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Hosting Holiday Guests


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Hosting Holiday Guests
By Leigh Culpepper

This holiday season be ready for those out of town guests with a few tips from BeyondWork. In addition to clean towels and warm sheets, your long-lost friends will be impressed by these special extras:

Related Reading

	The Virginia Hostess

Hang a bathrobe in the guest bath. Place a piece of colored paper with a little welcome note in the pocket. Waffle-weave kimono spa robes available from BeyondWork. Spa Bath Kit

Place a basket of fruit in the guestroom. Late night snackers and healthy eaters will appreciate the boost. Gourmet food baskets available through BeyondWork. Gift Baskets

Leave a map and a subway or buss pass so that your guests can explore the area easily. A guide or history book that highlights attractions in your town will also enrich their stay. Barnes and Noble

A basket of soaps and travel-sized shampoos are a lovely way to decorate the bath or shower. If you travel often yourself, collecting soaps and shampoo from far off places bring a sense of travel and exploration to your visitor during his or her own journey. If you want to impress them with Asian arts and sensibilities, BeyondWork offers a variety of Japanese soaps and spa accessories. Japanese Bath Kit

If your guest is tired and weary, a soothing eye and neck pillow may be just the answer. These carefully weighted pillows are filled with flaxseed, to enhance relaxation and comfort naturally. Dried lavender flowers add a restful aroma to the neck pillow, inducing sleep. Spa Pillow Kit (Great for using yourself, between guests and hostessing!)

Candlelight is a wonderful to cast inviting light on a room or table. Your guest will appreciate the ambience created by carefully crafted candles for both travelers and visitors. BeyondWork offers candle sets in cases (great as a holiday gift) as well as a Japanese tea light set. Candle Sets

If your guest wants to share his or her adventures with folks back home, there's no better way than through an attractive postcard. Collect postcards of your home town or city and place in a prominent place in the guest room. With a swoop of the pen, your visitor can praise your hospitality far and wide!

Gift-Giving Tips:

Be ready for unexpected gifts from visitors by having pre-wrapped gifts on hand. Label gifts with a hint of what's inside (so that YOU don't forget). Before giving, replace labels with small personalized cards addressed to this recipient. If you can't decide what suits your guest best, give him or her the gift of choice. BeyondWork offers gift certificates in a wide range of denominations. Use them towards our ever-expanding selection of valuable gifts and services. From "Urban Survival Kits" to plant bulbs and grow kits-- we've got it all. Check out our holiday gifts page for a wide range of electronic, spa and relaxation products, as well as much, much more! Holiday Gifts

BeyondWork Easy Extras

LinkSource links:
- Meals.com
  http://www.meals.com/
  Over 10,000 searchable recipes are offered on meals.com, which, unlike many recipe sites, is not affiliated with a food manufacturer. The ingredient list uses fewer packaged or processed items than manufacturers' sites, and cooking times may be longer. Reader comments at the bottom of each recipe offer suggestions. The site does not provide detailed nutritional analysis of recipes.
The Virginia Hostess: An Entertainment Guide Featuring Traditional and Modern Recipes by Junior Women's Club of Manassas by Betty Claffy (Junior Women's Club of Manassas Inc., 1996, $17.05). This price, equivalent to 5% off the retail price, is available only through the BeyondWork link to Barnes & Noble books.