How to Perfect Your Home's Feng Shui for Holiday Hosting − 5 Simple Ways to Create a Warming Space That Welcomes Guests

December is undoubtedly the busiest time of year. Between cocktail parties, nights spent around the dinner table or in front of a roaring fire with friends and family, and overnight guests, your home is almost never empty from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. Managing the energy of your space when hosting, therefore, quickly becomes more important than ever.

'A restful home starts with intention,' explains Certified Classical Feng Shui Expert Maggie Li. 'Everything in it holds meaning, positive or negative. When we remove the items that trigger negative emotions, we make room for good energy to flow.' She's right − soon the table will be set, glasses polished, and presents placed under the tree. Your space should reflect the sparkle of the season, not dull it.

So, ahead, everything you need to know about perfecting your home's Feng Shui this festive season, to make hosting as seamless (and enjoyable) as possible.

1. Approach Your Home With Greater Intention

As Maggie explains, the holidays are pure 'yang' energy, filled with noise, light, and movement. 'Rest is yin, and a home needs both,' she says.

To achieve this, layer in the senses with soft lighting, candles, fresh flowers, and ambient music. 'Designate at least one quiet corner with a chair, a warm lamp, and no screens, where you or an overstimulated guest can reset,' she adds.

'Fresh-cut flowers, evergreen garlands and a real tree bring nature indoors. In Classical Feng Shui, living things carry sheng qi, the vibrant, growing energy of life. It draws beauty and vitality into the whole home. Choose plants with soft, rounded leaves over spiky ones, and replace flowers the moment they start to wilt.

'Dried flowers, on the other hand, create stagnant energy that blocks positivity from flowing into your home. They’re beautiful and very on trend, but they’re no longer alive, and the space feels it. Whenever possible, I recommend live plants over dried or plastic ones.'

Take the time to learn about the best foliage for Christmas decor, and the best Feng Shui Christmas tree placement for your home, particularly taking into account where guests will likely gather. Adding a tree skirt, like this Wavy Fabric Tree Collar, available at Anthropologie, is an easy way to add festive flair to your space.

2. Boost Your Productivity By Decluttering

Preparing to host requires plenty of productivity. Fortunately, 'The most important aspect of Feng Shui is that it boosts positive energy and neutralizes anything difficult or unsupportive in a building,' advises Suzanne Roynon, Feng Shui Consultant and Interiors Therapist. 'If you can’t function effectively in your home, the positive ‘chi’ or life-force energy won’t circulate either, and that’s when you’ll feel stuck, grouchy, and things become harder and more irritating than they need to be.'

Therefore, Suzanne suggests taking the time to declutter for good Feng Shui − to to make space for the love and happiness you want your guests to feel. Begin by decluttering closets, then organize your kitchen drawers before organizing your pantry for Christmas. 'Cherish the good stuff and ditch the bad without second-guessing yourself,' she says. 'It's incredibly liberating.

'Every bauble, trinket, and ornament should bring a sense of joy when it’s hung. If holiday decorations are past their best or carry unhappy memories (this often happens after a divorce), there is no obligation to keep them,' so don't forget about decluttering your Christmas decorations, too. For any you're unsure on, put them in a Christmas Ornament Storage Box, available at Amazon.

'You can make a decision next time around, although I bet, when you realize the pain they cause, they won’t make it past next January,' warns Suzanne. 'An important concept in Feng Shui terms is that once you’ve decided to let something go, don’t procrastinate about passing it on, and certainly don’t allow it to create stagnant energy in the basement, garage, or by the front door.'

'In Feng Shui, every part of your home energy map impacts one important part of your life or another. There is no ‘safe space’ to store clutter. Instead, remove it straight away. Your home will thank you for it. You could even take a leaf out of the book of minimalists, who avoid these storage essentials and work to clear as much as possible from their homes to avoid needing storage solutions.

'The great thing about doing this now is that there is still time for charities to re-sell your unwanted stuff ahead of Christmas, boosting their coffers and ensuring you make a difference with minimal effort and maximum effect.'

This, in turn, makes your space more welcoming for guests, too, offering them more space to relax and unwind in your clutter-free home.

3. Use Feng Shui Christmas Colors to Steer the Energy of Your Space

Do you know the luckiest colors to decorate with? 'Use basic Feng Shui color energies in different areas of your home to help you and your guests channel their wishes and desires,' says Suzanne. To do this ahead of Christmas hosting, all you need is a smartphone compass, or a regular compass, available at Amazon, to accurately identify the direction of your home. This will allow you to make use of the important energy mapping centers (called guas) of your living space.

Use blues and blacks in the north area of your home, advises Suzanne, 'to support career and life paths. Perhaps you have teenagers or young adults coming to stay, and they are making some important life decisions. Your home's energy can intersect with their lives during their festive stay.'

Use earth colors in the Southwest of your home for good energy for relationships. 'In the northeast, earthy colors will bring good energy for family, community, and the past,' adds Suzanne. 'Placing soft earthy-colored throws will keep guests cozy and reverberate good energy for interactions.' For example, try this Taupe Selena Faux Fur Throw Blanket, available at Anthropologie.

Use greens in the east, 'for building feelings of family, community, and for dealing with the past,' she continues. 'Greens in the southeast will bring wealth and abundance.'

Use metallics like gold, silver, and white in the northwest. 'This will inspire and channel opportunities for travel and encourage helpfulness from friends. Using metallics in the West will channel energy for new beginnings and children.'

Finally, use reds, hot pinks, and fiery colours in the south to bolster Fame and Reputation.

Remember, you’re only decorating for a couple of weeks. So, if you’ve already planned your tree colors, or usually deck your tree in your crimson traditional Christmas decor ideas, and it happens to be in an area that thrives on metal colors, 'please just relax and relish it precisely as it is,' assures Suzanne.

4. Follow the Pathway of Your Guests

As Maggie explains, in classic Feng Shui, qi is life-force energy. 'It moves through your home the way your guests do, so follow their path,' she suggests.

Begin with the entryway, because first impressions really do matter. 'The front door is the mouth of the home, where qi and guests arrive,' advises Maggie. 'Clear away shoes, packages, and anything blocking the door from opening fully, because a door that can't swing wide restricts what can come in.

'Make sure the entry is well lit, inside and out, so guests feel welcomed before they knock.' Make sure you give people a 'place to land,' too, whether it's hooks or space in a closet for their winter coats, a tray or pot, available at Anthropologie, for their keys, and a bench for their shoes. 'Guests who don't have to juggle their belongings relax faster. The first ten seconds set the tone for the whole evening.'

Then, move on to the kitchen − 'the heart of nourishment,' as Maggie calls it. 'The kitchen feeds everyone, physically and energetically. Clear the counters of anything you won’t use that day so the cook can move freely. A chaotic kitchen sends stressed energy straight to the table. Keep the stove clean and every burner working; in classical Feng Shui, the stove represents the household’s nourishment and prosperity.

'If guests tend to gather in the kitchen, and they always do, give them a defined spot to stand or sit that’s out of the cook’s path.'

The cozy living room is usually where connection happens when guests come over. Therefore, says Maggie, be sure to arrange seating so people can face each other with a view of the room, rather than the wall or the TV.

'When people feel protected, they relax and open up,' she explains. 'Make sure no one ends up with their back to the door, which keeps the body subtly on guard. Leave clear pathways so people can move through without squeezing past knees. Warm, layered lighting from lamps at different heights feels far more inviting than a single overhead.' A small chain of lights, like this Sparkler STRÅLALED lighting chain, available at IKEA, can go a long way in lending warmth, too.

Next, your dining room should exude abundance and equality. 'The dining table is where a gathering becomes a memory,' says Maggie. Where possible (though don't buy a whole new one if you don't already own one), opt for a round or oval table to flatten hierarchy and avoid anyone being the head of the table. 'Make sure every chair has room to pull back comfortably, since crowding creates tension,' she adds. 'A full bowl of seasonal fruit or a generous centerpiece signals plenty,' and is affordable to put together, yet mightily effective. 'Keep centerpieces low enough that guests can see each other’s faces, because conversation needs eye contact. Soft light over the table, dimmed as the evening goes on, invites people to linger.'

Don't forget about your guest bathroom, either. It's the detail everyone notices, even if you tend to overlook it yourself. 'Keep the space fresh and clean, and the door closed when it's not in use,' says Maggie. Keep it stocked as if you were a five-star hotel, with plenty of fresh hand towels, extra toilet paper, hand soap and lotion (this Diptyque hand soap is a personal favorite), a candle or a subtle diffuser, and a small basket of essentials, like mints and hair ties. 'Check again an hour before guests arrive and once mid-evening,' adds Maggie. 'A tidy, well-stocked bathroom tells guests they were thought of in every corner of your home.'

Finally, create a restful environment in your guest bedroom ideas for anyone staying the night. 'Give them the power position if the guest room allows; put the headboard against a solid wall, with the door in view but not directly in line with the bed,' Maggie shares. 'Guests who sleep well make better company.'

5. Give Yourself Permission for Peace

Finally, this one goes without saying − 'If everything has changed this year, there is no requirement to stick to past customs,' assures Suzanne. 'Give yourself Christmas your way. Take a holiday; invite someone new; eat in the evening rather than the middle of the day. It’s your holiday, so spend it the way you choose. It's actually one of the things as a Feng Shui expert I wish everybody knew.'

'I can honestly say my most memorable and happy Christmases are the ones where tradition was turned on its head, and we went with the flow. Just thinking about those wonderful years is guaranteed to make my eyes shine with happiness.'

Just because you're hosting doesn't mean you need to give up your holidays to spending all day in the kitchen. 'Take shortcuts,' says Suzanne. 'Prepare all you can in advance, don't cook veggies no one will eat, and clear up as you go alone, which will help you clean when you are busy.'

The holidays are all about relaxation and indulgence, so make sure you think of yourself just as much as you consider your guests. It's a promised way to make you a better host, too.

What to Shop

Below, I've handpicked six favorites I always rely on when preparing my home for guests, all of which also make beautiful gift ideas this holiday season.

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet the Experts

Maggie Lin

Maggie is a certified Classical Feng Shui Expert, Speaker, and Founder of The REN Method. She is trained in an ancestral master lineage tracing back more than 20 generations to China's Tang Dynasty.

Suzanne Roynon

Suzanne is an Interiors Therapist, Feng Shui Consultant, and author of Welcome Home, How Stuff Makes or Breaks Your Relationship. She specializes in understanding the energetic impact that homes and certain possessions may have on all aspects of life, health, and relationships, and the ways in which ‘stuff’ can actively prevent people and families from thriving and enjoying the lifestyle they deserve. As well as writing for Homes & Gardens, Suzanne is a BBC expert, podcast guest and contributor to a range of national and international print and online publications including Sunday Times Style, Metro, The Independent, Real Homes, House Beautiful, Ideal Home, Natural Health, Stylist, Huff Post, One Roof and Yahoo amongst many others.

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