‘Tis the season for festive gatherings decked with mistletoe, silver bells, and joyful hearts. As you prepare to welcome guests, friends, and family members into your home, consider easy ways to simplify the art of hosting, while making visitors feel warmly welcomed. After all, there’s no place like home for the holidays.
- 1. Never underestimate the power of preparation.
With tree-trimming duties, holiday cookie exchanges, and growing gift lists, there is no shortage of activities clamoring for your attention during the holiday season. When you add on the prospect of hosting friends and family for a festive party or gathering, planning ahead is a necessary tactic to keeping your season merry and bright.
If you’re planning a meal for a large group, incorporate make-ahead side dishes into your menu. Potato casseroles, cranberry sauce, and cookie dough are easy dishes to make before your visitors arrive – allowing you to celebrate and spend more time with your guests.
Innovation spotlight: Milliken uses clarifying agents to make your plastic storage containers as clear as glass – allowing for easy organization in the fridge or freezer prior to a meal.
- 2. Add a personal touch to holiday decorations.
Welcome the holiday season with a creative spirit. Consider designing this year’s centerpiece and décor accents with inspiring DIY projects for makers of all skill levels. Turn your holiday crafts into a family activity, with projects for the children to enjoy, too.
Innovation spotlight: Milliken’s colorants used in washable paints and markers make crafting easier and safer for the whole family.
- 3. Create a table setting marked by sophistication
Beautify your tablescape with fabric linens. Studies show that 82 percent of U.S. consumers associate tables set with cloth with a better restaurant appearance and ambiance – and the same is true for table settings in your own home. Use coverings that are known for their performance, fit, and sophisticated style, such as Tablevogue.
Innovation spotlight: Milliken’s Signature Plus fabric used in table linens enables superior color retention after multiple washes and easy stain removal.
- 4. Embrace the art of southern hospitality
Glean insight from our hospitality experts by incorporating touches of southern charm that will make your guests feel welcomed and at ease during their stay. Consider stocking their bathroom with extra essentials (toothbrushes, face wash, and razors), providing filtered or bottled water in their room, adorning their bedside with fresh flowers, or freshening up the sheets with a nice lavender or eucalyptus linen spray. It’s the little things that make all the difference.
Innovation spotlight: The Milliken Guest House now hosts thousands of Milliken visitors each year. Guests enjoy a touch of southern hospitality with the amenities of a fine hotel, set among stunning arboretum grounds.
- 5. Serve a signature holiday cocktail
Cheers your guests with a signature holiday cocktail. Serve a light and fresh spritzer as the prelude to the main course. Or, invite guests to indulge in a rich and creamy liqueur as a post-dinner treat.
Innovation spotlight: Enjoy one of our favorite holiday cocktail recipes, courtesy of our Milliken Guest House culinary experts.
