Host Etiquette: Get Your Guests Involved & You Won’t Go Over Budget
Entertaining guests in style is one of the greatest joys of the comfortable host or hostess who is in their element in their own home. When the kitchen or the living room is a hub of friendly chatter over games, sport, and some tasty appetizers and drinks, both the entertainers and the lucky guests are never happier. But having guests over can end up turning into a pricey enterprise before the night is over, as the most generous hosts soon find out.
What shortcuts can hosts take, then, in order to continue opening their home to friends and family without having to sacrifice their food budget or emergency funds to keep doing so? Is it possible to be a kind and gracious entertainer and show your guests the meaning of a good time while still keeping your entertaining funds in check? Yes, instant loans can provide funds to ease the budget and at very little additional effort to you.
Get Your Guests Involved
It is safe to say that the general guidelines of etiquette for both entertainers and guests have shifted somewhat over the decades. What was once not considered to be the done thing is now perfectly acceptable in the eyes of most households. For instance, it is now an established trend to involve your guests in the participation and preparation of a night in by asking them to contribute a dish, ingredient, or beverage to the evening’s feast.
Make-Your-Own Party
Take a cue from hosts and hostesses who set the trends themselves. Try hosting a make-your-own pizza party and request that each guest bring an ingredient to top the pies with. As the host of the soiree, you will be in charge of preparing the appropriate dough, as well as basics such as tomato sauce and cheese, and your guests will then take care of the rest.
Themed Potluck
Or, you could consider hosting a themed potluck or smorgasbord of various dishes in which each guest signs up to make and bring a specific part of the meal. For instance, you could plan a Mediterranean themed feast in which you prepare plenty of pita bread, tabouleh, and hummus for your guests, who will all bring one Greek side dish or dipping sauce.
Asking for your guests to participate in this manner not only saves you a bundle on food and food preparation time, but it gives your friends and family a chance to get directly involved in the evening’s festivities and show their thanks in an obvious – not to mention delicious – manner.
Instructions For Guests
Don’t be shy about including instructions for guests to bring a certain item or ingredient on your invitation; people will be glad to not have to ask the standard query of whether to bring something or not. Make your intentions of the evening clear, and your party prep, entertainment budget, and night after clean up will all benefit. Involving your guests by asking them to share in putting together the spread with you not only makes you a calmer host, but you will be able to throw more get-togethers in the future, as your budget will be extended over many more shindigs.
If you do insist on doing all the edibles yourself, though, feel free to inquire as to whether each guest would bring a particular beverage or party favor. When your guests contribute the drinks themselves, you all will be able to enjoy a wide variety of libations without blowing your alcohol budget. Everyone will get just what their heart desires: a pleasant and memorable evening in the comfort of a home without paying restaurant or pub prices for food and drink.
