Hosting guests for the holidays? Here are some fun ideas for making their stay with you extra warm and festive.
1. Spice up the morning coffee. Trader Joe’s holiday coffee blend is Gingerbread Coffee, and I’m loving it every morning right now. The blend mixes 100% Arabica ground coffee with real pieces of ginger, cinnamon and cloves for a brewed cup that packs the taste of the holidays with the caffeine you need to start your day.
2. Give your guests a festive task. As a holiday host, you will likely have your hands full. I think it’s a great time of year to ask your guests to help out a little here and there, particularly if it is to do something festive and fun. Pour some eggnog and let the fun begin! Ask tall guests to help hang lights or top trees. Children will love making paper snowflakes to decorate your windows. If your festive task involves shoveling snow, though, I’d be sure to have some brandy on hand to add to that eggnog!
3. Serve dessert for breakfast. 
Nothing says “holidays” like copious amounts of sugar and butter. The trick is to make sure your extra sugar is really worth it. I pass on the milk chocolate Santas and candy canes, and save my holiday calories for delicious homemade treats. Sunset magazine’s December issue features an amazing Apple Oven Cake is as easy as it is delicious and that tastes great any time of day, but is most special when served alongside a cup of gingerbread coffee for breakfast.
4. Deck the guest room and bathroom. If your guests are spending the holidays away from their own home, it’s such a nice gesture to create a holiday atmosphere in their temporary home – your guest bedroom. This takes very little effort, but your effort will be appreciated. Consider getting a mini tabletop tree for the guest room, and set it on a dresser or small desk. Set out cinnamon-scented candles. In the bathroom, replace regular soaps with peppermint-scented soaps.
5. Share your guest’s holiday traditions. Try to find out your guest’s favorite holiday traditions in advance so that you can incorporate some of them into your holiday festivities. What holiday songs do they love to sing? What is their favorite holiday cocktail? This is a great way to start some new traditions of your own, too. When I hosted a Jewish friend over
Happy Holidays from Casa Casa!
