doesn’t always have to be the standard white lighting, go blue, pink or even red depending on the mood and occasion at hand. You can also consider strategically placing scented/odorless candles in the wide windows to create an ambiance of peace for your guests. You definitely want them as comfortable as possible so that they can easily loosen up and make the fun worthwhile.

On the other hand, if yours is an apartment, there are still so many ways to implement your style into space. You can start by placing a nice flower arrangement on the porch and complete the look with a beautiful soft mat with a welcoming message to the guests. Remember, it’s the little things that matter. So do you and explore all the available alternatives to make your home a true reflection of your inner feelings.

Make your entryway amazingly beautiful by hanging a collection of old photos with classic memories with your loved one. This could be photos from previous years’ festive seasons or a recent family gathering you attended. Remember to also have a coat hanging stand in place so that you can comfortably welcome your guests by offering to take them off. Just ensure the place doesn’t look too congested. It will be a total turn-off.

Stock-Up Some Snacks/Beverages

There is no better way of welcoming people into your home than by offering them something to drink/snack on. If you’re already thinking about how impactful that can be on your bank account, it’s time to rest easy. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A simple munchable snack like a tray or bowl of nuts will do the trick. Ask them their favorite beverage and offer it in a beautiful piece of glass/cup. This will ensure they feel welcome and comfortable right from the start.

Besides the simple gesture of sharing snacks and drinks creates ample time to catch-up on everything and nothing (you get what we mean, right?) Sometimes it’s those small “senseless” little stories and jokes that create the best memories. And if you’re good at baking, now is the right time to showcase your skills. Get some pieces of festive cookies and have a light laugh over the complements. You can even inspire others to share their most awkward moments in the kitchen stories. Things shouldn’t be that serious when you’re surrounded by your loved ones.

Include The Children In Your Plans

Children make a very important part in any family gathering, leave alone the festive season. So if you want everything to run smoothly for the holidays, you better include them in your plans. In fact, the earlier you plan for this the better it would be for you, their parents/guardians and of course themselves. One way to go about this is by setting a specific place/ space especially for them. Decorate it with kids’ themes and have everything you imagine they would need to have fun in place. If you have children yourself, you can include them in the planning and arrangements. Ask them what they feel should be included and what their friends love doing/ eating/drinking. This way you can get the perfect snacks, drinks, and fun games.

The gesture might be simple, but it will go a long way into making the kids feel special for having been included in the plans and the adults will be more relaxed knowing their children are in safe hands and enjoying themselves. The preparations will depend on the number of children you expect. But it’s also okay to be extra ambitious. After all, it’s the festive season; no limitation to the amount of fun anyone can have!

Add An Extra Piece Of Furniture

It’s the festive season and you are obviously more likely to receive more visitors than you have had during any part of the year. So be ready for the that. If you had given out some of your old furniture to create more space in the living room or you just moved to a new spacious place, it’s important if you have enough seats to accommodate your guests. Lack of enough chairs and other essential pieces of furniture can not only create a moment of embarrassment, but also make your visitors feel uncomfortable and initiate to leave earlier than anticipated.

Avoid this by investing in quality furniture for both your indoor and outdoor space depending on where you plan to spend most of your time. For instance, if you will be having dinner on the patio, then some outdoor furniture would do. Take advantage of the amazing high-quality furniture categories on display at sites like https://www.vegadirect.ca/furniture to choose the perfect set. Remember to also include bar stools in your list if you have one. There is so much more than a single piece of the right furniture can do to transform your space. Exploit your choices!

Be Prepared To Host And Have Fun

It’s one thing to host guests in your home and it’s totally another issue to have fun at the same time. Most homeowners get too uptight with appearing “too perfect” that they forget the real essence of the festive season. Yes, it’s good and of course recommendable to want to do everything to ensure all the people visiting your home get the reception they deserve. But that doesn’t mean you neglect your needs at the expense of that. Did you know that a delightful host makes happy visitors? Happiness can be infectious, so be weary of showing that overworked face.

What can you do in this case? Ensure that you’re fully prepared before the visitors start streaming in. Give yourself a one hour to 30 minute allowance to relax your mood and get  ready. If you will be hosting guests for dinner, ensure the table is set before the first guest steps in. Also, ensure your house is sparkling clean and everything well arranged to achieve that vital calming effect. Remember, it’s okay not to be too “perfect” especially in areas where your visitors won’t access. They came to spend time with you and not check out how you hung clothes in the closet. So save yourself some energy for the fresh fun-filled look. You will have more time to get your other stuff arranged later.

Let Happiness Flow In The Smell

Now that you have already taken care of the sense of sight and taste, it’s time to consider the sense of smell. It’s one of the strongest and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Just because you cut onions for your cooking doesn’t mean you let the whole house smell like onions. Truth is said, some people love the smell in their food rather than in the air. So, since this is a season to create and trigger memories, ensure to create scents that can do exactly that. Most individuals would readily use air fresheners to achieve this, but if you choose this route, ensure to use the mild ones. You might even have to avoid them at all costs if you know of a family member or friend with an allergy to certain smells.

For best results, maximize on the use of candles. They are known to quickly suck-up any foul smell within their area of coverage, leaving the room smelling sweet and fresh. Forget about the ordinary candles, there are always several seasonal lines coming up at this time of the year. So make use of them. A holiday treat is what you will get.

Go Colorful

Ever heard of the common saying ” the more colors, the merrier”? Well, it won’t harm, to give it a try. Embrace it and bring the rainbow into your living room. You can start by changing your throw pillow covers, add several little Christmas trees on top of your fireplace, decorate that small bookshelf with a collection of different colored books or even change the color of your flower vase. Remember, most of our senses are controlled by what we see. So if a brighter side of life is what you want to achieve, then don’t be scared to go bold with colors. You can even add pieces of colored linen on your couches. Just remember to do everything in moderation.

Additionally, if you want to go extreme, and happen to have a big garden, it’s time to trim those flowers and let their color pop-out. If you hadn’t invested in colorful trees at the beginning of the year, try buying some grown beautiful plants for your outdoor space. You can let them hang from containers with an amazing display of festive messages. Let the whole family help in setting this up for more fun. You can even take pictures while at it.

Invest In Bold Gift Wraps

Most individuals don’t even consider gifts as part of the decor. And if you happen to be one of them, then know you’ve been missing out big time. They are and can be part of the decor. In fact a big part of it depends on how you look at it. So instead of simply packing them in dull looking boxes and displaying them under the Christmas tree, try using bright colorful papers instead. Use different colors and combine them with bows for a fantastic look. Don’t forget to instill creativity in the arrangement. For instance, you can start with the bigger gifts at the furthest corner and finish with small ones at the front. Consequently, you can do a little bit of mixing. All that matters is the final look. Make it magnificent!

Put A Tree In Your Bedroom(s)

Well, we are all used to the idea of having Christmas trees in the living room. But is there a rule that denies its presence in any other part of the house? Absolutely not! So if you feel like a tree in the bedroom will be the best way to spike your festive mood as soon as you get out of bed, then so be it. Just ensure to be minimal with this, the smaller, the better. After all, this is the time of the year when staying in bed all day with your favorite snacks at hand seems so enjoyable. You can even have your TV set in there and watch your favorite movies with the kids as you roll in bed. Having fun doesn’t have a single definition. It lies where your heart is. So go freestyle and enjoy the moments.

It’s very easy to ready your home for the festive season. In fact, you don’t have to spend a lot as most of the ideas revolve around simple things such as the presence of candles, going bold with presents, getting the correct snacks and much more. All this with an aim to make your visitors feel welcome and comfortable. So whichever idea(s) you choose to implement from the above tips, remember it’s all about having fun with your loved ones. Anything outside that is secondary. It’s time to go jolly, enjoy!