Host like a pro
It’s that time of year – the season of festive parties, social gatherings and reunions with old friends. But while there’s nothing like the bright lights of a winter’s night out, increasingly, many of us are enjoying a big night IN – and to host it in style.
We polled 2,000 people in the UK to find out when, why and how we like to host our friends and family.
- On average, Brits spend £130 on hosting and home décor during the festive season. This was highest in the North East of England (£147).
- Over a third (35%) of people said they host at home because it’s more cost-effective.
- Four-fifths (80%) of young millennials said that social media influences how they style their home as hosts.
- Men spend more than women on hosting (£138 versus £123) and are more influenced by social media with their home styling decisions (55% versus 49%).
Females are much more likely than males to buy candles (36% versus 27%) when hosting.‘Tis the season for ho ho hosting
As the days get colder and darker, that doesn’t stop us from giving our guests the warmest of welcomes. And according to our survey, many of us are merry excited indeed.
When it comes to hosting, Christmas dinner tops the list for 42% of people, followed by Christmas drinks or parties (24%), while 22% open their doors for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The way we celebrate holidays – including Christmas – changes depending on our phase of life. And while many of us like to play host, some of us prefer to be hosted.
- Younger millennials (25-34 years-old) were the most likely to say they host Christmas drinks or parties (34%) and New Year’s Eve celebrations (34%).
- Baby boomers (aged 55+) were the most likely to say they don’t host any occasions at home (43%).
- Regionally, people in the East of England were the most likely to host a Christmas dinner (52%).
No place like home?
While many of us love to host at home, does this mean we’re going out less?- Almost half (45%) the respondents said that hosting at home costs less than going out for a festive meal or night out.
- In comparison, only 12% said that hosting at home costs more.
- More than a third (35%) of respondents said they host at home because it’s more cost-effective, rising to 39% among the over 55s.
But while financial pressures are real, many of us are happy to splurge if it means making sure our guests have a good time.
We asked hosts how much they spend on hosting and home décor during the festive season – the average amount was £130. People were most likely (33% of respondents) to spend between £50 and £99.
On average, men report spending more per event than women (£138 versus £123). Men were also more likely than women (30% versus 22%) to be in the £150 to £250 bracket.
Hosting costs vary across the UK, with the North East spending the most at an average of £147, followed by the North West (£139) and Greater London (£138), while Northern Ireland spends the least at £109.The host with the most
As hosts, we all want to create a warm and inviting space where guests can relax. More than four-fifths (81%) of respondents said it was important (either ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ important) to make their hosting experience feel special by choosing stylish tableware, décor and serving pieces.
While 34% of respondents said they buy ‘nothing in particular’ when it comes to refreshing their hosting space, that wasn’t the whole story. The most refreshed items were ‘candles and lighting’ (32%), ‘seasonal decorations’ (31%) and ‘table linens’ (26%).
Across all décor categories, our survey found that women are the primary purchasers. For example, females are significantly more likely than males to buy candles (36% versus 27%), seasonal decorations (35% versus 27%) and table linens (28% versus 23%).
Meanwhile, Baby Boomers were most likely to buy ‘nothing in particular’ (51%) whereas young millennials were active when it comes to buying tableware (29%), glassware (32%) and soft furnishings (31%).Social butterflies
Party planning has come a long way from the days of handwritten paper invites delivered by pigeon carrier. Increasingly, our busy social lives (offline) are influenced by what we’re doing online.More people’s hosting style are being influenced by social media than not. 52% of respondents said that social media influences the way they decorate for hosting, with 15% saying it had a lot of influence, whereas 40% of respondents said social media had not much or no influence at all on their style choices.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, we found huge differences in how each generation interacts with social media when it comes to planning their hosting duties. Four-fifths (80%) of young millennials said that social media influences their styling decisions. In contrast, just 16% of Baby Boomers said they were influenced by socials.
Regionally, Greater London was where people were most social media-led (69%) while men were more likely to be influenced by social than women (55% versus 49%).Why we love to host
While hosting has its challenges – from budgeting to cleaning up after our guests – ultimately our survey showed that many of us simply love to host our nearest and dearest
Our respondents were most likely to cite the ‘cosy, relaxed atmosphere’ (44%) as the reason they host at home, and that it ‘feels more personal and meaningful’ (40%).
We asked hosts what they love the most about having people over. The top responses were ‘spending quality time with loved ones’ (45%), ‘seeing people enjoy themselves’ (34%) and ‘making guests feel welcome’ (28%).
Women were slightly more likely than men to say their favourite part of hosting is ‘spending quality time with loved ones’ (48% versus 41%).
Younger hosts place more value on the creative aspects – 21% of Gen Z (16–24-year-olds) and 18% of young millennials (25-34) said their favourite part was “creating a beautiful, festive setup”.
Dress like a pro
Want to dress for success on your next big bash? For inspiration, TK Maxx has plenty of women’s partywear – and men’s partywear – to choose from. And if you’re feeling festive, we’ve got sack loads of Christmas decorations and ho-ho-homeware.