The holidays are nearly over. Some of you are thinking “thank god”, others are sad to see them end. For many of us, having guests (or being a guest) was involved.
In theory, it sounds great. For the host – a house full of people who are happy to see each other, dinners full of laughter and chit-chat. Off all day sight-seeing and having memorable experiences. For the guest – seeing someone you haven’t spent time with in ages, new places to go, long, tipsy talks into the night.
In reality – maybe not exactly the way it looked in the preview. I feel very ambivalent about guests, either having or being.
Having guests: making room for extra people. Wondering if there are enough blankets to go around. Cleaning and tidying. Groceries to be bought, meals planned. Sheets to be washed. Making a list of things to do and places to go, custom tailored for these current visitors, according to their interests and where they’ve already been.
Being a guest: getting up when they do. Being reasonably pleasant all day, for several days in a row. Feeling weirdly exposed when showering. Making conversation with all members of the household, not just the person who is your friend and your reason for being there. Trying not to disrupt their schedule too much. Eating what’s put in front of you.
And as for family visits… well.
How about you? Do you love having guests, putting on wonderful meals? Do you hate being a guest, stepping outside your usual routine? Was there a time when guesting went either horribly wrong, or went wonderfully well? Surprise guests? No-shows?
Lurkers: do please join in. Fresh viewpoints always welcome.
