Planning For Easter Guests In Your Home

Let’s face it, any holiday is more fun if you can spend it with those you love. But if you are juggling a job, parenthood, or perhaps caring for an elderly parent or other loved one, leaving home to visit friends and family members living in another area may be next to impossible. The solution is, rather than not being with the people that you love during Easter, simply invite them to come and stay at your home.

While this fun begins with a simple invitation and a positive response, you may suddenly find yourself in a panic if you fail to properly prepare for the guests. One of the first things you want to consider is where your guests will sleep. If you have a guest bedroom then you are already a step ahead of the game.

Let’s begin there. Of course you will want to freshen the linens if they have not been changed recently – but I can hear you now. You’re saying that the bed hasn’t been used in months and the linens are clean. And of course, you are right – however, you have to admit that a freshly washed set of linens has a wonderful fragrance and will likely make the guest feel even more comfortable. The good news is though that you can now buy spray-on fabric fresheners. These products are quick and easy to use and they give fabrics of all types a wonderful scent.

So spend a little time in your guest room and consider what comforts of home you can provide to make the stay more enjoyable for your guests. Fresh flowers add a nice welcoming touch. You may also want to supply a few personal hygiene products and supplies. Examples of such items include a comb, brush, mirror, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.

You may also want to hang a fresh bathrobe in a handy location. Another nice touch is a few magazines or catalogs that are kept in an easy to access location. You will want your guests to feel free to take a few breaks from activities and the room you have supplied will likely become their ‘quiet place’.

Supplying your guests with their own bathroom is ideal, but if that is not a possibility you can always provide a supply of towels and washcloths that they can easily find. Even if your bathroom supplies are conveniently located you have to keep in mind that your guests are guests and they should be treated that way.
Now we need to discuss the fact that Easter is a holiday with lots of traditions – many of which revolve around The Easter Bunny and children. And either you or your guests may have children so we will briefly talk about ways to make the occasion fun for kids and less hectic for adults.

Writing letters to The Easter Bunny is a common practice among children everywhere. You might want to plan ahead for this activity. Children appreciate nice paper and beautiful pens or markers when decorating their Easter Bunny letters. You might even consider purchasing a package of Easter stickers that can be used to adorn the letters.

If you want to make the holiday even more special you can plan ahead and order personalized Easter Bunny letters. These letters add a magical touch – both children and adults love them.

Another activity loved by children is the Easter egg coloring process. Be prepared for lots of fun and a little mess. And in case you have forgotten, children love to have an Easter egg search on Easter Sunday with those beautiful eggs. Just a word of caution – I suggest you use the inexpensive plastic Easter eggs for this purpose – especially if the Easter hunt will be carried out indoors. I once had an experience with one of those beautiful eggs never being found until the rottening odor led us to it!

The other primary concern will be the food you will serve your guests. Ideally you will not spend your time cooking and cleaning while your guests are left to entertain themselves. Instead, consider using a crock pot or preparing some wonderful one-dish type meals. Also keep in mind that your guests are likely to want in between meal snack and even a late night snack. Have a few things available and show your guests where to find them. Having a beautiful bowl of fruit handy is a nice touch. One other thought about food is insuring that you have food that will meet any special dietary needs or requirements.

Even if you miss a step or two in planning and preparing for your guests, Easter will be more fun just because you have them with you. It may be somewhat exhausting because the time is short and you want to pack so much into it. Just enjoy the controlled chaos and appreciate having the time to spend with your loved ones.