Crafts & Fun

Nothing says holiday like a bustling house full of relatives. But all the sweetness of a family visit can quickly turn sour when little cousins start bickering, the blow-up mattress springs a leak, and Uncle Charlie uses up all the hot water. The good news is that with a little planning, you can save your guests — and your family — a sleighful of yuletide hassle. Here’s how.

Playing host

If the festivities are at your house this year, you’ll soon be prepping like mad: cleaning, grocery shopping, baking, digging out that fold-up cot.... Before panic sets in, follow these tips to keep it simple.

Communicate If you’re expecting a full house and are worried about your guests’ comfort, now’s the time to voice your concern, says Louise Fox, a Toronto etiquette expert and owner of The Etiquette Ladies. “If it’s going to be crowded, mention this to your guests beforehand: ‘We’re looking forward to your visit, and although we don’t have a guest bedroom, we think you will be very comfortable on the pullout sofa in the family room.’ If they’re uncomfortable with this idea, they can make alternative arrangements such as spending the night at a nearby motel.” If your guests are bringing the kids, don’t forget to discuss the house rules so everyone’s on the same page. You’ll also want to make sure sleeping arrangements have been sorted out before little relatives arrive, so there’s no fighting about who gets which cot.

Make your home inviting Sure, daily bouquets of fresh flowers and chocolates on pillows are lovely touches, but your home isn’t a five-star hotel. Guests will appreciate the basics. Leave them extra pillows, blankets, a bedside lamp or nearby light, books and magazines. And while they’ll probably bring their own toiletries, Fox says, it’s a welcoming gesture to provide the little amenities, perhaps a few toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, soap, small bottles of shampoo and conditioner, hand lotion, tissues, pain reliever, extra toilet paper and plenty of clean towels.

Prepare for little ones If you have tots of your own, you’re likely ready to host other young kids — your house is childproofed and you have all the gear guests will need. If your kids are older, suggest that your guests bring their own crib, playpen, car seat and high chair. If they’re travelling by plane and can’t tote everything, try borrowing from neighbours or look for places where you can rent what they need. There are lots of online companies across Canada that specialize in baby-equipment rentals, such as weetravel.ca and littletraveller.ca. As for childproofing, Fox suggests asking your visitors to bring their own gates, but hitting a department store for plug protectors and cupboard locks, and putting breakables and valuables on shelves out of children’s reach. You might want to move your glass-top coffee table and houseplants until tots have gone.

Keep kids busy While visitors should have their kids bring a book, game, music or DVDs, you can easily prepare activities too. Head to the dollar store or your local art supplies shop and pick up a few colouring books, crayons, markers and stickers. Go to the toy store for board games and puzzles. Rent a few holiday-themed classics (such as A Christmas Story and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) or take the gang to a yuletide flick at the theatre. Bake sugar cookies or buy a ready-made gingerbread house and have the kids decorate the treats with icing, sprinkles and candy. And don’t forget to throw in some large-muscle action: Get everyone bundled up and enjoy an afternoon of tobogganing, make a snowman in the front yard, go skating at the local arena or book a couple of lanes and have a bowling tournament. If the kids are into video games, be sure the adults have discussed what, when and how long they’re allowed to play. While it’s important to keep young guests occupied, don’t get bogged down trying to plan every second of the trip; you and your visitors are on vacation and everyone will appreciate a little downtime (and alone time) to read a book or even just go for a walk.

Originally published in Today's Parent, December 2008