Etiquette 101: How-To Host a Perfect Holiday Party
Ah, the smell of cinnamon sticks simmering in apple cider, the sound of laughter bouncing off walls, the sight of mistletoe dangling from the ceiling. It must be the holiday party season! With the holidays in sight, all would-be party planners are in high gear.
However,
as the season progresses, those gears tend to get bogged down a bit with
anxiety over nagging questions of decorum. Because hosts want their
guests to enjoy the party, they are uncertain about a myriad of
issues. Thus, have many questions. Let us go over a
few.
How soon do you send out invites for a holiday party?
The
holiday season tends to become a blur with the numerous demanding engagements,
gift shopping, and heightened emotions. Therefore, it is best to
send holiday party invitations at least three weeks in
advance. Evites are convenient and appropriate for this type of
invitation. Nevertheless, if you would like to take it to the next
level, creating a unique invitation is simple and special.
How do you ask request gifts for a game exchange?
There
is a simple rule about hosting any type of event: A host provides the entire party. However,
holiday events can veer from this rule... slightly. While hosts may
wish to include a gift exchange game to entertain his or her guests, it should
be an optional activity. Holidays can be an expensive time for most
and are typically stressful. Complicating our guests' lives with yet
another gift they must choose, and purchase isn't fair or
polite. Additionally, the requested gifts should not be too
expensive.
How to request contributions to a "potluck" I am
hosting?
There
are specific potluck rules when planning this type of party if your event is to
shine and not insult guests. Potlucks are only appropriate when
guests are familiar with each other, they share hosting, and the event is not
formal. Therefore, a family or neighborhood event would be
fine. Additionally, it is common and appropriate for members of a
group to trade off hosting duties—a different home for each event.
Therefore,
if hosting an appropriate potluck, your guests will expect to bring
something. Requesting certain items on an invitation for this type
of party is appropriate. Of course, for the average party or dinner,
this would not be polite.
Where do I begin as host? How do I plan the party?
Good
hosts provide the type of party his/her guests expect. More to the
point, a host provides a meal if hosting an event during a typical
mealtime. Additionally, most guests expect alcoholic beverages for
holiday events held in the evening. So, plan around these
expectations. Include some sort of entertainment, whether it is just
soft music in the background, seating interesting people with those who don't
talk much, or incorporating a wine-tasting lesson into the mix. Use
what you know about your guests to guide you.
Note:
Provide 3/4 to 1 bottle of wine per wine-loving guest and include plenty of
non-alcoholic beverage options. Encourage ride-sharing and designated drivers
for those who imbibe.
How do I subtly get the guests to leave?
As much as we would like to yell out "The party's over; get out!" it is not an option. The good news is that subtle hints typically work with most guests. Offering dessert and coffee/tea signals the end of the evening. Additionally, asking guests what their plans are for the next day is an obvious but polite hint. Besides subtle hints, for those who do not pick up social clues, a host might have to break an etiquette rule by beginning to clean up.
How do you prepare for your holiday parties? Please comment below to
contribute your ideas!
Enjoy
your holidays!
Please
Read
Holiday
Dinner Party Etiquette: Minding Your Manners During the Holidays
How-To Avoid
the Holiday-Etiquette Fail
Etiquette 101:
How-to Host an Adult Birthday Party That Will Please Your Guests
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