There’s no place like home for the holidays. Isn’t that what they say? Although it’s inherently nice to be home surrounded by friends and family during the Christmas season, there are a few extra preparations you can make to give your home that warm and magical holiday feeling.

Clean the halls. Before you deck the halls, you really should clean them. Filthy homes can lead to stress and discomfort. Give your family and guests the gift of a tidy, stress-free home and pull out the vacuum before doing anything else. While you’re at it, consider decluttering your home to make room for new gifts and let go of unnecessary items from the past year.

Decorate. Even if you have no intentions of becoming a Pinterest decor queen, you can still add a few simple decorations to welcome the holiday spirit into your home. Decorate a modest tree, hang up a strand of twinkling lights, put out some fuzzy blankets and wrap a few presents. If you’re short on budget, go to nature. Decorate with fresh pine branches, cranberries, oranges or pine cones. You don’t have to buy everything at Hobby Lobby to make a beautiful Christmas set up.

Enjoy the scents of the season. What does Christmas smell like to you? Maybe cinnamon, oranges or pine? Light a candle, create a stovetop potpourri, or do some holiday baking. The memories our noses can bring back from holidays past are truly amazing.

Turn on the oven. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then it’s the kitchen that can really fill the home with holiday joy. Bake goodies, make candies, warm up cider and coffee. If you’re avoiding the sweets, no worries. A warm turkey or seasonal fruits like oranges and pomegranate are just as effective at welcoming the season. Creating delicious food with loved ones can also make happy memories for everyone to cherish.

Have people over. Welcoming Christmas into your home will be that much more worth it if you have someone to share it with. Host a cookie swap, a holiday movie party or a gift exchange. A house that is filled with friends and family becomes a home.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Helton Tool & Home!