Open Your House for Christmas

The Yuletide Season is here, and it seems that every home and public building—from department stores to boutiques to restaurants and hotels—is adorned and decorated for the holidays. And people are also visiting special attractions custom designed for Yuletide fun.

Apartment complexes and home communities often ‘dress up’ their buildings and structures for the Christmas and Hanukkah season. Museums and historical sites host special attractions that both entertain people and enlighten them regarding the legends and traditions that revolve around this most special time of the year. And some regions of the country and world also offer fanciful and beautiful Christmas houses and specialty inns open to the public; from Skip’s Christmas House and Florist in (appropriately enough) Holiday, Florida, to the Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Tom and Jerry’s Christmas House in San Francisco.

The bright spirit and ebullient adornments associated with the holiday season often bring out the best in people—even those who are attending to the serious business of buying a home. So if you happen to be a home seller who is hosting open house events during the season of giving, you may want to convert your residence into a Christmas house:

1. Decorate. Throw a few extra ornaments and an extra line of vibrant garland around your ceremonial tree, ensuring that your Christmas tree serves to (yuk, yuk, yuk) spruce up the overall lovely look and festive feel of the home up for sale. Also bring out the spice, cinnamon and peppermint candles, the brilliant Yuletide art, the bold ribbons in scarlet and gold, the brilliant seasonal figurines and collectibles, engraved signs bearing messages of Yuletide cheer, the celebratory tableware, etc., that turn a house into a Christmas home. And, of course, don’t forget to post a wreath on the front door!

2. Entertain. Transform every open house event into a veritable Christmas celebration. Play some seasonal music on the stereo system, or turn on a radio or TV channel that broadcasts these merry tunes on a continual basis. Bake some frosted cookies or cupcakes in the likeness of wreaths, decorated trees and colorful ornament balls. Hand out some striped peppermint candy canes and serve up the egg nog and the hot cocoa.

3. Don’t overdo it. Although you may want to royally ‘deck the walls’ for the occasion of your holiday themed open house, you don’t want excessive holiday decorations to cover and obscure the natural beauty of your home. You still want to give people a full and honest impression of the beautiful, top quality home that you have to offer them.

Ho, ho, ho!