Sanity in Partytown
Parties, in the holiday season especially, can really bring cheer to a dull week!
Party guests will benefit from a few simple guidelines to avoid becoming the day-after joke on Twitter! And if you are hosting a party, there are some great tips here to help you. We have general ideas, tips for alcohol-free extravaganzas and also what to do if you decide to include alcohol in your event.
Great Party Guests:
- Arrange their homebound transport. Getting a ride home is essential, and never from someone who has been drinking. If your driver breaks their promise not to drink, find an alternative way home.
- Are clear with parents or roommates about their schedule so they know when to expect you and when to worry.
- Do not wander in and out of the party location.
- Offer to stay and help clean up, or arrange to come back the next day to help tidy up. Don’t bother with this offer if you attend a party at a friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s house and don’t really know the host.
- Find out ahead of time if there is anything they should bring.
- Bring something for the host, even if they were told not to bother. This can be as simple as a card you leave behind to say thank you or as fancy as a gift basket full of gourmet coffee. Just like going to a birthday party and bringing a gift, this is a treat for the host.
- Never show up to (crash) a party they weren’t invited to.
To Be A Great Party Host:
- Do not advertise your party, but do tell neighbours the plans and to contact you if they have any concerns.
- Enforce strict rules about wandering guests. Guests should remain indoors at your party venue.
- Plan a reasonable time for music to be turned off and for guests to go home or crawl into sleeping bags. Stick with it.
- Be welcoming and thankful for compliments and gifts.
- Prepare your home with napkins, a variety of foods (not all salty snacks), removal of breakables, extra toilet paper and a clean bathroom.
- Create a plan of activities or be sure to have a variety of music ready to play if it is to be a hang out and mingle party.
- Consider being clear about a NO ALCOHOL party so guests do not bring any along. Then, arrange to serve a variety of mocktails in fancy glasses, or hot and cold festive drinks like Irish coffee made with flavoured creamers and so on. Include a gift exchange or holiday-themed games.
- If you ARE including alcohol in your plans, then all guests MUST BE over age 19 and you should check all keys at the door, plan ahead for designated drivers and sleepovers. As host, you should not drink any alcohol.
- At that type of party, seriously consider having a bartender to hand out drinks, even if guests bring their own. That way, you can monitor consumption and make responsible decisions about which party guests have had enough.
- Also, include lots of food in your plans if guests will be drinking alcohol. Close “the bar” 90 minutes before the party ends and serve dessert and coffee.
- Clean up promptly after your guests.
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