THE HOSTING

Start the conversation

“A good host makes sure that every guest is having a good time, ensures drinks are always full, and introduces each person to one another, starting a conversation to put them at ease if they haven’t met before,” says Antoine Melon, founder of home entertaining experiences specialists Hometainment (hometainment.com).

21 degrees You don’t want your guests to be too hot or too cold as this will make for an uncomfortable experience, advises Antoine.

“My time working in events has shown me that the absolute ideal temperature for a party is 21C.

“Keeping the room like this by setting the thermostat, and opening windows if needed, will mean guests stay feeling their best.”

Background ambience “Chilled music such as bossa nova or jazz are a great choice when it comes to background music as it will allow conversation to take centre stage,” advises Antoine.

“And don’t forget the joy of a classic Christmas movie.

“Why not put on a classic film like Love Actually or The Grinch on the television, muted, to add to the Christmas spirit.”