Holiday Entertaining Tips: Have a Place For Coats

You’ve got a bunch of people coming over for a holiday brunch, dinner, cocktail, etc.  They all arrive wearing coats.  Where do you put them?  Now for some of you that live in warm climates, this might not be as big of a deal.  But I can say, even living in Texas — we often times have need for at least a light jacket at this time of year.  So, have a plan before your guests arrive.  Coat closet, bed, unused chair… have a designated area for your guests to place their coat.

Some things to keep in mind:

• If possible, you should be taking their coats when they arrive and retrieve it for them when they leave.
• Make sure, though, to show your guest where you are putting their coat.  That way if they need something from it, they know where to find it.
• Try to pay attention to who had which coat, so that there is not embarrassing confusion later.  If you’re party is going to be quite large consider having a coat check type system — even if you are the one playing both host, and coat check person.
• Treat your guest’s garment with care.  If you do not have space in your home to hang up coats, make sure to lay it gently on either a bed or a back of a chair.  You don’t want to return the coat to your guest looking like a mess.  You also don’t know if they have items in their pockets that could fall out if handled carelessly.
•  If you live in a snowy climate, be mindful that the coats may have snow on them which will become water before the night is out.  Don’t place them anywhere you would want getting wet.