Michael Graham’s top tips for hosting christmas

To make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, here are some top tips for hosting Christmas and getting your home guest-ready:

• Lavish some love on the spare room. Guests will be bringing smart outfits for Christmas day or festive drinks parties so make space in wardrobes and drawers and provide a full-length mirror. Put fluffy towels and dressing gowns on the bed and if you’ve got wood or stone flooring, cosy slippers are a nice touch. 
• When was the last time you had your boiler serviced? There’s going to be a lot of pressure on your central heating system from heating every room and providing the hot water for endless showers and baths. The last thing you need is a boiler emergency and a house full of shivering relatives on Christmas day. Just saying.
• Give yourself an early Christmas present and hire a professional cleaning team for a deep clean of everything from carpets and curtains to fridges and ovens.
• Create space in the fridge, freezer and cupboards for all the additional food you’ll be stock piling. Be ruthless and have a good clear out.
• With guests arriving it is worth trying to clear some pegs and floorspace in your hall, utility or boot room so they will have somewhere to put any wet coats and muddy boots.
• Get all those fiddly repairs done that you’ve been putting off, like the nail on the floorboard that needs hammering down or the lock on the bathroom door that doesn’t work.
• If your washing machine or dishwasher is being a bit temperamental of late, get it fixed or replaced before it gives up the ghost completely on Christmas day. You know it’ll happen. Last order dates for pre-Christmas delivery are generally the Friday before Christmas this year.

After all that, pour yourself a festive sherry, sit back and wait for the doorbell to ring. Merry Christmas!