Save The Party!

 

Maybe I am naive....  

Perhaps we are just boorish or annoying...  

Are we not cool enough? 

Do we have halitosis?

I don't get it...

Do you have a full plate of holiday parties 

to attend this year?  

Work parties don't count...  

I'm talking about home soiree's, 

Mad Men cocktail events 

and those Ugly Christmas Sweater bashes...

  

Are you being invited to those?  

Because we aren't...  

We blew our, so to speak, Holiday Event Wad,

this past weekend and have NOTHING going on 

until the Fat Guy shimmies down the chimney...  

When I say nothing, I mean, 

crickets can be heard chirping 

in my Outlook Calendar... 

Back in the day, when I had my big, important corporate job, 

I looked forward to the swank, extravagant holiday party 

the office threw for all five hundred of us 

at the Standard Club... 

Oh, it was fancy schmancy alright, 

with three floors of decadent foods, 

different bands on each level, 

even multi-tiered chocolate fountains, 

gushing forth white, dark and milk chocolate streams of excess...

From the mail room guys to the senior execs, 

everyone dolled up in fine suits and formal dresses 

as we danced in the massive ballroom, 

glasses of champagne in hand...  

With our company's bankruptcy, 

the door slammed shut on the party parade....  

Forever, I am sure...  

But I digress...  

 

What I want to know is 

whether the home Christmas party is dead, 

or am I just not getting invited?    

Tom and I have always thrown parties...

  

It is part of our DNA...  

Both sets of our parents are very social animals, 

having conducted legendary bashes that are still being retold 

as tales of family lore...  

My parents were famous for having Sukiyaki parties 

on their living room floor...

  

 

They had barbecue throw downs in the back yard, 

with tables and flowers and ribs everywhere...  

I used to sit on the top stair at night 

and listen to the inebriated laughter and clink of glassware 

as my folks entertained and celebrated...  

And so Tommy and I have hosted well remembered Halloween parties,

Oscar Night fetes,

HEAT Armor celebrations,

Valentine making events

 and my annual Holiday Craft party...  

It's who we are...  

We love to entertain... 

A friend and I joke that if I didn't throw these events, 

we would have no parties to attend...    

Help me out here...  

Are parties just too much trouble these days?  

Are they too expensive?  

Time consuming?  

Daunting?  

Has Martha Stewart ruined it for the Average Jane?  

Is "Jane" too intimidated to conceive of choosing invitations, 

decorations and recipes to host a party?  

Is it that hard??? 

I will concede that I have the party hosting thing down, 

but practice makes perfect... 

Here are my thoughts on the subject 

as it pertains to objections to having a party...  

"It's too expensive."  

Well, it can be if you invite your entire zip code 

and choose only top shelf liquor, 

caterers and flowers from Madagascar...  

We have friends who had a monster Christmas party every year 

that people prayed they would be invited to...  

They threw an amazing event, 

 tables groaning with incredible food, 

a  one armed bartender and  a music/light system 

that rivaled Studio 54...

But the toll it took on them each year 

got to be too much...  

We miss that party, sorely...

Tommy and I are not in a financial position 

to be throwing parties of any scale these days, 

but I insisted because,

A: We could use some comic relief, 

and B: You CAN throw a great party on a dime...  

The crafts I chose had elements 

found at the Dollar Store or the craft store...  

I used coupons... 

I repurposed things I had around the house...  

I let friends help out...  

Usually the first thing a guest asks 

when invited to a party is,  "What can I bring?" 

Instead of smiling and demurring, 

"Oh, nothing...", let them bring a bottle of wine 

or an appetizer, 

or a part of the craft project, in my case.  

They feel good about contributing 

and it helps save a little dough...  

I kept things simple, too... 

Just wine and soda to drink...  

The party started later so I only needed 

to provide small bites to eat instead of dinner...  

It works, Friends!  

Another objection is,

 "Parties are so much work!"  

Well, they are a little more work than a play date, yes, 

but if you PLAN (key word), the party set up is a snap... 

I began collecting the project ingredients and foodstuffs 

a month in advance, 

to spread out my costs...  

About a week before the event, 

I started cleaning and setting up tables, etc.

  

I did a little bit each day 

so by the afternoon of the party, 

all I had to do was assemble the food and beverages.  

My mom always said you eat the elephant one bite at a time, 

and she is right!  

Another complaint is how to choose 

what to eat, drink, etc. 

Pinterest is so good for that...  

I found most of my appetizer ideas from Pinterest...  

They were simple, delicious bites 

that were inexpensive and easy to create... 

Done!  

Don't be intimidated by fancy parties...  

 

Your friends aren't judging you...  

They are happy to come over 

and to share a laugh...  

They love to feel included 

and who doesn't enjoy a great party?  

Start by inviting four or six friends over for pizza and salad...

Play a board game or watch a hot new show together...

Baby steps...

The more you entertain, the more comfortable it becomes 

and you will find great reward 

in seeing people have a good time...  

We get a kick out of having parties 

and I wish more people would entertain, too...  

 

 Then, maybe we might get invited...

That is, unless we really are that annoying...