Preparing Your Home for Christmas Guests

If many guests are expected for Christmas in your home it is best to plan everything in advance. Since taking care of every little thing can stress you out, you could start preparations early at a time when you have an hour or two to spare. It is always best to check the amount of space in the house before you invite people over.

Make sure that you have bedding, sleeping bags, inflatable beds or beds for people other than your family members. If space is not a problem but the bedding is you could ask your guests to bring along bedding of their own depending on your relationship with them or else you would have to check them into a B&B or a local hotel. You will have to do the bookings way in advance because they would be filled up for Christmas. Usually children love sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor because they think of it as an adventure.

When you have sent out invitations start planning the purchases you have to make and the things that will have to be accomplished before hand. It is best not to leave anything at the last moment. If you find it difficult to handle things on your own, delegate jobs as well as deadlines for them to be completed to the members in your house. Always try and do a little work every weekend a couple of months before Christmas. Make nibbles and food that can be defrosted and also heated when required with minimum supervision so that you will get more time to socialize and converse with your guests and spend less time slaving away in the kitchen. You could opt for ready-made dips and healthy snacks that are easily available in supermarkets so that you can have a relaxed evening. Sip on a drink and put up your feet. You need to enjoy Christmas, too.

It is your duty to make your guests very comfortable. See to it that you have spare toiletries and plenty of towels in case they have not brought them along. Give them some space so that they could hang up their clothes. Keep some activities and games ready before your guests arrive so that they can enjoy themselves. Dominoes, Card games, Jigsaws, Pictionary, Scrabble and Monopoly are enjoyed by one and all. Ensure that you complete all your house work so that you need not run around even when your guests have arrived. Have some DVDs ready so that they are occupied.

If your guests will include children you will need to provide everything needed for that special letter to Santa. These letters are an important Christmas tradition for most families in the United States and Canada. The letters provide information for adults about what the children want for Christmas and they offer kids a fun activity. If you really want to impress your guests you can have personalized letters from Santa delivered to your home for them. This will delight the kids and it will insure them that Santa will know where to find them on Christmas. Something as small as these inexpensive packages from Santa can be the highlight of the holiday season for kids. If you plan everything in advance you will be able to enjoy yourself in the company of your guests. Preparing your home for Christmas guests will be a breeze if you start way in advance.

The History of Decorating and Using Mistletoe at Christmas Time

The Christmas season is considered a special time in the entire year. Everywhere you will find people who are happy and also kind to each other during Christmas as compared to the rest of the year. Children are extremely happy during this season because they wait eagerly for the annual visit from Santa Claus. This happiness could be taken to a new level by parents by gifting their children personalized gifts and letters from Santa. The children would be doubly thrilled.

When they receive the letter as well as gifts they will jump with joy. The gleam in their eyes will make all your efforts and the money spent worth it. Every parent wants to see the look of joy and happiness on their children's faces. There’s no better way to do this than to give gifts and personalized letters from Santa. Do you wish to know the history of decorating and using mistletoe at Christmas time? The mistletoe is a partial parasite. It grows on the trunk or the branches of a tree and its roots penetrate the tree and absorb all the nutrients. It can also produce its own food with the help of photosynthesis. The mistletoe that is used as a Christmas decoration is found in North America. Since ancient times it has been considered as a secret, mysterious and magical plant. It is known to restore life, protect against poison and is considered an aphrodisiac. Kissing under this plant is associated with a Greek festival known as Saturnalia. In Scandinavia, it is looked upon as a plant of peace. Enemies or warring spouses kiss under it in order to declare a truce or to make up respectively. At Christmas, if a young lady is standing under mistletoe that is brightly trimmed with ornaments, ribbons and evergreens she can be kissed by anyone. The kiss could imply goodwill and friendship that would last or deep romance. It is thought that those who are brought together in such a way are sure to get married the next year. The Christmas mistletoe is burnt on the 12th night in some parts of England in case the couples who kissed under it do not get married ever. Many people look upon it as a symbol of frolic and fun at Christmas celebrations.

This custom of kissing under the mistletoe is still prevalent in Europe and Canada. If a couple kisses under it, it is looked upon as a commitment to marry and a prediction of long life and happiness. The legend behind the mistletoe is that it was a sacred plant of the Goddess of Love by the name of Frriga. She was the mother of the God of the Sun in Summer, Balder. When he dreamt of death his mother was greatly alarmed because if he died, life would end on earth. So, she went to all the elements and every plant and animal and took a promise from everyone that they would not harm her son.

Frigga forgot all about the lowly mistletoe that was not to be found on or under the earth other than on oak or apple trees. The God of Evil, Loki used the mistletoe in order to make an arrow tip and asked Hoder, the God of Winter to shoot it. Balder died and all the beings on Heaven and earth cried for him and tried to bring him back to life. His mother was able to restore him. Her joy knew no bounds and she kissed all those who passed under the mistletoe. This is why the mistletoe symbolizes love that can conquer death and is used as a Christmas decoration throughout the world.

Explaining the history and beginnings of Christmas traditions is often a part of the fun when families are working on Christmas craft projects and writing letters to Santa. Keep visiting this blog for explanations of other long cherished Christmas traditions.