Page 36 2025 Home For The Holidays Lincoln Daily News sweet, and a backup plan if everything runs out early. ☐ Dietary Notes: Allergies known, restrictions respected, no surprises. ☐ Drink Station: Hot cocoa, cider, water, and — if applicable — alcohol for 21+ with mixers and cups. ☐ Picture Spot: One corner with decent lighting where everyone can take group photos without moving half the furniture. ☐ Games Ready: Card games, board games, or cozy activities that don’t require an instruction booklet thicker than 10 candy canes stacked on each other. ☐ White Elephant Gifts: Wrapped, weird, wonderful, and within budget. ☐ Seating Space: Enough chairs, pillows, or floor seating so no one ends up on a laundry basket. ☐ Temperature Check: Blankets for cold friends, fans for hot friends — balance is peace. ☐ Bathroom Stocked: Toilet paper, towels, soap, menstrual products, and maybe even a holiday candle if you’re feeling fancy. ☐ Trash & Recycling: Bins should be visible so people don’t leave cups everywhere like holiday breadcrumbs. Most of the time people do not want to litter, but they do not know your house like you do! ☐ Charging Station: A power strip or two for phones will be very well received by guests. Put this in plain sight. ☐ Emergency Fix-It Kit: Tape, scissors, a lighter for candles, batteries, ibuprofen, and most importantly towels and wipes for spilled drinks and food. ☐ Pet Plan: Whether that means letting your cat roam or giving your dog a quiet room so they don’t lick the hot cocoa marshmallows. ☐ Vibe Check: Lights low, candles lit, blankets out, and the house feeling warm the moment people walk in. ☐ Exit Strategy: A loose end-time, space for overnight guests if needed, and a gentle cleanup routine so you’re not left with a disaster zone at 2 a.m. Hosting a friends’ Christmas homecoming doesn’t need to feel like a high-stakes project. With early planning, clear communication, and a little creativity, the night can unfold naturally into something warm and memorable. And when the planning is done right, you get to experience the best part: friends returning like they never left, laughter filling your home, and the comfort of knowing it was you who built a space where everyone can breathe again — without a single Christmas candle fire in the process. Sophia Larimore
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