How to Entertain with Ease – Part IV
We have come to the end of my series “How to Entertain with Ease – Part IV”. Some of you might be thinking – Thank Goodness! Hopefully, you have enjoyed tagging along with me.
The Big Day is Here
If it’s an hour from the original invite or four weeks from when the printed invitation was sent; entertaining can be easy with some forethought and planning
Having the food and beverages prepped or readily available is the ticket to success. If the house is tidy (remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect) you will be ready to go. I like to put the finishing touches on the food early. Then I can do a quick touch-up of the kitchen. Arranging my store-bought flowers or blooms from my garden early in the day is also something I like to do. To make things really easy I use Alexa for music. “Alexa play some smooth jazz”.
I really like to have time to get ready and then relax before guests arrive. “Handy” and I will chat about who is coming. If the party is larger and some people are acquaintances, we might need to remind each other of a spouse, friend, or kid’s names. Unfortunately, our memory is getting worse as we get older.
It’s Show Time
The doorbell rings and the fun begins. I almost always have my finger food already out. We greet, offer a beverage, and steer to food. Both of us are good at small talk and moving around a group. Being the host means you don’t always need to get into deep discussions. You can pop around. My favorite thing to do at parties is to introduce people to each other. It’s interesting how much some people have in common. It happens more often than you think. At more intimate gatherings, the conversation is pretty fluid. If it’s not a last-minute get-together, I typically have themed games or activities that keep everyone engaged. I like to have fun when I’m entertaining.
At our Oscar Parties, we have ballots. When we hosted lobster fest we had scorecards for the best-tasting lobster. Once we had a boat naming party. We seem to find a way to celebrate just about anything. 🙂
I clear away and put things in the dishwasher as the day/evening progresses. Try to have your dishwasher emptied before guests arrive. At the end of the evening, accept help with clean-up.
Cleaning up the kitchen is something I do before I go to bed because I like to come down to a clean space in the morning. I enjoy reflecting on the fun we had entertaining the previous day while I’m enjoying my morning cup of coffee.
The key to having fun while entertaining is to do what you need to do to make the day less stressful. As I wrap up “How to Entertain with Ease – Part IV”; my #1 tip would be to get things done ahead of time and you’ll be able to enjoy your company.
Peace,
