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Martha Beck Rescues You from Holiday Houseguest Hell

By Martha Beck


Undecorate Before You Decorate


Before you do any party preparation whatsoever, consider each object in your home, asking yourself: "If someone broke, dirtied, lost, or stole that, would I be devastated?" Decide, clearly and explicitly, if the joy of sharing something is worth more to you than keeping it in perfect condition. If the answer is no, take that object off the shelf. It's going into quarantine. If you do decide to share a prized object, adjust your mind-set accordingly: Remember, people are more important than things. Usually.

This process has two felicitous aspects. It kicks off your holiday decorating by leaving space for festive ornamentation. (Your trimmings needn't be pricey. Evergreen sprigs, sparkly lights, and brown-bag luminaries make for enchanting décor, Bergdorf's be damned.) Undecorating also helps you accept that guests might damage something, but connecting intimately with loved ones is worth the risk.

If you still can't relax, you can escape.