So you decided to host Christmas this year, and everybody’s coming. That’s awesome! It’s so nice to get together with friends and Family. But where are you going to put all of your Guests?

"Okay, so all of the kids can stay together in the playroom, that’s no problem, we’ve got plenty of air mattresses and sleeping bags to go around," you're thinking. "And when Aunt Margaret and Uncle George show up they can have our bed, we can sleep in the twin beds in the kids' room. Not really ideal but we'll make do for family."

But oh no! Uncle George just mentioned Cousin Tim is coming too.

Tim has got to be about 6' 2," there’s no way he’s going to fit on that loveseat in the den. He’s a kind of a night owl so you can't put him on the big couch in the living room. He’s not going to want to wake up first thing in the morning with the kids when they open their presents.

What to do?

When you’re having holiday guests there are several things to consider about how to house everybody. First, you need to consider space. Where will people physically be staying? With family, close quarters aren’t too much of a problem but there is a difference between close quarters and on top of each other.

Consider your furniture. Nearly every piece of furniture that's not hardwood is potentially sleep-worthy.

Then think about how people use the rooms. Do you want somebody sleeping in the room where the kids are going to be playing first thing when they get up Christmas morning? Is there another place that you could move that couch so they could sleep there instead? Are people going to be in the way where you want them to sleep?

Sometimes rearranging the house temporarily causes a little bit of inconvenience but helps things go better when you’re dealing with a lot of people in tight quarters.

The big thing you need to consider though is the bathroom.

Realistically, how many people are going to be sharing that bathroom? Is it the only one in the house? If you’re only talking about one night, sharing one bathroom among several people might be inconvenient but it’s doable. If however, they are saying more than one night you might want to consider alternate accommodations.

One alternative to overloading your house is to look around your area and see if you have the option to rent a room or an entire house. Airbnb, for instance, offers many options of varying accommodation types at various price ranges. Often cheaper than a local hotel, guest house, or bed-and-breakfast, Airbnb is an excellent alternative if you’ve got too many people and too little space.

If you have the space you need but just not enough soft furnishings, then the CouchBed is for you. With both Twin and Queen sizes available the CouchBed offers comfortable seating during the day, turning into a bed at night.

They are constructed from certified environmentally friendly materials, so no allergy worries. With really quick shipping via FedEx, you can get it in just a couple of days in most areas.

Now that you’ve made physical space for the new visitors, next you may need some mental space. You might love them, but a lot of times families are challenging. Mindfulness Meditation Coach Lindsey Pearson offers a couple of quick tips.

First, before they get to your place, you might try making a Gratitude List. This means that you write down something, anything that makes you grateful the person is coming. Is it how they make your mother smile? How they’re always willing to help out in the kitchen? Or just that they make the best snowman on the block?

Knowing in advance why you’re happy to have them might make it a little easier when you find them raiding your fridge in the middle the night, eating what you made ahead for tomorrow’s dinner.

Another idea is what Lindsey calls Metta or Loving Kindness.

This is a meditative practice where you offer kind thoughts and words to yourself about the loved one or challenge in your life. A common phrase might be “May you be happy, May you be healthy, May you have peace.“ Repeat this three or four times per person, and it can help you from exploding in rage when you do catch them in the act. Like when they use those hand-embroidered tea towels Grandma made to clean up a mess on the floor. Or use the good crystalware for a game of Beer Pong.

Lastly, don’t forget, there is more than just the now to consider. You want to take into consideration their overall contribution to your life. They might be really irritating you right now, but wasn’t Cousin Tim the one who was there for you when that guy down the street was trying to beat you up? Or wasn’t it Uncle George the one who helped you ride a bike the first time? Don’t forget, everybody suffers challenges, everybody has insecurities, try to see the big picture.

They will go home

Eat, Drink and Be Merry! Remember, enjoy them while you have them, and they will leave eventually!
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