Seasonal & Holidays
2021 Holiday Hosting Guide: What's In, Out And Totally Faux Pas
Thumbtack, a home care app used by millions, conducted a survey of homeowners to find out the season's hottest trends.
(Originally published on Thumbtack.)
The holiday season is upon us and that means it’s time to get your home ready for gatherings. After spending the last holiday with small groups or doing a virtual celebration, this year’s festivities will be extra special..
We know that hosting during the holidays requires a lot of planning and preparation. So we conducted a “Holiday Home Hosting Survey,” to get an inside look at homeowners’ plans and trends ahead of the holiday season — from decking your halls to choosing activities for kids from 1 to 92.
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Below you’ll find everything you need to get your home holiday ready. We’ll show you how to prep for guests, which to-do’s are easy to forget and even the ideal timeline for putting up and taking down your decor.
Ho, Ho, Hosting
Across the country, homeowners are preparing to open their doors to family, friends and neighbors, but we’re all a bit out of practice when it comes to hosting. In fact, according to our Holiday Home Hosting Survey, among new homeowners, 55 percent are hosting for the first time this year. Overall, 69 percent of homeowners plan to host holiday celebrations, which can require some help.
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Below are some important projects to complete so you’re ready to host for the holidays:
- Make It Nice: Give your rooms some much-needed TLC by hiring an interior painter. The national average cost to paint a room is $917.
- Spread Holiday Cheer: Decorating for the holidays sets the tone for the fun evening ahead. On average, the cost to hire a pro to hang holiday lights is $200-$400.
- Prepare For Hungry Guests: Having your kitchen in top shape is a holiday must. No one wants their oven or stove to have issues when they’re trying to cook a holiday feast. Kitchen appliance repairs cost $191 on average.
’Twas The Night Before Decorating
The holidays seem to kick off earlier and earlier every year, so we asked ourselves: when is the appropriate time to set up and take down decor?
According to our Holiday Home Hosting Survey, here is the definitive answer: Thanksgiving is the sweet spot for putting up your holiday decorations with 43 percent of homeowners reporting that they decorate the weekend before Thanksgiving or between Thanksgiving Day and the following Sunday.
Our survey results also show that after spending last year social distancing, 41 percent of homeowners are ready for the holidays to start earlier and 45 percent of homeowners feel they need to make up for not decorating enough (or at all) last year.
Getting your home holiday-ready doesn’t just involve hanging the mistletoe — it also means chores like cleaning, organizing, cooking and more. According to our survey, nearly one-third of homeowners (29 percent) tackle their holiday to-do list one month or more before the holidays. Common projects include everything from painting kitchen cabinets (on average $500), to rug cleaning (on average $108) and home organizing (on average $117).
Don’t worry, the holiday season isn’t over on Dec. 26. Most homeowners are planning to keep their decorations up into the New Year with 59 percent of homeowners reporting that their decorations will be down between Jan. 1 — Jan. 15.
Decor Faux Pas
The holidays are known as the season of giving, and that includes to your neighbors. Here’s your cheat sheet if you want to be the favorite home on the block:
- Time it right. Almost 27 percent of homeowners would prefer their neighbors put up holiday decorations after Thanksgiving.
- Don’t wait too long. 42 percent of homeowners would prefer their neighbors take down their holiday decorations in early January (and 6 percent of homeowners believe that you can leave them up year-round)
- Kitsch is cute. Despite getting a bad rep, most homeowners are fine with their neighbors putting up large props like reindeer and sleighs (65 percent), inflatables (60 percent) and blinking or musical lights (60 percent)
- Let there be light, all night. Nearly 40 percent of homeowners don’t mind if their neighbors leave their holiday lights on past midnight. Here are a few tips for saving money on your holiday lights display:
- Plan ahead. Buy your holiday lights during the off-season or when they go on sale just after the holidays.
- Choose eco-friendly lights. LED lights use less electricity and last for more holiday seasons. They may cost more upfront, but save on energy costs over time.
- Be selective. Pick just a few areas to light in the exact way you want, rather than your entire home.
- Schedule your light show. Have a pro put your holiday lights on a timer to keep your electricity bill down.
- Making it merry and bright. This year, folks are hiring professionals to take care of their holiday decorating. They're willing to pay up to $500 for the help. On Thumbtack, the average cost for hanging holiday lights is $200-$400 depending on the size of the home and amount of lights.
Naughty Or Nice List
The holidays aren’t always fun and games, especially when you have to prepare for guests. The good news? Thumbtack can help you tackle some of your not-so-favorite tasks, so you can focus on the things that make the holidays memorable.
One-third of homeowners say their favorite holiday task is buying gifts for family and friends, and approximately 41 percent of homeowners say cleaning up after a holiday gathering or party is their least favorite task.
Don’t let the post-party blues ruin your holidays, the national average cost of house cleaning is $165 in the U.S, but varies depending on the size of your home:
- A three-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot home costs $150 to $250 to clean.
- A one-bedroom apartment ranges from $80 to $110.
There are also some items on our never ending to-do lists that can be easily forgotten. Can you guess what some of these might be?
59 percent of homeowners forget to clean their house before hosting, 26 percent forget to hang holiday lights and 26 percent don’t de-ice their walkways.
- Vacuuming. On average, professional carpet cleaning costs $150. How much you’ll pay for carpet cleaning services depends on how many rooms need cleaning.
- Hanging Holiday Lights. Most holiday light installations cost between $200 and $400. 26 percent of homeowners forget to decorate with holiday lights each year.
- De-icing Driveways and Walkways. On average, snow plowing services cost $60. Around 20 percent of homeowners forget to shovel their driveways and sidewalks each year and 26 percent don’t de-ice their driveways.
- Cleaning. 59 percent of homeowners forget (or “accidentally” forget) to clean their house before hosting guests. On average, having your house cleaned costs $40-$65 per hour.
- Grocery Shopping. 18 percent of homeowners forget to shop for holiday meals each year. Pro tip: hire a personal chef, which costs $70-$90 on average.
These tasks are a great opportunity to hire pros so that you can spend more time with your family and friends this holiday season.
Ready for some hosting help this holiday season? Find a local pro near you at www.thumbtack.com or download the Thumbtack app (available on iOS and Android).
Project data methodology: All data is based on findings from 10/27/2021. All pricing data is based on national averages, real prices may vary based on city and supply.
Survey data methodology: Thumbtack conducted a survey of the general population on 10/19/2021 of 1,116 U.S. adults aged 18 or higher with a margin of error of +/- 3%.
