5 Tips for Great Hospitality

1)   Make sure your heart is prepared.

·         Spend time praying for your guests.

·         Remember: Hospitality is about meeting the needs of your guests, not your own.

·         Don’t make hospitality a duty. Remember: It is about opening your heart. Do it out of love.

·         Schedule in some time before your guests arrive to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

2)   Make sure your home is prepared.

•     Declutter
• Always have a few toys, coloring books, and children’s movies on hand for young guests.
•  Light candles! Just check first to make sure that nobody has any sensitivities to scents. I usually stick to using scents like vanilla, cinnamon, or something fruity.
• Keep a guest book for visitors to sign.
• Play some soft relaxing music.

3)   Have fun!

•             Relax! Be yourself!
•       Take the time to sit and talk with your guests. Don’t be rushing back and forth between them and the kitchen.
•       Listen to your guests.

4)   Plan ahead!

•        Decide what you will be serving before the day of the get together.
•        Go shopping and purchase the food and decorations that you need 1 or 2 days before the event.
•        Check with your guests to see if they have any special needs such as food allergies, a special diet,  or any sensitivities to flowers and scents. As someone who has food allergies, I know that it can be very frustrating when you go to someone’s and aren’t able to eat what they are serving or have an asthma attack because the candles upset your allergies.
•       Serve tried-and-true recipes!

5)   Be inventive!

•        Being hospitable doesn’t necessarily mean inviting people over for dinner, try to be creative in the ways you share God’s love with other people.
•        If you are like me and don’t feel comfortable inviting people to where you live, invite them to join you for lunch or dinner at a favorite restaurant.
•       Plan a picnic and have your friends meet you at the park on a nice day.
•       Sit down and write a card to send to a friend when they come to mind, or send them a text to let them know you are praying for them.
•       Host  a block party! Invite your neighbors, pull the grill and tables out onto the front lawn.
•       Have a progressive dinner! During a progressive dinner, guests move from one house to another for different courses. For example, drinks and appetizers at your house, soup at someone else’s house, salad, entrée, dessert, etc.