Fun & Festive Tips to Prepare for Holiday Pop-Ins
One of the greatest joys of the holiday season is that friends and family tend to pop by unannounced. Whether you love surprise visits or dread them, a little pre-holiday prep will help keep your mood merry and bright. Here are five little tricks:
- A messy house is the main reason people don’t like pop-ins. This year, recruit the whole family to get your home holiday-ready. Focus on high-traffic areas like the entryway, living room, kitchen and bathroom. As they say, many hands make light work. Once your home is clean, keep on top of it – dust and tidy daily!
- Another major concern with the pop-in is what to serve. Have snacks on hand. How amazing would it be to have cookie dough ready to pop in the oven? Baked goods and the holidays go hand in hand. Not a baker? Pick up some gourmet cookie dough at the grocery store or your favourite bakery.
- Next on the list is what to wear. No one expects you to be dressed up for a pop-in visit, but to lessen the worry, think ahead. Buy some quick and easy dry shampoo or don a nice toque!
- Make a holiday playlist. It seems like every year crooners and influencers alike put out a new holiday album. Use this to your advantage. Make a list of your favourite artists and download their holiday hits. Better yet, download a ready-made playlist from platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. Now all you need to do is hit “play” for an immediate festive vibe!
- One last tip: Keep an empty laundry basket nearby. It takes at least two or three minutes from the moment you see a car pull up until your guests ring the doorbell. This gives you just enough time to panic-scoop up clutter. Stash the basket in a closet or the basement to deal with later.
