Easy hosting tips needed....

chanie

Does anyone have on tips on how you handle hosting people at home.

Its nice having people over, but I find I end up running around after my guests to the point that I'm starting to not enjoy it. We had about 30 people over for DS's 1st birthday and we ended up spending the time fetching things for people so barely spoke to anyone. Same thing happened for my 30th.

I know that this is part and parcel of hosting, but I also think it is important to spend time with your guests and enjoy yourself.

I'd really like to continue having people over so I'd appreciate some MSE tips on doing this e.g. preparation, are there any 'easy' foods to serve etc.

escortg3

Our local butchers does pork and beef roast. he lays it all out serves everyone, provides all plates, napkins and charges £160.00 for 60 people.

Not money saving but will save you a job.

Lay things out and tell people to help themselves. leave them to it.

Gillyx

Serve foods you can easily prepare before hand and leave everything on a table as a sort of buffet. Maybe things like sandwiches, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, quiche, salad, crisps, nibbles etc. If you can put everything on disposable plates, that way tidying up is easy. Leave a bin bag for people to place there rubbish in.

Similarly leave all mixers for drinks/glasses in a central location that people can easily find and help themselves to.

When people arrive show them where food/drink is and encourage them to help themselves.

Emmzi

I ask friends who love throwing parties and they cannot help but mix drinks, fetch, tidy.. I do the same when they have an event.

"Who can make the best cocktail" saves you making any drinks.

"Pot luck dinner" saves you cooking.

Also, stick hot stuff like chilli in a slow cooker and leave it for self serve, everything else pre-cooked and cold.

balletshoes

for family birthdays, we just stick the cold drinks on one table/kitchen counter with glasses so folk can help themselves. Put on a cold buffet (sandwiches, dips, crisps, cold meats and salads etc) on a table with paper plates, cutlery etc. We might make a pot of soup/chilli and rice beforehand, or make a bulk grilling of bacon/sausage/black pudding to put on rolls once everyone has turned up. Apart from that and one round of hot drinks, thats all the time thats spent in the kitchen, means you have time to spend with your guests.

jakes-mum

With kids birthdays etc I run round like a maniac before everyone arrives making sandwiches / sausagerolls, setting up the table in the kitchen with anything that can beeaten with fingers. I plate everything up and cover with clingfilm, put big bottles of pop and juice on the table and leave throw away cups and plates out. Then when everyone arrives its help yourself and I sit and chat. Only time I get up is to put the kettle on as I dont drink fizzy drinks/alcohol/most juices.

I also tend to buy a ready made trifle & a small cake for afters which i'll dish up as it only takes a few minutes (again in throw away bowls with plastic spoons) then when everyone goes i throw it all in a bin bag and out in the big bin.

barbiedoll

Be more like me....a terrible hostess!

When I have people over, I rush around all day, preparing and cooking food, I set the table(s) with cutlery, plates, napkins, condiments etc etc. I get all the drinks and glasses ready, sort out chairs, decorations, toys and games for the kids, I do one last clear-up and hoover and then I'm usually ready about half an hour before the guests are due. That's my make-over time!

When they arrive, I'll pour the first drinks, after that, they are on their own. Everyone is quite capable of serving themselves, I'll sort out the young kids/elderly folk, if necessary, but if I have a party, I want to enjoy myself too! I'm very lucky in that one of my best friends is borderline OCD, she will spend the evening clearing up plates and leftover food, washing glasses, and topping up everyone's drinks. I just let her get on with it! Don't be a martyr, there's nothing worse than waving goodbye to a houseful of guests at the end of the evening, having hardly spoken to any of them. You're not a waitress, if you serve food that needs attention, rope in a couple of the guests to help you.

Don't fret about the mess that accumulates during a gathering, clear-up a few bits as you go but leave the rest until everyone has gone. If anyone needs anything, tell them where it is and let them get it themselves. I've got a under-counter fridge and I always stick a label on it so guests can find it, there's a sign on the toilet door and a label on the cutlery drawer...for the spare bottle opener!

Chill out a little and enjoy your party!

onlyroz

Definitely do a buffet, for drinks and food. Then all you've got to do is lay it out in advance and enjoy the party.

browneyedbazzi

Doing a buffet and having everything ready before people arrive is a top tip. I also thing enlisting the help of a friend or two who are guests but like to help can take a lot of pressure off. Even if it's asking them to do little things like keep an eye on xyz on the buffet and replenish stocks from the fridge if needed.

Also, don't expect perfection from yourself because that leads to all sorts of unnecessary stress. If things don't go exactly to your plan or something is missing that you wanted try not to sweat it - your guests won't know what your plan was and probably won't notice! I think we have a tendency to judge ourselves much more harshly than guests would and there really isn't a need.

I went to a friend's 40th birthday party a while ago, had a lovely time, enjoyed the food/music etc but noticed that she seemed quite stressed and was running about faffing a fair bit. She later said that the whole thing had been a disaster because various things hadn't gone to plan - if she had chilled on the night and tried to enjoy things as they were rather than stressing/faffing then I wouldn't have had a clue that anything was wrong and would have enjoyed the party all the more if she'd have been her usual happy, chatty self.

lurvlyloz

i don't do children s parties...i do parties for all my mates (who by the end of the night you would think they were kids haha)

i have the "bar" on the breakfast table....bit bowl of punch & all mixes and any booze i've got in. plastic cups. and then do a buffet. everything on plastic plates. pizza, sausage rolls, crisps, nibbles, chicken legs, veg and dip, breadsticks, coldslaw. bin liner hanging on the kitchen door handle. everyone knows where i am if the need me but more importantly everyone knows where the food and drinks are if they need them quick shout out if i'm going to the kitchen if any one wants anything then i look slighttly like i'm bothered hahaha

i've been throwing parties at mine for 4 years now and i've got to the point where i do relax and enjoy. its my party and i'll be lazy if i want to x