Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday, which means many of us will have guests for a long weekend rather than a single lunch. Ten weeks sounds like plenty of time, but anything you need to order, assemble or rearrange is far less stressful in October than in the week before. This is the countdown we would follow ourselves: one or two jobs a week, starting with the decisions that take longest and finishing with the small touches that make guests feel looked after.
10 weeks to go: the headcount and the sleeping plan
- Write the list. How many people for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day? Who is staying overnight and for how many nights?
- Work out where everyone sleeps. Spare room, sofa bed, blow-up bed, or a hotel down the road? If the answer involves the sofa, now is the time to decide whether a sofa bed would earn its keep for the rest of the year too.
- Measure before you buy. A sofa bed needs room to open out as well as room to sit. Our Hatton sofa beds are 211cm wide and 83cm deep when closed, so check the floor space in front of the sofa when it is folded flat, and keep a clear route to the door.
9 weeks to go: count the chairs
This is the job most people leave too late. Count the number of people at your biggest meal and compare it with the chairs you actually own, including the ones in the office and the bedroom.
- Can your table stretch? A 120 × 80cm table seats four along the sides and six with a chair at each end. For anything bigger, add a second table at one end and cover both with one long cloth. Our guide on how much space a dining table needs has the maths for chairs and walkways.
- Top up chairs that will be useful afterwards. Single chairs like the Jamie Lorenzo tulip chair (£36) slip into a desk, bedroom or hallway after the holidays. Mismatched chairs are fine; keep one thing in common, such as colour or leg finish, and they look intentional.
- Think beyond chairs. A 100cm upholstered bench like the Melia velvet ottoman bench seats two children at the table, then goes back to the end of a bed.
8 weeks to go: make space
- Clear the hallway so there is somewhere for coats, boots and suitcases to go.
- Empty a drawer or two in the guest room and free up some hanging space.
- Decide where the tree will go before it arrives, and what furniture moves to make room for it.
7 weeks to go: test the guest bed
Sleep on it yourself for one night. You will find out very quickly whether it needs a mattress topper, whether the room is too cold and whether the curtains keep the light out. Then fix the small things guests rarely ask for but always notice:
- A bedside light within reach of the pillow, so nobody has to cross a dark room to the switch. A compact desk lamp such as the Newton brass lamp works on a bedside table or a desk.
- A surface for glasses, a phone and a glass of water. If there's no room for a bedside table, a stool will do.
- A mirror in the room, so guests can get ready without queuing for the bathroom. See our full-length mirrors.
- Hooks or hangers on the back of the door.
6 weeks to go: warm up cold floors
Hard floors that are fine in summer feel chilly in December, especially first thing in the morning. A rug in the living room and one beside the guest bed makes an immediate difference. Our rug size guide covers what size to choose, and our washable rugs are the sensible choice for hallways that will see a lot of wet boots.
5 weeks to go: plan the lighting
By December it is dark before 4pm, so the lighting will set the mood more than anything else in the room. Swap the big overhead light for lamps at different heights, and fit warm-white bulbs. Our floor and desk lamps start from £44.95.
4 weeks to go: Black Friday, with a plan
Black Friday falls on 27 November 2026. Go in with your list from weeks 9 and 10 and your measurements, and you will buy the things you need rather than the things that happen to be discounted. Check delivery dates and returns before you order.
3 weeks to go: dress the table
- Try your table setting out in full: every plate, glass and chair. It is far better to find out now that you are two wine glasses short.
- Keep the centrepiece low so people can see each other across the table. Candles in glass holders are safer than open tapers when there are children or pets about. The Diva hurricane candleholder and our other candleholders are made for this.
- A few stems in small vases down the middle of the table look better than one large arrangement that blocks the view.
2 weeks to go: check delivery cut-offs
Every retailer has a last date for guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery. Ours will be on our delivery and returns page. Anything large, like furniture or big rugs, should be ordered well before that date so there is time to deal with any surprises.
1 week to go: the guest-ready checklist
- Clean towels folded on the bed
- A spare blanket (older houses get cold at night)
- The Wi-Fi password written on a card
- A phone charger by the bed
- A glass and a jug of water
- A nightlight on the landing
- Somewhere to put a suitcase so it isn't on the floor
- Ten minutes to sit in the guest room yourself and notice what is missing
Frequently asked questions
How can I seat more people than my dining table allows?
Put a chair at each end, add a second table at one end under a single long tablecloth, and use a bench or ottoman for children. Allow about 60cm of table edge per person.
Is a sofa bed worth it for occasional guests?
If you have guests a few times a year and no spare room, yes. It is a sofa for the other 350 nights. Measure the opened-out length as well as the sofa itself before you buy.
When should I order furniture for Christmas?
As early as you can, and ideally by the end of November. That leaves time for delivery, assembly and any exchanges before the retailer's Christmas cut-off dates.
