The holidays are great, but they are also stressful … especially if you’re hosting. A survey found that 26% of respondents find hosting guests for the holidays to be “extremely” or “very” stressful (26%). For most, the stress comes down to time, with 45% of those surveyed saying they don’t think they’ll have enough time to get everything done – from shopping and preparing food to cleaning the house. In fact, cleaning is such a stressor that 65% of holiday hosts said they are cleaning their home until the second before their guests arrive.
But a lot of pressure these hosts feel comes from their own need for things to be perfect. According to hosts, first impressions are important – especially when it comes to their cooking (70%), food presentation (43%), and how shiny their glassware/dishes are (17%). 75% of hosts also want to “wow” guests with their table setting (76%).