Tips: how to happily host weekend and overnight guests

SETTLING IN. Some people will wish to unpack immediately. Show them directly to their rooms. Most, however, would rather just unwind after their journey. So be ready with libations — coffee,

cider, rosé or bourbon on the rocks, depending on time of day and habitual appetites. When your guests are unpacked, let them know about any recreation you have in mind, what’s in the area

that you often enjoy and regularly frequent, and what’s up for this weekend only. Offer, don’t insist or overschedule like a British boarding school agenda. And ask if there are places they

had starred in their possible itinerary.  BE HONEST AND FLEXIBLE. Visitors may not be interested in where you want to go, and vice versa. Don’t force togetherness. However, tell them the

times your family sits down for lunch and dinner. If they’re there, swell. If not, there will be leftovers in the fridge later. But do make a solid plan to meet up with plenty of time before

bed. COMFORT FIRST. If you see that a guest is having trouble maneuvering in a home that isn’t familiar to them, speak to them discreetly and ask how and where they would be most

comfortable. Escort them to the bathrooms and see which one they find most easy to navigate, and what you may need to move to make it more convenient for them. In this case, their comfort,

not your decor, comes first.   4. HELPING YOUR GUESTS BECOME WELCOME ONES If you’d like help in the kitchen, don’t be afraid to ask. Suggest that someone join you so you can chat and catch

up. If you don’t want help, pour your friends a glass and tell them to sit where you can see them, because you want to make them something special. ESTABLISH EASY HOUSE RULES. If your guests

include children, they may not be yours, but they are under your roof. If they are behaving inappropriately, look to the parents first. If they don’t step in, come right out and state the

issue, gently but firmly (“No jumping on the couch, please”). Keep the tone light: It doesn’t take much to make a child feel intimidated by a stranger. If you don't wear shoes in your

home, have no qualms about asking others to follow suit. This is your kingdom, and you can quickly set boundaries. If you know that certain hot-button issues, like religion or politics or

family, will set off your guests, decide in advance to table these topics unless you welcome the heated conversation. If a guest is coming with a pet you don't know, it's not rude

to ask them to bring a crate they can keep the animal in when all of you are gone. It eliminates the possibility of damaged furniture and sobbing apologies. DO NOT EAT EVERY MEAL AT HOME.

Make a reservation for at least one nearby place. A good guest will probably request to take you out for a meal anyway. If they didn’t but agree to go, and then they only offer to split the

bill, you know whom to invite back.    As long as guests are in your home, give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Be of good cheer. At least until they leave.