Page 160 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2022

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COMPANY’S COMING!
There’s such excitement around the impending arrival of guests. Southern novelists have written pages of drama about it. Cookbooks tell us how to entertain in ways to impress them. And mothers everywhere school their young children about how to behave around them. Inviting people to come and stay awhile is just in the Southern DNA. We look forward to reconnecting with folks we don’t see day in and day out. At one time or another, we have all heard our parents or grandparents say to guests, “We want you to feel right at home here.” It’s like telling them they are part of the family.
Hosting folks overnight in our home can be stressful. And to have friends and family stay during the holidays can take it up
a notch. But nothing is more special than having all your loved ones under one roof during Christmas. It can be pretty easy with a little bit of preparation. We have some tips on creating the perfect guest room, one that will make your guests comfortable and give you extra joy this Christmas season.
Here are the basics. Use good linens on the guest bed. Good sheets are very affordable. We’ve talked about sheets before, be sure you feel them before you buy them! Layer the bed with a lighter weight blanket over your sheets and a spread or coverlet on top. A down or down alternative comforter is nice in cooler weather or folded at the bottom of the bed anytime. Most of us stack the bed with pillows, so be sure some with different fill are ready to be used as head pillows so guests can choose the firmness they prefer.
Being able to control the lighting in a room is a real luxury. Black out window coverings are fabulous additions to guest rooms for visitors who may not be used to our sunny southern Mississippi days. Add side lamps or sconces that are dimmable and controllable from the bed. A small flashlight beside the bed is also nice for company navigating your dark home at night. An empty dish or basket in the room for their small belongings will be appreciated. Clothes dressers are not a must-have, just be sure there is space in the closet with nice hangars. A suitcase stand is an old-fashioned piece worth having. They keep clothes packed but accessible and fold and store easily in a closet between visitors. Add a fresh touch to the room before your guests arrive with flowers or small holiday decorations, candles, or new magazines and books.
Encourage your visitors to feel like they can spend down time away from the hubbub when they need to. Display a small sign with your home’s Wi-Fi password so they can check their email and texts in private. A soft throw across the bed is welcome when guests just need to relax alone or nap without crawling all the way into the sheets. Traditional napping etiquette suggests the proper way to take a nap is to lay on top of a bed’s comforter or spread and use a throw for a little warmth. Laying in between the comforter and the blanket is also an option, keeping the sheets fresh for nighttime sleep! Before your guests turn in for the evening, placing a water carafe and glass beside the bed is the ultimate gesture of graciousness.
160 | December 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
story by Holly Harrison and Shannon Stage