Do you host during the Holiday season?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

I can't quite believe I am saying this, but the Holiday season is fast approaching us! Millions of people use this period to visit family, friends, but for many they love to travel. As a host it can be a very busy time, but it is also an amazing opportunity to celebrate with people from all around the world.

Do you open up your home to host during the Holiday season? If so, we would love to hear how you make this time extra special. Perhaps you do something festive to welcome your guests or have memorable stories of celebrating with them.

We’d love to hear how you are preparing or whether you have stories or experiences from the past. Our Marketing team may ask to feature them in an upcoming campaign! 🙂

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Norma61]

Tried to find play to refute the " all white" comment.  This is not true.  We are white but have welcomed renters of all races d.and from all over the world.  Have never had a problem.  Folks have been great.

[Norma61]

Tried to find plave to refute the " all white" comment.  This is not true.  We are white but have welcomed renters of all races  .and from all over the world.  Have never had a problem.  Folks have been great. Dont know what the problem is withnother hosts.

[Erika173]

This year is my first time hosting and it  begins during the holidays. I will not decorate for Halloween as I would at home, however, I will put out some pumkins. As for fall decoration, yes that is a must for me so that guest could feel more at home. 

Christmas is a must! My sister rented a house for Christmas week one year and there were no decoration, her children were so sad. Her husband had to go into the forest and cut down a tree, but they had no decorations. By the way, the place was in Christmas town.

[Deana2]

Hi Lizzie

This is our busiest time of the year here in San Miguel de Allende, in Guanajuato Mexico. Everyone seems to head here for the holidays so we anxiously await the season.  

We start the busy season about mid-September with all the local independence day celebrations followed by the days of St. Michael, city's namesake so, September is crazy busy. Right after we roll into the most beautiful fall days and many people from Mexico City head here for the weekend as wedding season starts in full force. There are about 5 weddings every weekend (minimum) and Mexican wedding are huge so there are wedding guests looking for places to stay every weekend. November 2nd is Dia de Los Muertos and the beginning of monarch migrating in this area. 

We decorate the house in fall colors and as Halloween is really picking up steam here in Mexico we decorate with pumpkins and the most creating local art pieces made of woven wild grasses in the area. Witches, wreaths, animals like deer etc. Absolutely wonderful.

We have a huge tree in the main living room and bar area. All the ornaments are from regional and purchased in this amazing town that produces millions of hand-blown spears.  In each room, we put a punched tin tree with ornaments of glass beads. 

The chandelier in the dining room is all decorated to look like a winter wreath with ice cycles made of blown glass.  

We actually were booked for Christmas and New Years by March of this year. We will be in high season thru April.  

We live on the property full time so our guests are our visiting family.  

[Jann3]

@Lizzie: 

Yes, we are hosting. As many know I am in Santa Rosa, CA ... and the fires lately made the decision FOR me regarding decorating for Halloween (and later Christmas-even though I am Jewish). I want to get back to normal as soon as possible and decorating for holidays like halloween celebrate life!

As for Christmas, yes, we will decorate. The entire outside is always decorated every Christmas..and since we don't rent the inside of our main house (we rent the studio in back) - it won't matter to people. If it does? I won't care. It's not religious..it's social. I *will* tell every single person that requests a reservation that we have decorated and give them the option to not come, tho.

[Liga2]

I love to host when there is happy holiday and celebration vibes in the air! December & January is one of the best times to visit Riga/Latvia!

Winter wonderland in Riga is simply magical, Old Town in snow with lovely Christmas markets, Santa Claus, Delicious Mulled Wine, Christmas songs and all fun events feels like fairytale.

Last all December and January I had most wonderful guests of all times! I guess around this time of year people becomes more kind and thoughtful!

I decorated my home and there was gingerbread cooking baking and so much fun activities all winter long!

Lately I have been working too much but hopefully this Holiday Season will be as magical as always!

P.S. I love fall activities and celebrations too 🙂

I wish all great hosts Wonderful Holiday Season and many amazing guests 🙂

Happy & Sunny Regards from Riga/Latvia

Liga

[Beth44]

I do host over the holidays as folks are usually in a great mood. It is lovely to have guests visting their families. It is also nice to know that guests are exploring ways to travel in the absence of a family celebration and make their own tradition. (I remember being stuck on a motorcycle journey over the holidays with no family nor way to hook into local traditions). I post community events for all visitors so they can reach out to local events, whether it is a pancake breakfast or carolling event in the town square. I cut an extra tree from The North Rim of the Grand Canyon the day after Thanksgiving. I place it outside in the patio area of the Airbnb with ornaments, so it is not intrusive, yet allows guests to experience a holiday scene, usually with snow. 

[Kelly3]

The Holiday season in Seoul is not so much for family time, it is actually young people's party time.

In Korea, we celebrate Lunar New Year with family and relatives, but Christmas and New Year's eve is more for young lovers' holiday. 

So I get a lot of young couples, as well as a group of friends, wanting to party out in this exciting city.

This is probably different from most hosts around the world - for the Holiday season, I share my guests various clubs and cool parties for them to enjoy!

[Mrinalini0]

I have just hosted during the Diwali break (the most festive of the holidays in India)

Since my property is in the hill station of Mussoorie and a **bleep** is setting in, apart from making the house festive with lights and Riya’s, I had a bonfire and drinks and dinner, for which I invited the guests and made everything complimentary.

They were deeply touched.

[Erin-and-Greg0 · Accepted solution]

Absolutely! I love having guests in our home during the holidays while we are visiting our own family in another city. We leave our Christmas tree up and stockings hung so that the family that is renting our house can still experience the festivities. Last year a sweet family with young children stayed in our home. I loved hearing from the mother how much her family felt at home and enjoyed simple, classic Christmas decor. I think if you are going to host during the holidays, its a very nice touch to include some festive elements without cluttering up the space. 

[Seemee0]

I usually host whenever I’m in the country and I’m taking bookings up to and including 18th December. I’m also looking for a ‘co-Host’ so I can offer my guests more dates whilst I’m travelling. I’ll be posting updates on co-hosting next month. 

[Judith184]

Hi Lizzie et al, well I am delighted to say this is my first Christmas with Airbnb and I will be hosting in both my properties in Midlem, Scotland. 

I am very excited, Christmas is always a very big event here and we go all out to make sure everyone has a great time over the festive period.

in both properties I will be decking the halls! Christmas tree, ivy, holly, baubles. I will be baking Christmas treats for my guests and little Gifts are already wrapped in readiness for their arrival. 

Log fires burning, and mulled wine waiting. So looking forward to hosting for my Airbnb guests. I will post some photos as the event approaches. Very best wishes to all your great colleagues. Judith. Xx

[Tara107]

Yes, I do! My guests are usually in town to visit family and friends, so I really don't see much of them, but they like the fact that they can stay with their kids and /or pet and can feel comforable and relaxed when they are here. I'm very low keyed when it comes to holidays.

[Georgina41]

Yes I do host, but it is a self contained apartment and I am out of town for Christmas.  I decorate with Christmas decorations and this year will leave Christmas cake in the fridge.  

[Edwin57]

Yes I do dress the Airbnb place for the Holiday season hollowee and Christmas the gues that I do confirm as guest so far they love the place dress up for the Holiday I did dress the Hallway for hollowee now for Christmas I going to dress the inside of the Airbnb why the insid is more colorful plus the outsid I do also