Odds are, you’re just about to experience a lot of family togetherness. It’s a good idea to have your main gathering space ready for the range of generations you’ll be hosting. Comfort, ambience and entertainment are important. Here are nine components that will keep your guests happy, warm, relaxed and refreshed in the family room.
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1. Fire. There’s nothing like a roaring fire to draw everyone together. If your chimney is wood burning, then be sure to have a whole lot of dry wood and kindling stashed close by.
Check out the way ers have decked their mantels for your holidays
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A Charlie Brown Christmas CD – $7.74
2. Music. This is my favorite Christmas CD to put on while trimming the tree, baking cookies or collecting. Other records you need to try are The Best of Jackson 5: The Christmas Collection and some of those A Very Special Christmas albums.
In fact, this is a matter of personal preference, and it seems every musical artist features a holiday album. Are you strictly Johnny Mathis or would you like Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Josh Groben or even Michael Bublé? Do you like your Christmas tunes to be sung by R&B celebrities or country crooners? Perhaps you prefer to stone into the Trans-Siberian Orchestra? Please share your favorite holiday tunes and albums.
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3. Warmth. On a chilly night, it is nice to have a whole few throw blankets handy. A rear or storage ottoman allows you to stash them all.
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4. Comfortable seating for everyone. A large, deep and soft palate couch provides relaxing areas for everyone in the household; copious cushions mean each individual could be propped up or lie back in personalized comfort.
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Fitting in two matching ottomans signifies no one needs to fight over who gets the corner Ls with this couch — there is space for all to place up their feet while they digest the big holiday meal. This place is also great for overflow sleeping; when I was a child, we loved to make a slumber party fort out of a large sectional couch. You can also move it out to the space when you would like to distribute.
Whether there are little ones round, a few beanbags could supplement the seats. If you have extras in kids’ bedrooms or playrooms, give them a good cleaning and toss them in your family room for additional relaxing areas. You may find yourselves fighting them.
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A soft area rug helps with seating. Personally, I love to grab a few throw pillows and maintain a place on the floor.
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5. Entertainment. Of course, a movie night is always a fun way to unwind with all the family. What movies do all the generations in your family like? This year everyone in my family (ages 3 to 71) has enjoyed The Great Outdoors, A Christmas Story and Up together. When the little ones were tucked in bed, everyone from tweens around seniors enjoyed Tower Heist and Love Actually.
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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Special Edition DVD) – $9.41
I’ve enlisted some er help with a survey over in the Discussions section. So far our list of favorite holiday movies includes:
• It’s a Beautiful Life
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
• A Christmas Story
• Home Alone
• The Holiday
• Elf
• The Santa Clause
• The Polar Express
• Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Love Actually
• Miracle on 34th Street
• The Muppets Christmas Carol
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It’s also nice to have the ability to tuck that TV out of sight with built-ins when you are not seeing.
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Clue, Parker Brothers Vintage Game Collection – $28.49
6. Games. Many people would rather have a TV-free holiday; possess your board games, cards and charades topics on hand.
Some suggestions include Chutes and Ladders, Scrabble, Clue, Candyland, Go Fish, Jingo, Jenga, Taboo, Trivial Pursuit, Checkers, Boggle and Life. Consider games the youngest of this group can play with.
What are some of your favorite board games to play with friends and family? Please let us know in the Comments section below.
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Dream Snow by Eric Carle – $16.53
7. Books. Maintain a stack of kids’ favorite Christmas books around so they can cuddle up with an older relative for story time.
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8. Good lighting. Soft lighting gives the ideal ambience. Use dimmers and table and floor lamps with multi-colored or low-wattage bulbs to receive the very best light for the event.
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Greenpan Nonstick Cookie Sheet – $34.95
9. Aromas. Baking Christmas cookies is always a fun activity to do with little ones; they especially love decorating with sugar sprinkles and frosting. Everyone can enjoy the yummy aroma of the baking all the way in the family room, as well as the yummy cookies later.
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Thymes Frasier Fir Votive Candle – $12.50
An easier way to add aroma is with a candle. A Frasier fir scent is a fantastic holiday choice.
Do you have some tried and true procedures for prepping the family room for a family gathering? Please share them below.