One minute, it’s 1 December, and then you blink and all of a sudden it’s Christmas Eve. December is always a whirlwind of a month, especially if you’re hosting the big day and are expecting a deluge of guests coming through the door tomorrow.

If you’re feeling a little less prepared (and a little more overwhelmed) than you planned to be by this time, there’s still plenty of time to get your home feeling ready for the festivities with a few simple hosting hacks from the experts.

Rebecca Baddeley, head of home design at JD Williams, says it’s best to start with a quick declutter. “While it’s probably not at the forefront of your mind, decluttering can help to create a peaceful and productive environment,” she says. “A tidy home can also help you to feel more at ease, which is crucial ahead of a busy Christmas. You don’t have to spend much time on it – set a timer for 30 minutes and challenge yourself to declutter as much as you can.”

For more tips on decluttering jobs to do before Christmas Day, decluttering expert Vicky Silverthorn shared her tips on how to prioritise the right spaces to save time.

Debbie Marks, a luxury event designer and author of Extraordinary Parties, offers these quick, easy and inexpensive tips for setting the table and making it look fabulously festive.

• A pashmina or scarf works wonders as a substitute table runner (just check the care label in case of cranberry sauce spills).
• Top it with pinecones and foliage, such as holly or fir, collected from the garden or local park. Or ask your local Christmas tree farm or seller for some off-cuts (or cut them from the back of your own tree).
• Scatter unused tree decorations and baubles in the spaces between foliage.
• Don’t underestimate the power of candles. Nestle tea lights, tapered candles and pillar candles among your display. Fairy lights are equally effective for festive ambience and can be used as well as or instead of candles.
• For place settings, simply use off-cuts of ribbon to tie a bow around each napkin or use twine for a natural look.

Having a buffet table? Marks suggests getting creative with your serving options. “Have a look around your house and think what you could use as platters and serving dishes, then wrap shoe boxes in fun or sparkly wrapping paper and use them as risers to place platters and serving dishes on to make them easier for people to grab from.”

If you worry about being on constant drinks duty all day and evening, create a bar area where people can help themselves. “For an extra flourish, make ice cubes filled with fruit, such as cranberries, lemon, lime or mint, and cut up fruit slices for people to add to their glass,” suggests Marks.

When setting a festive atmosphere, it’s all about tapping into the different senses. “Ensure your home smells like Christmas the moment your guests walk through the door with a bowl of cinnamon sticks and dried oranges or buy a Christmas-scented air freshener or candles,” says Marks. “And of course, make sure the Christmas tunes are playing in the background to get everyone instantly in the festive mood.”

Images: Getty