party etiquette

Why You Should Say Thanks
party planning

4 Reasons to Remember to Thank Your Party Hostess

With the long weekend looming delightfully ahead of us, I wanted to remind you of the importance of the thank-you note!
by

With the long weekend looming delightfully ahead of us, I wanted to remind you of the importance of the thank-you note! If you're spending the next few days at a friend's house or attending a barbecue or party hosted by a loved one, after the fact, take a quick minute to send them a thank-you. It doesn't have to be a handwritten note (although those are always greatly appreciated), a short, but sweet email or text is perfectly acceptable. Here are four reasons why you should make time to say thanks:

  1. If the hostess is a good one, she probably put a lot of thought and planning into your visit or meal. Did she welcome you with your favorite bottle of bubbly? Was she sure to include plenty of vegetarian options on the menu? She took the time to think about what makes you happy, so let her know you're grateful for her effort.
  2. Do you want to get invited back? Be sure to send a thank-you! The hostess who entertains a lot will make note of the guests who send a thank-you vs. those who do not send a thank-you. Don't say thanks and she may choose not to invite you to her next party.
  3. The thank-you card is a dying art that should be brought back! I'm sure your parents made you write them when you were little, so why did you grow out of the habit? It's the polite and proper thing to do.
  4. It will brighten your hostess's day. Did you look forward to her barbecue and have an awesome time? Then make the days after the fiesta a little happier for her and let her know it was a wonderful soiree.

Do you send a thank-you after attending a party? What's your reasoning for it?

Name Tags at a Party: Love It or Hate It?
Love It or Hate It

Name Tags at a Party: Love It or Hate It?

I have mixed feelings about name tags at parties.
by partysugar

I have mixed feelings about name tags at parties. In some cases, at large events like the Fancy Foods Show, they can be incredibly helpful and stimulate conversation. In more intimate settings, it's easy to casually introduce yourself, so name tags aren't always necessary. Still other times, it depends on the crowd. If it's a shy crew, name tags can be essential to breaking the ice. Then, there's always one person with a crazily spelled name that no one can correctly pronounce. For their sake, I sometimes wish name tags didn't exist. How do you feel about them?

What Would You Do?
parties

What Would You Do?

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior.
by partysugar

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior. I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do. Here's today's scenario:

You've spent a lot of time planning a fantastic birthday party at your favorite bar. Although the party starts at 9, you made a bunch of small snacks — spiced nuts, truffled popcorn, caramelized peanuts, etc. — for your guests to enjoy with cocktails.

The snacks are prettily set up on a table near an open window that overlooks the street. The party is going fabulously when you look up to see three unidentified guests throwing your homemade goodies out the window! They are trying to hit people outside! What would you do?

To find out what I did — this very thing happened at my birthday party on Saturday night! — read more

Host/Hostess Gifts: What To Bring To A Dinner Party
Tips

Host/Hostess Gifts: What To Bring To A Dinner Party

So you've been invited to a dinner party and the inevitable question looms: Gift for the host, yes or no?
by partysugar

So you've been invited to a dinner party and the inevitable question looms: Gift for the host, yes or no? You may be thinking, it's only a dinner party, so why should I bother to bring something for the hostess? Well, simply put, you should because it's common courtesy! If a friend or relative has taken the time to invite you into their dining room for a homemade meal, you must return their efforts and express your thanks. For an informal dinner party, an extravagant gift is not necessary, don't spend more than $20. An interesting bottle of wine, a fragrant jarred candle, or a fun salt and pepper serving plate are exceptional gifts that will delight and please any hostess. For close friends, splurge on an animal print serving tray. Baked goods, like a coffee cake that the hostess can enjoy the morning after the dinner, or a small bag of crisp and delicious cookies show your host that you appreciate the invitation to dine. Lastly, my all time favorite gift is a large, beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers from a friend's garden. Likewise if you have ripe fruit trees or an abundance of fresh mint, give the home grown produce to your hostess. Do you have any great host/hostess gift ideas? Share them with us in the comments!

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What Not To Party: Don't Come Too Late
Tips

What Not To Party: Don't Come Too Late

It may seem a little ironic: first I told you not to show up early to an event and now I'm highlighting the importance of not showing up too late to a party.
by partysugar

It may seem a little ironic: first I told you not to show up early to an event and now I'm highlighting the importance of not showing up too late to a party.

This rule should be remembered and practiced for dinner parties especially. Your hostess has taken the time to create a meal and has specified it will begin at a certain time, so be there and ready to eat at that time. A dried out roast chicken and cold pasta are what you have to look forward to when arriving late to a party, and you are not only taking advantage of your hostess, but you are disrespecting your fellow guests. If you are running late - for whatever reason - you owe the hostess a courtesy call to let her know you will be there after the party's start time. Showing up more than a half an hour late for a dinner party, and an hour late for a cocktail party without a quick phone call is unacceptable. If you come to a party late without calling, trusting that the hostess is exceptional, do not expect to be invited to more of her parties in the future.

What Not To Party: Showing Up Early
Tips

What Not To Party: Showing Up Early

An important part of being a great hostess is understanding what it's like to be a great guest.
by partysugar

An important part of being a great hostess is understanding what it's like to be a great guest. The first step towards becoming an excellent guest is knowing when to arrive at the party. When hosting a dinner or an event, there is nothing I hate more than people whom show up early unannounced. Invitations are sent with a specific starting time for a reason and if your hostess is anything like myself she is running around adding finishing touches to her sauces, plating bite sized appetizers, polishing wine glasses, and lighting candles. (My aunt came 30 minutes early for a dinner once and the appetizers were still in the oven, I wasn't dressed and had curlers in my hair-you can imagine my complete and total mortification). Coming before the space and hostess is transformed into party ready is a complete and total no-no. Just don't do it. Unless personally asked by the hostess, do not come early and if for some crazy reason you end up getting off the freeway twenty minutes before the specified time call her to let her know there was no traffic and you will be arriving early so she can at least put on her party outfit and set out a bowl of olives.