Simple Tips for Last Minute Holiday Hosting

This post is sponsored by SheSpeaks, Inc and Simply Orange Juice Company. All opinions, images and ideas belong to JoyfullySmitten.com

There is something about the holidays that comes with the feeling of community. We bake extra goodies for friends and neighbors, attend holiday gatherings, and open our homes to others. I love opening our home and hosting others but I don’t always love the pressure of trying to look like I have it all together when we do.

With three little ones in our home that are five, two, and one month – things are a little hectic around here. When a friend or neighbor says they are swinging by at the last minute or drops by for well-intended holiday wishes, I don’t want to be caught completely off guard. We really are lucky to have people in our lives that love us well, so I don’t want to be tangled up in the expectations I set for inviting someone in. I’ll be keeping three big things in mind:

Bless without Mess Stress

At any given moment if you walked into our home you’d hear music playing and the smell of our diffuser welcoming you in. As for the house looking completely presentable – I can make no guarantees. Our kids are usually creating something or playing at any given moment. I understand anyone who knows us is aware of this and wouldn’t expect perfection when dropping by. I mean, we do live here and our house won’t be perfect all of the time. Usually it’s me that has the pressure of wanting the house to be perfectly put together in front of guests.

I stay on top of our home being picked up but on the days it’s just chaos around here, I have a bin that I have that excess toys that need a quick place to go can be stashed. It’s a quick sweep around the house to pick up the random chaos going on the five minutes before our friend comes to the door. The bin can then be placed in a room or closet while our guests are visiting then go around and put them away later. With this trick I’m able to feel like I have things more presentable than I really do and no one has to know otherwise.

Entertain without Complicating Things

We keep beverages in our home really pretty simple. Our daily beverages usually consist of water, tea, and coffee. Yet I like to have a few more options on hand for quick entertaining that appeals to the masses. When we go to Sam’s Club, I like to pick up Simply Lemonade® to offer our guests a delicious holiday Festive Lemonade mocktail and it’s versatile enough we can offer a few other options with it, as well. Offering up a fun mocktail allows us to offer something a bit different. This option also allows us to include our kids in the drink fun and dress it up to being a cocktail if we really want for the adults.

For our Festive Lemonade we create a festive blend of both cranberry and pomegranate juices, ginger ale, and Simply Lemonade®. This is a combination of flavors that remind us of the holidays accompanied by the help of Simply Lemonade®. I love knowing it’s a quality brand with simple, natural ingredients.

Our Festive Lemonade also pairs well with my favorite snack to bring out – Members Mark Triple Berry Trail Mix. It’s filled with walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews, dark chocolate, dried cranberries, cherries, and blueberries. As much as I love sweet treats this time of year, I love a quality snack I feel good about giving my kids and offering any of our guests.

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Be Present with Your People

It’s so easy to lose sight of what it really means to welcome someone into our homes. Getting caught up in being the perfect host or worrying about what didn’t get tidied up distracts us from the heart of the matter. Being really present in the time you have with those you welcome into your home is more important than the rest. By planning ahead with simple entertaining tools and having a solution for a quick sweep around the house, I can breathe easier and pour into those that are in our homes. After all, loving people well is a cornerstone to the holiday season.

Keep it simple this holiday season with Simply Juices and Sam’s Club to make your last minute holiday entertaining even easier. For inspiration on making your holiday a bit easier this season, stop by your local Sam’s Club or check out their website for fresh ideas with Sam’s Club and Simply Beverages™.