Top Holiday Hosting Stressors and Headaches

The holiday season can be a bit demanding when it comes to hosting or entertaining out-of-town guests. From preparing a guest bedroom to efficiently managing tasks, hosts generally need to ensure their home is fully stocked and ready well in advance.

A survey commissioned by Article and One Poll has provided valuable insights into the top stressors associated with holiday hosting. They surveyed 2,000 people, asking them various questions related to hosting during the holiday season.

The survey findings indicated that, although a majority (59%) expressed their enjoyment of hosting guests at their homes, many still encounter stressors during the process. These stressors include ensuring everyone has a good time (32%), deciding on the right food to serve (30%), and ensuring the home is cleaned up in time for the guests' arrival (28%).

According to their research, thirty-two percent of respondents feel unprepared for hosting guests almost all the time. A significant number mentioned facing challenges related to seating (18%), space (18%), and having enough food (14%) when their guests arrive.

The majority (71%) mentioned that they need at least a full day to prepare their homes for hosting, with an average preparation time of three days. Only one in five people rush to clean up their homes within hours of their guests' arrival.

Prior to their guests' arrival, hosts tend to rush to tidy up and organize (62%), cook meals (61%), plan the menu (41%), prepare drinks (40%), and create a background music playlist (24%).

The survey also revealed that 55% of respondents consider it important that their guests have a positive impression of their homes, while a third (31%) confessed to being so preoccupied with ensuring their guests' comfort that they forget to enjoy themselves.

Nearly seven out of ten (69%) individuals stated that they have a "number one" rule in their homes when guests come over. Many even shared their rules, which include the expectation that guests remove their shoes before entering, dine at the dining table, clean up after themselves if they make a mess, and, most importantly, make themselves at home and have a great time.

Take a look at the complete study here.

As a host, it's important to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable in your home. However, sometimes situations may arise where you need to politely ask your guests to leave. In case it's getting too late, and you have work to attend to the next day, or if your neighbors are beginning to raise concerns about the noise level, it might be necessary to ask your guests to leave. Also, if someone's getting out of control, it's probably best to give them the boot before they do something ridiculous.

Do you know what can be tricky when you're hosting? Figuring out how to gracefully nudge people toward the exit. It's one of those challenging skills that can test your hosting abilities. There are some polite and not-so-polite ways to show and ask guests to leave your house.

A polite way to show and ask guests to leave is by using gentle language and expressing appreciation for their visit. An example would be saying something like "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to wake up early in the morning and I need to get some rest. Can we continue our conversation another time?"

On the other hand, a not-so-polite way to show and ask guests to leave is by being more assertive in your language. For instance, you might say something along the lines of "I'm sorry, but it's time for you to leave now as you've overstayed your welcome."

Here are some clever ways to encourage guests to wrap up their visit.

Without saying a word, start washing dishes and clearing out the trash scattered around the room. As you clean up and tidy the space, it sends the message to your guests that the event is coming to an end.

If you want to drop a hint to your guests that it's time for them to start thinking about heading home, try casually asking them about their transportation plans. It's a way of showing that you're considerate of their needs and subtly letting them know that the evening is winding down.

An empty snack bowl and dry glasses can work wonders in persuading people to call it a night. As the gathering starts winding down, you can slyly stop serving alcohol and snacks. By doing this, you're giving a subtle signal that the party is slowly coming to an end.

When you're ready to drop some hints that it's time for your guests to leave, why not go all out and put on your favorite pajamas? It makes it clear to guests that you’re ready to call it a night.

A sneaky move to nudge your guests towards the door is to start casually turning off the lights. Dimming the room gradually changes the ambiance of a party sending a not-so-subtle message that it's time to wrap things up.

As a clever way to wrap up your party and gently encourage guests to leave, why not suggest taking a group photo together? It’s a way to end the party on a high note and a great closing activity too.