Despite the many challenges of the pandemic, some of us may still be safely entertaining our small bubbles of family or friends. If you won’t be spending the upcoming holiday season in total isolation, you may be wondering how to prepare your Lake Tahoe mountain home for the arrival of guests. Read on for some tips and tricks to make for an easy and healthy holiday season...
Decorate with Space: Spread out your comfy seating and end tables, and ensure there’s enough of it for your group. Extend the dining table to its maximum length, or even better, set up an extra table. And be sure you’re still decorating for the season, it is the holidays after all! Bring on the cornucopia, the holly, the bows and lights, but maybe hold off on the mistletoe this year.
Ditch the Shoes: If possible, have everyone leave their shoes by the front door to keep for tidy floors and trap any incoming dirt or germs on a mat. If you fancy the idea of welcome gifts, you can find festive cozy socks in affordable packs online, they also help enforce a no-shoes rule!
Food & Drink: If you’re going to be serving, the host should prepare all plates and cups just ahead of time. This way guests can grab the finished product and you won’t have to worry about congregating in the kitchen. When it’s time to serve, be sure to put out individual asks to each guest so you can customize a plate to their choosing. And to take food hygiene a step further, consider purchasing some nicer paper plates, cups, and utensils for any gatherings. This makes for an easy, germ-free clean up for you!
The Great Outdoors: Make use of any outdoor living spaces that can accommodate the temperatures of the season. You may consider investing in a few outdoor gas heat lamps, or arranging furniture around several fire pits. Now would be the year to hire that contractor for a nice built-in fire table and patio seating.
Virtual Options: It may not be worth it or possible to get together in person with certain family and friends this year. There may be a fun way to incorporate virtual guests to the table, with a well-placed laptop at one end- be sure to crank up the speakers! You can even try to land a meal time that virtual guests agree to, so everyone has the chance to sit down together.
We wish you a great, loving, and safe holiday season, and if you need help executing or planning any holiday design ideas, give us a call at Tinsel House Studio today.