Musical Chairs for the Holidays

Even if you don't love to entertain, don't you find that there is something about this time of year that makes you want to invite people over to your house? For some, it is about showing off the perfect tree, and for others, a need to share that cozy family feeling that we all crave. Whatever it is, the holidays are here, and all those extra people eventually need to sit down and eat their shrimp.

I am a big believer in sourcing my home before I shop, and it always surprises me what I can find at the last minute. When hosting, I do think it is important to coordinate my seating with the amount of bottoms that will be coming to visit; there is nothing worse than friends being forced to stand and look uncomfortable, while others are wiggling their toes on your favorite sofa. This doesn't mean that you have to provide luxurious options, it just means that it is always nice to be prepared, and offer them a little something to sit upon.

Here are some extra seating ideas that may help you in your last minute entertaining pinch:

Forget about matching everything. They are coming to spend time with you, not judge your furniture.  
Grab the obvious things first; kitchen and dining chairs, ottomans and stools etc.
Check out your garage and basement for bar stools, and folding poker chairs, that you may have forgotten about.
Look outside. Do you have a nice garden bench, chair or small, sturdy table that could be cleaned up for an extra bottom to perch on?
Peek in the bedroom. What about your reading chair, or that bench at the end of your bed?
The office. No, not those gigantic, spinning Star Trek chairs, but maybe you have a more traditional chair that you could use.
Spare Room. Remember that old wooden trunk, and the love-seat that you pile your laundry on? Perhaps they could easily be carried to where you need them.
Big, European Size pillows: Grab these from the beds if you need to. Children, teens (and some adults) will be happy to sit on the floor if you give them a soft place to land.

Now, you have no excuses; thaw the shrimp, and pour the wine!

Photograph from http://katyhahndesigns.blogspot.com/2012/06/mismatched-dining-chairs.html