Being a Good Host- Part 2

A perfect Sunday morning? Watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and working on Christmas gifts. Awesome. Last week was the week of hell at work but hopefully things will have calmed down and I can dedicate some more time to blogging. So, as promised, here's part 2 of being a good host.

There's no science to hosting a party but there are certain things you can do to ensure your guests are having a good time.. or at least pretending too.

- Music. I like the music. I like all kinds of music as long as it isn't blasting. Unless I am in a night club, I don't need my internal organs jumping to the beat. Parties should be about people getting together and catching up and presents.. Don't blast music at a get together unless you're all joining in to do the Time Warp (Halloween 2009 party). It is awkward to communicate and you will most likely piss off your neighbours. Unless you live in a house then ignore the part about neighbours and I hate you. Also, be selective about your music choice. My parents once played Flight of the Bumblebee during a dinner party when the main course was served and everyone was done eating within a minute. Music should match your theme and should not be louder than a normal conversation.

-Prepping. I cook a lot of dishes the night before as well as cleaning the main rooms. This ensures (sometimes) that I won't turn into a Harpy the day of the party. It will take a lot of stress off of you if you are 75% done with the cooking before the guests turn up. I usually spend the first 45 minutes of the party in the kitchen (open concept so I get to socialize too) re-heating and cooking and then I'm done. The rest of the time I dedicate to drinking. I'm funnier that way. My mother is the queen of party prep. If she's hosting a dinner party she will set the table a week before and will drape a sheet over the settings. She be insane. But I like her concept.

-Cleaning up. Try not to clean up too much during the party. Sure, gather dishes and glasses and throw them in the dishwasher during the party. Or, like us, for parties of more than 10 people, throw out paper plates and plastic cutlery (Greenpeace hates us). Wipe down the kitchen counter and place pots and pans in the sink. This is fine. But do not bring out the vaccuum cleaner! Parties = reasonable mess. Don't let your OCD takeover until after the party. Nothing makes a guest feel more unwelcome then being sprayed with Febreze. That and telling them about your new found religion.

-Location/Date/Time. There is nothing wrong with planning a party in Siberia, on New Year's Day at 7:30 am but be aware that you might not have a whole lot of guests showing up. No matter how fabulous you are or how fabulous your parties are, there will be times that not everyone will show up. Unless you are Puff Daddy. Bitch. Try and think of a convenient time for your party. Sundays at 8:00 pm might not be the best time. If you live far away, try and make it more of a day event. Realise that people have other commitments or emergencies too so don't be offended if you get cancellations.

This is all I can think of for now but there will more parts coming up. Remember to wear clean panties and enjoy hosting.

Happy Sunday!