When it comes to Christmas and the Holiday Season I’ve noticed that there are three types of hosts – the Avoider, the Excessive and the Trusted Christmas Host. Which one are you?
The Avoider is someone who just avoids Christmas. For them Christmas is nothing special, it is just another day in the week. Oftentimes they will escape and go on vacation just to get away from the Christmas hype and so avoid being a Christmas host. They can’t relate to all the Christmas festivities and it appears to them that Christmas is just one big waste of money. Who needs all those presents anyway – many of them are just useless.
The Excessive does just that. They go overboard at Christmas. This is someone whose house is covered in a myriad of Christmas lights that keep the entire street awake at night. Money is no object and there are a plethora of presents under the tree. The fridge is stocked with food and drink and there is a no limits attitude in this household. They have a need to impress at this time of year.
The Trusted Christmas Host gets the balance just right. They think about their guests and select just the right present for them. Their house is decorated with Christmas touches but nothing too elaborate. There is plentiful food and drink but not to excess. There is a real sense of joy and fun in the house and much laughter as harmony pervades.
Over the years I’ve realized that I have adopted many of these roles. Certainly when I was in the corporate world I was definitely an Avoider. Perhaps because I don’t have young children Christmas has never been a special time of the year for me. So instead I used my well-earned Christmas time off to take a well-deserved vacation. For five years in a row I escape to Thailand and the lovely Spa resort that I have just returned from. There was nothing more satisfying than going back to work in the New Year having released 4 kilos through fasting and detoxing, and feeling energized and motivated, when all my colleagues were wallowing in self-pity at having over indulged!
I’ve never really been an Excessive host at Christmas, however in recent years my New Years parties have been anything but meager. My five course dinner parties were legendary in the Sussex area with us often celebrating the New Year still sat at the dinner table unable to move for all the excessive food that we ate. I loved hosting these dinner parties and being the centre of attention, but maybe the vast array of food and drink did not serve my guests, many of whom had to get up early the next morning.
To be fair I think I have only been a Trusted Christmas Host once when I had a household of family and friends over to celebrate the big event. It was a lovely affair, with us going out early in the morning to celebrate Christmas with my horses. They love a half pint of Guinness and some bananas on Christmas day! Then, as there was snow on the ground, we took the horses for a short walk in the woods and watched the squirrels, rabbits and birds all having fun. Then it was back to the house for a splendid late Christmas lunch followed by some traditional Christmas TV in front of a roaring fire. That for me was a Christmas to remember.
This year I’m not playing Christmas host in any capacity, as I am house/horse sitting at the yard where I keep the horses as the owner is away. Tomorrow morning I’ll get up early and go and watch the sun rise with my horses. We’ll chill out for a while before they get their special Christmas breakfast. Then I’m planning on preparing breakfast for the other liveries and maybe we’ll have some mulled wine! Later in the day I’m off to my friends house (where there will be four small people – can’t remember the last time I celebrated Christmas with children around). We’ll walk to the pub for some Christmas cheer before returning for Christmas lunch with all the trimmings. Then after some well deserved relaxation it will be back to the yard to make sure the horses are all well before retiring to bed.
Whatever type of host and Christmas you have this year I hope that it is filled with joy and harmony and not stress and overwhelm. Remember you choose how you feel at Christmas so make it a good feeling.
Julia Felton (aka The Business Wrangler) is the founder of Business HorsePower. Business leaders, entrepreneurs and executives hire her to accelerate their business performance by harnessing the energy of their people to work more collaboratively together. By aligning purpose with actions the team achieves exponential results as everyone starts pulling in the same direction.
Julia believes that business is a force for good and through designing purpose-driven businesses that leverage the laws of nature, and the herd, you can create businesses founded on the principles of connection, collaboration and community that make a significant impact in the world.
