We have all encountered one or all of these situations at one time. We have provided not only the hosting faux pas but the tips to ensure that when it’s your turn to entertain, you will be able to navigate the hosting of your party with ease and avoid these all too common entertaining blunders.
1. A Flurry of Confusion
The hosts are still preparing food an hour after the party started. No one knows where to place their gifts or leave their coats. Guests are scrambling through kitchen drawers looking for a wine opener.
Tip: As hosts of a party, being prepared and on time is can be challenging. Your guests deserve to enter a well planned environment. Make a list of everything you need to do to prepare and utilize t time management skills. We have written an article that can help Holiday Entertaining Checklist.
2. The Snooze Fest
A formal holiday dinner party where you were seated for the next two hours alongside a guest you have absolutely nothing in common with.
Tip: When planning out the seating arrangement at a dinner party, make sure you seat people with like interests together. As the host it is your job to keep the conversations moving, Always be scanning the table for lulls in the conversation and find a commonality for people.
3. Menu Snafu
You leave a party hungry.
Tip There are many people with dietary restrictions. Make sure you are aware of allergies or known food sensitivities prior to planning your menu. Make sure there is enough food for the amount of guests. It is always better to have more than less.
4. Sporting of the Lampshade
You arrive to find earlier guests or worse, the hosts already well on their way to feeling no pain
Tip: Start a party off with less alcohol by offering a spritzer in lieu of a glass of wine. A light beer instead of a 10 % stout, or a punch with light alcohol rather than a shot.
5. The Glass House
You were told it was okay to bring your small children to the party only to find precious antiques placed all over the house at their eye level.
Tip: As the hosts, you do not have to redecorate your entire home but do place precious items above the reach of very small children. Make sure they do not have access to anything that can be harmful to themselves such as cleaning supplies, sharp objects or medicines.
6. The House is a Mess
You’re not sure what has happened, however it is apparent that the house keeper has not visited in sometime.
Tip: Cleaning over several days before your party is an easy way to ensure that you will have time for tidying up your home the day of your event. If you have clean laundry that is not going to be folded, tuck it away in a closet. No one wants to look at a pile of your undergarments while nibbling on an appetizer.
7. The “I Am Too Stuffy” Party
Pretentious people stand around in their own cliques while you try to fit in with small talk about the caviar.
Tip: In business situations, this can not always be avoided. But when hosting, it’s your job to match up the guest list appropriately.
8. The Uncomfortable Family Drama
You are forced to listen to Uncle Joe and his half-sister publicly air their respective families past grievances.
Tip: When putting together a guest list, sometimes you may not have a choice but to invite certain relatives. However, try to mitigate the drama by structuring a less formal seating arrangement.
9. Who left the dog out?
Fido is running amuck and jumping on everyone who had food in their hands.
Tip: Pets are great, but not always at your holiday party. Some well-meaning people do not understand that they should not feed your four legged friends. Accidentally dropped party food or spilled alcohol can be poisonous to pets.
10. Hosting if someone in your home is ill.
Tip: After all the world has been through since 2020 we should all know better. If someone becomes ill, it is better to contact all your invited guests to let them know you must cancel or postpone your festivities. It is never in good form to share an illness with guests.