Book a Property Valuation
logo

Budget-friendly ideas for hosting your first Christmas

Posted on: Thursday, December 14, 2023

Hosting Christmas day is no easy task, and with a budget in mind, you will need to focus your time and spending on the key things that make Christmas day at home special. Here are some budget-friendly tips for hosting your very first Christmas.

 

Christmas is just around the corner

Budgeting for Christmas is all about preparation, and you can hone in on some great deals before Christmas if you plan accordingly and buy in bulk. Make sure you have time to draw up a seating plan and a menu to send to your guests before the big day. This will allow time for anyone to speak up about any dietary requirements so that you can plan out an additional option for them.  

 

Decide who is coming 

Make sure you don’t lose track of your guests, particularly, if you have a large family with potential other guests to consider. It is important to formally invite each person or couple and write up a guest list. This way, you’ll know exactly how many people you will be catering to and any other additional needs they may have, such as vegetarian diets or allergies. Once you’ve received a response from each guest, you will be able to budget accordingly. Remember that some people might be vague with their responses, and you may need to push for a definitive answer to avoid confusion.  

 

Let your guests know they’re welcome to bring a dish 

Most people will be happy to show off their baking and cooking skills while also giving you a helping hand on your first Christmas as a host. Therefore, let them know early that their plates and pots of treats are welcome to the dinner. Even if a full Christmas meal is within your budget, snacks and beverages can become a stretch, and allowing others to bring something to the table will take some of the weight off your shoulders. 

 

Space saving 

Each chair and square foot of space counts on Christmas day, so it’s a good idea to space out your decorations and furniture to make room for all your guests. Enable traffic flow through the front door by clearing some free spaces in your hallway. Make use of any storage space, such as cupboards and hangers for coats, bags, and umbrellas, as these will pile up quickly when your guests arrive, and a jumbled mess of personal items can create chaos when the night is over.  

If your dining table is situated to the side or in a corner, it makes sense to move it to a more central position in the room, as this will allow more space for you to serve up your dishes and for your guests to move around freely.  

 

After Christmas dinner 

There is no need to spend any money on planning this part of the day if you wish to focus your budget on the meal. Lay out as many blankets and cushions as possible, get the fire going and switch on your Christmas playlist for a perfect comfy gathering. Depending on how you plan on spending your evening, you could arrange your furniture into a ‘U’ shape, move the coffee table to one side and allow central floor space for games of charades, or clear up the dining table and replace it with a spread of your family’s favourite board games. 

 

Enjoy yourself 

On Christmas day, take some time away from hosting to relax and have some fun. Your guests wouldn't want to see you stressing or rushing around all day as they have gathered simply to spend time with you in your wonderful home. Make sure your seat is at the head of the table so you can have a chance to speak to everyone and enjoy the beautiful meal you spent a lot of time preparing.  

 

Hosting Christmas can feel like there’s a lot of pressure on you to make everything perfect when in reality, your friends and family will just be happy to spend the day with you in your home and will want to help wherever possible. So, take it easy, and don’t let the pressure get in the way of a cosy Christmas with the ones you love!

 

Contact us  

Looking for a cosy new home this season? Contact your local Guild Member  today.

What Our
Clients Say

"

I would highly recommend Hardings. Their knowledge of the local area is outstanding, and they give honest and reliable advice. They have always been my partner of choice when buying and selling.

Rhiannon Prothero

"

Have used Hardings for many year on both personal and commercial property deals. Have always found them to be transparent, honest, authentic, and a pleasure to work with. Will continue to use in the future.

TB

"

I would highly recommend Hardings Estate Agents. They have excellent knowledge of Windsor and the surrounding areas, and are extremely professional, responsive and courteous. I would not hesitate to using them again the future. I recently dealt with Milica who was instrumental in securing us our new home in Windsor as well as the sale of our existing property. She was a fab negotiator and a real pleasure to work with from beginning to end. Thank you!

Jonathon Beresford

"

Hardings of Windsor managed our purchase with complete professionalism and went over and above in my opinion to manage the transaction and chain, resulting in a really smooth purchase. Milica at Hardings constantly provided timely updates and managed respective solicitors and the chain effectively, always responding quickly to queries. The whole transaction would not have happened without Milicas' focus on making all parties comfortable and satisfying all queries, not only professional but a delightful and welcoming personal approach that was a constant throughout. Thanks Hardings! Thanks Milica!

Stuart Blatch

"

I would recommend using Hardings estate agents when buying or selling your property. Dominic (Scully) was always available, helpful and genuinely interested in my purchase and always calm and compassionate. If I ever move again my first choice will be Hardings.

Cath Powell

"

Dom and the team at Hardings were so helpful and efficient when I purchased my flat - friendly and professional service and kept us up-to-date the whole way through the process. It was my first time buying and so was very nervous but they helped me feel at ease.

Freppell

"

We bought and sold through Hardings and can't recommend their professional service enough. The whole Team are really lovely, we were kept informed throughout the process and never had to chase anything.

Natalie Quint

"

I used Hardings when I bought my property as well as when I sold it and the service has been fantastic both times. I very much recommend Hardings!

Therese Jouini

"

We recently purchased our new home with Hardings Estate Agents. The whole team there were very helpful and flexible with us, arranging viewings quickly on the same day. They were always quick to respond and if ever our point of contact was not there, the service did not change as they work well together as a team. We received a personalised service, which allowed the sale to proceed quickly. Thank you all and we recommend Hardings Estate Agents without hesitation.

Mike B

"

What a pleasure it was to deal with Milica from Hardings. She sourced the perfect property for me and my family (while we were still abroad) and worked endlessly to put the deal together. I would give more than 5 stars if at all possible!

C D

"

Fantastic customer service and made what could have been stressful a total breeze. Dominic and Louisa were brilliant in helping me and my parents buy and sell our houses - reliable, helpful and thoughtful. Thank you!

Eloise Harris

"

Thank you, Dominic and Louisa - having not moved for over 30 years you helped me all the way, step by step. You were always polite, communicative, reassuring and very supportive. Would recommend Hardings wholeheartedly.

Anna Bowen
How Much is Your Property Worth?

How Much is Your Property Worth?

A senior member of our sales team will visit your property to discuss current market trends and how your home; based on size, condition and location should be pitched to achieve the best possible price and buyer. Coupled with an excellent understanding of the local market we do a detailed analysis of what else has sold and what is coming onto the market so we can give you the best chance to capitalise on your biggest asset.

Book a Valuation