Opening your home to guests for the first time during the holidays is an exciting privilege! Sharing your new space with friends and family is a special way to celebrate together, and with the right planning, it can be stress-free, too.

Make a Hosting Plan

The first step to hosting a party is to determine when you’d like to throw the party and choose the guest list—it affects the menu, the amount of food you’ll need, and might even influence whether or not you’ll need to find additional seating. Once you know whom you’d like to have over, determine how you’ll invite them. Phone calls or handwritten notes can feel very personal, while texts, emails, and e-vites are very efficient—you get to decide the tone you want to set!

Next, plan a menu. Are there holiday meal traditions you’d like to continue in your new home? Are there new traditions you’d like to start? Now is a great time to decide. Just keep in mind that some guests might have dietary restrictions, so be prepared to adapt accordingly. Then, schedule the days when you plan to grocery shop and cook. Take special care to see if there are foods you can prepare in advance! Pre-mix dry ingredients for baked goods or make dishes that are easy to reheat like soup before the big day. Any other preparation, like cleaning and decorating, is easier to schedule once you’ve prioritized your food preparations.

Prepare Your Home for Guests

Welcoming guests into your new home can have an entirely different, exciting energy when your home is clean and well-decorated. If you’re not fully unpacked yet, the party date is a great deadline to set for finishing the job! If that’s too big of a task, try to find an inconspicuous space for the remaining boxes and bins. Just make sure to dig out any decorations and dishware you might have packed away and leave enough closet space for guest shoes and jackets.

Then, focus on deep cleaning. Maybe you’ve already done this upon move-in, but it never hurts to give high-traffic areas like the bathrooms, entryway, and kitchen a second glance. If you’re having any guests stay the night, prepare spare rooms, as necessary, with freshly laundered bedding.

Curate Your Holiday Ambiance

Once your home is clean, it’s time to think about decorations. If you need to buy décor, skip single-use items and look for centerpieces or place settings that can be reused for different celebrations (or saved for the party you throw next year). Consider candles, table runners, blankets, and throw pillows in lounge areas, with cozy lighting to set the right mood.

Background music can go a long way towards creating ambience, too. Bluetooth® speakers in deliberate locations that connect to a playlist on your phone will make your home feel welcoming and cozy. If you’re planning games or a gift exchange, consider how much seating you’ll need, and rearrange furniture to suit your desired activity in advance.

Welcome Your Guests

You’ve made your preparations, and the day of the party is here: Now, it’s time to get into a hosting mindset. Your mood will set the tone for the party—if you’re having fun, your guests will have fun, too! If you’re not cooking, greet everyone as they arrive or delegate that task to your spouse or kids. Consider setting drinks and small snacks out in advance to help guests feel welcome. Most importantly, enjoy yourself once the party begins!