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For the host, Christmas day can be a tricky business. Not only is there the turkey and trimmings to worry about, but there’s also that issue of seating all your guests after dinner.

If you have a large space then this shouldn’t be too hard. Make sure that your guests aren’t too spread out though – they need to be close enough to be able to enjoy conversation together without feeling too uncomfortably close.

When arranging such a social area, the main thing to take into consideration is comfort. After a large dinner, all anyone will want to do is put their feet up and chill out.

Consider what you will be doing whilst relaxing: if the plan is to watch a film together after the Queen’s speech, then the television will need to be the focal point of the room. Arrange sofas and armchairs so that everyone will easily be able to view what’s on, and they’ll really appreciate not having to squash up on the sofa or sit on the floor.

If you’d like to create a special atmosphere, then arrange your seating around an open fire if you have one. This can create a wonderful focal point in the room, and allow you to enjoy some games or some music together around the fireplace. Make sure that everyone is facing the fire and no-one will be awkwardly positioned right in front of it.

The key to arranging the furniture properly is to move with the shape of the room. Long sofas should sit against the wall opposite the focal point of the room. Depending on how many you are entertaining, smaller sofas should be placed either side of the main sofa to create semi-circle effect with the focal point. This way, your guests will be in full view of each other, and the log fire or television. If you have separate chairs of seating, these can be placed between sofas to include them in the social circle.

Discreet side tables can slot perfectly into the area, but your guests may want to hang on to their drinks, so don’t worry too much about this!

Of course, for ultimate comfort, there is nothing better than being able to literally put your feet up – especially after Christmas dinner. Include a large pouf or footstool to allow our guests to do just this – and it can look great too, especially if it matches the rest of the decor in the room.

Use some festive throws to make sure that your seating all matches – even if they are in different materials underneath. This will create some continuity in your seating area, and it will look great.

As you and your guests will be in this room for your festivities, don’t forget to accentuate the Christmas spirit in this room. You may want the Christmas tree in this room, as it will finish off the social and festive feel. If you are worried about space, tuck the tree into a corner of the room, it will still stand out as long as it’s decorated with creativity.