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1. Fire. There's nothing like a roaring fire to draw everyone together. If your fireplace is wood burning, make sure you have a lot of dry wood and kindling stashed close by.

Check out how Houzzers have decked their mantels for the holidays
by Old World Stoneworks
A Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Guaraldi Trio, CD - $7.74 [ Link ]
2. Music. This is my favorite Christmas CD to put on while trimming the tree, baking cookies or gathering. Other albums you should try are The Best of Jackson 5: The Christmas Collection and any of the A Very Special Christmas albums.

Actually, this is a matter of personal preference, and it seems every musical artist has a holiday album. Are you strictly Johnny Mathis or do you prefer Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Josh Groben or Michael Bublé? Do you like your Christmas songs to be sung by R&B stars or country crooners? Perhaps you like to rock out to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra? Please share your favorite holiday songs and albums in the Comments section.
by Amazon
3. Warmth. On a cold night, it's nice to have a handful of throw blankets handy. A trunk or storage ottoman lets you stash them all within easy reach.
by GM Construction, Inc.
4. Comfortable seating for everyone. A large, deep and soft sectional sofa provides relaxing spots for everyone in the family; copious pillows mean each person can be propped up or lie back in customized comfort.
by Michelle Fries, BeDe Design, LLC
Fitting in two matching ottomans means no one has to fight over who gets the corner Ls on this sofa – there is room for all to put their feet up while they digest the big holiday meal. This spot is also good for overflow sleeping; when I was a kid, we loved to make a slumber party fort out of a big sectional sofa. You can also move it out into the room when you want to spread out.
by Normandy Remodeling
If there are little ones around, a few beanbags can supplement the seating. If you have extras in kids' bedrooms or playrooms, give them a good cleaning and toss them in the family room for extra lounging spots. You may find yourselves fighting over them.
by Sean Michael Design  
A soft area rug also helps with seating. Personally, I love to grab a few throw pillows and claim a spot on the floor.
by Michael Abrams Limited  
5. Entertainment. Of course, a movie night is always a fun way to unwind with the family. What movies do all the generations in your family enjoy? This year everyone in my family (ages 3 to 71) has enjoyed The Great Outdoors, A Christmas Story and Up together. When the little ones were all tucked in bed, everyone from tweens up to seniors enjoyed Tower Heist and Love Actually.
by John Kraemer & Sons
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Special Edition DVD) - $9.41 [ Link ]
I've enlisted some Houzzer help with a poll over in the Discussions section. So far our list of favorite holiday movies includes:

• It's a Wonderful Life
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
A Christmas Story
Home Alone
The Holiday
Elf
The Santa Clause
The Polar Express
Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Love Actually
Miracle on 34th Street
The Muppets Christmas Carol
by Amazon
It's also nice to be able to tuck that TV out of sight with built-ins when you're not watching.
by Mahoney Architects and Interiors
Clue, Parker Brothers Vintage Game Collection - $28.49 [ Link ]
6. Games. Many people prefer a TV-free holiday; have your board games, cards and charades topics on hand.

Some suggestions include Chutes and Ladders, Scrabble, Clue, Candyland, Go Fish, Jingo, Jenga, Taboo, Trivial Pursuit, Checkers, Boggle and Life. Think about games that the youngest of the group can play.

What are some of your favorite board games to play with family and friends? Please let us know in the Comments section below.
by Amazon
Dream Snow by Eric Carle - $16.53 [ Link ]
7. Books. Keep a stack of kids' favorite Christmas books around so that they can cuddle up with an older relative for story time.
by Amazon
8. Good lighting. Soft lighting gives the best ambience. Use dimmers and table and floor lamps with three-way or low-wattage bulbs to get the best light for the occasion.
by Powell/Kleinschmidt, Inc.
Greenpan Nonstick Cookie Sheet - $34.95 [ Link ]
9. Aromas. Baking Christmas cookies is always a fun activity to do with little ones; they especially love decorating with sugar sprinkles and frosting. Everyone can enjoy the yummy aroma of the baking all the way from the family room, and the yummy cookies later.
by West Elm
Thymes Frasier Fir Votive Candle - $12.50 [ Link ]
An easier way to add aroma is with a candle. A Frasier fir scent is a great holiday pick.

Do you have any tried and true methods for prepping the family room for a family gathering? Please share them below.
by Candle Luxury

Comments

aleezay The Christmas album by She & Him is perfect for alternative/indie fans.
5 months ago · ·
Darzy Charlie Brown's Christmas CD is my favorite too! I've had this CD FOREVER and is great background music for dinner as well. I love to simmer cinnamon sticks on the stove all day, along with a fire in the fireplace. Oh..I'll put on a movie classic (no sound since everyone knows the story)..this year "It's a wonderful life". Small package boxed gifts as the place settings is a big hit for kids and adults. Small things selected for each...starbucks giftcard, earrings, or just a box of M&Ms, etc. For a game, we'll sometimes play a dice game because even small ones can roll the dice!
5 months ago · ·
olldbobbi A roaring fire, a flokati rug, a glass of wine (white of course, because of the rug), a good spouse and Johnny Mathis, does it get any better than that?
5 months ago · ·
lslav2012 White Christmas movie, Andy Williams Christmas Album, flickering candlelight (no fireplace), and lots of cookies and fudge...that's our Christmas :)
5 months ago · ·
lisalovesquilts Finally on Christmas eve when it's all together, scented candles, fire and near to bedtime I read The Night Before Christmas to the younger children. My favourite part of the whole night. I was once on a flight at Christmas as an adult and the pilot read it out and it was just lovely, went straight to sleep after! Merry Christmas to all.
5 months ago · ·
lyvia TV memories are made so much better by the family dogpile of dozing people on the sofa. I don't know why the home theaters have recliners. We use a daybed for three of us, but hope to upgrade to a sectional one day.
5 months ago · ·
chribarb For music I love the classics, almost anything from The Brian Setzer Orchestra's Christmas CDs, and my all-time favorite is Baby It's Cold Outside.
5 months ago ·
appytrails I love Pandora and the Christmas radio station. Each selection is a surprise and delight, from classic to just old timey childhood memories (Gene Autrey's Rudolph...ahhhh) Some silly, some just beautiful, all very much in the mood of the holiday.
Merry Christmas, Everyone!!
5 months ago · ·
comicbooklady Love Charlie Brown Christmas and BoneyM Christmas Albums! Favourite Chrismas Specials and movies: The Grinch and The Ref....as for games you should check out Settlers of Catan, Dominion, Apples to Apples, and Dixit...and for a dice game for Darzy: Zombie Dice! but my favourite activity on Christmas day is to sit by the fire and read the books I just got for Christmas!
5 months ago · ·
nasafemme The kids spend quality time around the game table with a new jigsaw which has become a Christmas tradition. The jigsaw has the added advantage of giving the sometimes shy teens an opportunity to talk (or not) apart from the adults. Even the little guys can help out by looking for certain colors, shapes, etc. For music we like Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas and George Winston's December albums.
5 months ago · ·
tcufrog You forgot a steaming mug of hot cider or hot chocolate.

I can't wait until my toddler is older and we can start lighting the fireplaces again. I miss the warmth and coziness but I don't trust him plus his toys live on the hearth.
5 months ago ·
srsrhodes For the tree-trimming and afterward music, a Christmas playlist on shuffle (including everyone already mentioned) going from the iPod dock.
5 months ago ·
Oruc Kenan Yildirim The third picture made my mind travel in a land of dreams. This is a marvelous rustic decoration I have ever seen!
5 months ago ·
Pascale Yes, it's a couple of days past Christmas and I'm still listening to my Christmas cd's! I've amassed a larger collection than I care to admit, but among my favorites are Charlie Brown Christmas, any compilation cd with rat pack members or crooners (especially Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole), Liz Story's "The Gift", and Chris Isaak Christmas. Also a big fan of the Windham Hill "Winter Solstice" series of cd's - lovely, quiet music for those evenings next to a glowing Christmas tree and warm fire, with a mug of hot cocoa! Mmmm.....
5 months ago ·
Becky Harris Pascale, it is so hard to let go, isn't it? Taking down the decorations is always such a bummer. I'm going to have to think of ways to make the transition to the January blahs easier ("how to eliminate the 'blah' part" ...)
5 months ago ·
Pascale Becky, a couple of years ago I read somewhere that the 12 days of Christmas officially start on Christmas day, so now I use that excuse to leave my decorations up! Plus I find I prefer to host little gatherings after Christmas, when folks are more relaxed, so another good excuse to enjoy everything just a little longer. Oh, and the white Christmas lights on my garden arbor stay up all year - this time of the year they are "Christmas lights", the rest of the year I use the British term and call them "faerie lights". ;-)
5 months ago · ·
Becky Harris I like that! I usually leave everything up until January 1 or 2 at least. Then it's time for me to cash in on the wave of organizing fever that usually fades to nothing by February 1!
5 months ago · ·
tcipolla Starbright by Vanessa Williams is another favorite.
5 months ago ·
Donna Kaczmarski You can't leave out The Family Stone.
4 months ago ·
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