Welcome, friends from Karen Ehman’s community!
Did Karen send you over here with a reminder that your chipped and dented Crock-Pot can be a holy blessing? You are in good company!
I’m Amy Lively, author of How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird, and around here, we don’t do white-glove (or white-knuckle!) entertaining. I am a self-proclaimed “paper plate hostess” who knows that hospitality doesn’t have to be complicated for it to be meaningful. Opening the door to a neighbor doesn’t require a spotless kitchen, gourmet culinary skills, or fine China—sometimes it just takes warm soup in an imperfect slow cooker along with an honest desire to say hello.
To help you turn holiday stress into genuine connection, Karen and I have teamed up for a special Holiday Hospitality Giveaway!
Enter to win the complete Holiday Hospitality Bundle!
- A brand-new 6-Quart Programmable Crock-Pot (ready for soups, ciders, and stews!)
- Karen Ehman’s delicious, practical cookbook, Come and Get It!: Recipes to Warm the Heart & Satisfy the Soul
- A copy of my book, How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird
Giveaway open to US residents 18+. Entries close Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST.
The winner of this gorgeous bundle will be notified on November 18, 2026 and just may have their shiny new Crock-Pot in time for Thanksgiving! Plus, everyone who enters receives instant access to my Holiday Hospitality Kit featuring a step-by-step Open House Planning Guide, ready-to-print neighbor invitations, and a 25-day Christmas Countdown Craft.
Open House Planning Guide
Invitations
Choose from 4 designs that gently invite your neighbors to get to know one another over coffee at your kitchen table. You customize each invitation with your name and contact information as well as the date of your event.
Countdown Craft
This adorable Christmas craft is made by upcycling an old photo frame. Your neighbors will leave your home with a memory, a new friendship, and 25 Bible messages about the real meaning of Christmas. INSTRUCTIONS
How do you do Christmas?
When it comes to holiday hospitality, we see two beautiful examples right inside the Christmas story:
- The Shepherds: Their gathering was simple and impromptu. They rushed from the cold fields to the manger without fuss. You can bet that stable was not spotless, yet they were warmly welcomed to experience Emmanuel—God with us.
- The Magi (Wise Men): Their visit involved serious preparation. A journey from the East to Bethlehem took careful planning, lots of provisions, extended travel time, and intentional, thoughtful gifts.
Whether your hosting style looks more like a spontaneous shepherd or a planned-out sage, hospitality isn’t about entertaining—it’s about connection.
After knocking on thousands of neighbors’ doors, hosting dozens of neighborhood celebrations, and leading countless front-porch gatherings and living-room Bible studies, I’ve learned three simple truths:
- It has to be easy for it to be fun. If you are stressed, no one relaxes. Use my Planning Guide for step-by-step simplicity.
- Your neighbors are just as nervous—and excited—as you are. Invitations are warmly received and appreciated.
- People love an activity. The Countdown Craft gives guests something simple to work on so conversation flows naturally.
That’s why I created these free tools: to take the load off your mind so you can simply open your front door and love the people on your street.
Looking for more Christmas inspiration?
Click here to explore my Christmas page for more gift ideas, printables, and simple holiday inspiration to bless your street this season!
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