Hosting for the Holidays

Hosting for the holidays can be exciting and overwhelming. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or it’s your first time welcoming friends and family to your home, ensure your holiday gathering is a success with these helpful tips.

Go to the grocery store early. Don’t wait until the last minute to shop alongside other procrastinators—plan ahead and pick from the freshest ingredients. Come prepared with a grocery list so you don’t forget the essentials. Consider taking advantage of curbside pickup for added convenience, which saves time and helps avoid crowded aisles.

Delegate sides and desserts. Ask for help! Guests are happy to contribute. Pick your favorite dishes to prepare and let guests bring their go-to holiday sides or desserts for a variety of flavors.

Keep the littles entertained. Don’t forget about your smallest guests. Prepare a basket of age-appropriate toys or activities to keep children entertained while adults catch up. Print free coloring sheets found online and provide each child with a set of crayons. A little planning goes a long way to keep everyone happy and occupied.

Send friends and family home with leftovers. Encourage guests to bring plastic food storage containers, or have some on hand to send leftovers home. This way everyone gets to enjoy the holiday meal a second time, and you won’t be stuck with too much food.

Create a separate Wi-Fi network for guests. With so many guests in one space, it’s important to keep your home network secure while making internet access available—a guest Wi-Fi network is the perfect solution!

This separate network allows guests to connect without exposing personal devices or slowing down your main network. Plus, it’s easy to set up through the MidSouth Fiber app!

Follow the steps below to learn how to set up a guest network through the MidSouth Fiber app:

1. On the main dashboard, select My Network and then the “plus” icon at the top right of the screen.

2. Tap Add Network to create a guest network.

3. Select Guest for the type of network.

4. Create a name for your guest network and enter it in the SSID Name field. This is the name your guests will see when logging in.

5. In the Security Type field, select a security option.

6. Create a password for your guests.

7. Enable Isolation.

8. Under Duration, select how long you would like the guest network to be available. Choose Endless or select Custom to set a specific time frame.

9. Tap the Done link and select Save. The setup is complete!

Interested in MidSouth Fiber internet? Check your availability and sign up today at join.midsouthfiber.com.