The Art of Hosting at Christmas
— A Celebration of Culture, Home & Heart
LIVING
The Art of Hosting at Christmas — A Celebration of Culture, Home & Heart
Words by Lydia S
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
Christmas is almost here.
We are a few days away… and I can already feel that beautiful energy returning: candles glowing in the evening, kitchens warming up, messages buzzing about dinner plans, gifts, who brings what… and homes slowly preparing to open their doors.
This time of the year carries something special. Hosting during Christmas isn’t just “inviting people to your house.” It is opening your world. It is saying: come in, sit, breathe, connect, feel safe here.
And the truth is: the art of hosting at Christmas goes far beyond decoration. It is about emotion, presence, culture, and identity.
I see it all the time in my work with Studio Lydia S: when a home tells a story, Christmas hosting becomes unforgettable.
Hosting Christmas Around the World — And Inside Ourselves
What I love the most about Christmas today is how global and multicultural it has become. The celebration may be the same date, but its flavour changes depending on where you are:
In Belgium, Christmas feels cosy and slow. Cinnamon smells. Thick blankets. Warm lamps. Snow outside the window (if we’re lucky). Small gatherings full of laughter, nostalgic music, waffles, hot chocolate, cheese, wine, family.
In Paris, Christmas is poetic and elegant. Beautiful plates, oysters, pastries, golden light, champagne, candlelight dinners under Haussmann ceilings… a refined way of hosting, almost theatrical in its beauty.
In Dubai, Christmas becomes luminous and festive. Big tables, generous menus, statement décor, outdoor evenings under perfect weather, cultures blending together: Lebanese food, Emirati touches, European dishes — all in one home.
And in Algeria, Christmas isn’t traditional for everyone, but gathering is. Hosting during December carries warmth and abundance: long tables filled with dishes, olives, lamb, makroud, tea… and that instinctive Algerian generosity: eat more, stay longer, don’t rush.
What I believe is powerful is the bridge between all these ways of hosting.
Your identity travels with you.
Whether you are a Belgian living in Dubai, an Algerian living in Paris, a French person celebrating in Belgium — your culture becomes your personal ingredient.
And your Christmas table can reflect that beautifully.
It can be French linen mixed with Algerian ceramics.
Belgian candles with Middle Eastern spices.
Parisian pastries beside makrout.
Dates on a Scandinavian table.
This is what makes hosting modern today:
we are no longer copying one country —
we are honouring who we are.
Christmas Hosting Is Not About Perfection
People are scared of hosting at Christmas because they imagine they need to create a movie scene: a perfect table, perfect food, perfect décor…
But honestly? That pressure kills the magic.
Hosting, truly hosting, is not perfection.
It is intimacy.
Nobody remembers if the napkin was folded in three.
They remember how you made them feel:
the softness of the lighting,
the smell of spices in the kitchen,
the music you play,
the story behind your plates,
the smile you had when you opened the door.
This is why I design homes through emotion and usability.
A beautiful home is not a showroom:
it is a backdrop for connection.
Atmosphere First, Decoration Second
If you want a secret for Christmas hosting:
work on atmosphere.
Lighting before everything.
Warm temperatures.
Dimmed bulbs.
Candles breathing slowly around the room.
Then music, a playlist that reflects your soul, your roots, your memories.
Scent: pine, amber, oud, cedar, orange peels, cinnamon…
Choose something that feels like home.
And only then, the table.
The Christmas Table: Culture On Display
Your Christmas table is your story.
You can mix your cultural elements with your environment.
In Belgium:
linen tablecloths, wooden textures, simple ceramics, sage tones.
In Paris:
gold cutlery, flowers, crystal glasses, elegant plating.
In Dubai:
majestic arrangements, warm lights, statement centrepieces, open-air dining.
In Algeria:
warm patterns, olives, mint tea, handmade ceramic plates, terracotta touches.
This is the new luxury:
a table that tells where you come from and where you are now.
This is exactly what I build with my clients:
spaces that help them host effortlessly,
spaces designed around their lifestyle,
spaces ready for gatherings, not just photos.
Continuing the Christmas Conversation
Last week, I shared another article about How to Host Christmas at Home: Interior Design Tips for a Warm & Elegant Space, focusing on elegant design and practical interior tips.
If you haven’t read it yet, I really encourage you to, both articles complement each other beautifully. One explains the technical side, and this one brings the emotional side.
Together, they offer a full vision of what Christmas hosting can become.
Why Hosting Matters So Much Today
I think part of the reason Christmas feels so emotional is because we don’t get many moments like this anymore. We spend so much time online, running, working, moving, scrolling…
Hosting at Christmas forces us to pause.
To look at each other.
To share food.
To listen.
To breathe.
To remember what matters.
We are all searching for belonging.
Hosting gives that.
And if you are reading this from Belgium, Paris, Dubai or Algeria, maybe this Christmas is the moment you embrace your identity, your home, your style, unapologetically.
Use your culture as texture.
Use your memories as decoration.
Use your table to tell your story.
Hosting is an art, and Christmas is the canvas.
If you want help creating a home designed to host, whether for Christmas, Ramadan, Eid, summer dinners or simply Sunday brunch, Studio Lydia S is here.
Your space can feel warm, elegant, meaningful, multicultural, and deeply connected to who you are.
Let’s create it together. <3
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