3 Ways to Show Hospitality to Guests at the Holidays

This post is sponsored by Hamilton Beach, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the simple act of providing hospitality to friends and family all season long. We’re fortunate to have made some great friends here in Memphis, especially with our families so far away. As you can imagine, we don’t get to see family very often – but when we do, I love making sure they have all of the comforts of home while staying with us! Below, I’m sharing the top 3 ways I like to show hospitality to our guests during the holidays.

1. Brew Up Something Warm with Hamilton Beach FlexBrew

One of the biggest comforts for me personally is having a hot cup of coffee in the morning, no matter where it is I’m staying. In our house, coffee is an essential part of our day (totally not because we have young kids…) and when we have houseguests for the holidays, I want to ensure they also have access to a steaming mug of coffee to get their day started on a positive note.

Recently, we found a hidden gem for the guest room in our home: the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Coffee Maker. It’s the perfect machine to show hospitality and ensure everyone in your house can enjoy their favorite cup of coffee, as it can brew both a full pot of coffee or a single K-Cup pod. Based on conversations I’ve had with friends and family, it seems like we’re all very divided on which is the better option, so why not just give everyone their pick? With FlexBrew, you can! I love that it has all of the features you’d expect from a regular coffee maker on one side, like a 12-cup coffee pot and a programmable timer – and on the other, a K-Cup compatible brewer with its own water reservoir.

Truly the best of both worlds – and right now, you can get 10% off a FlexBrew machine on Amazon.com using code 10FLEXBREW. PS – Keep reading for a giveaway at the end of this post!

2. Prep a Snack Basket for Hungry Houseguests

I can’t be the only one who thinks being hungry in someone’s house is the worst feeling – especially if I forgot to pack a few protein bars in my bag. Depending on how close you are to your host, you may or may not be comfortable asking them for something to snack on…if it’s your parents, you probably raid their fridge – but if it’s someone else, you might not want to come across quite as bold! 😉 That’s why I like to show hospitality to houseguests by putting together a basket filled with non-perishable things like protein bars, fruit, peanut butter and crackers. Don’t forget to include a few plates, cups, coffee mugs, silverware and napkins!

3. Anticipate Your Guests’ Needs

This may seem like a given, but with all of the prepping, I’ve actually forgotten to stock the guest bathroom with towels and washcloths before guests arrived! Thinking about the things your guests could need is actually much easier if you think if it in terms of what you’d need if you were staying overnight somewhere other than home. It’s a good idea to have things like an extra toothbrush, floss, shampoo/conditioner and first aid supplies readily available in case your guests forgot to bring the basics. We also put a small TV with a Chromecast in our guest room so houseguests can stream TV shows and movies at night before bed. We also share the wifi password so they don’t have to burn all of their cell data! A fun way to do this is print the wifi info on a piece of paper and put it in a cute frame in the room.

These are some of the biggest ways to show hospitality, but don’t forget to actually ask your guests what they may need during their stay, too! In particular, guests with young children and those with dietary preferences or medical needs might need additional things to make them feel comfortable in your home – so when in doubt, always ask! I know from personal experience how much I appreciated when hosts ask me ahead of time what I may need during my stay, so it’s my goal to always do the same in my house.

GIVEAWAY!

Hamilton Beach and I have partnered up to give a Dreams+Coffee reader a FREE FlexBrew coffeemaker (just like mine!) to enjoy with friends and family this holiday season – just head over to my Instagram (@brittanywboyce) for the details and enter for a chance to win!