Last year left us all feeling a little social deprived. The only people we were really allowed to hang out with were the people that we lived with, which got quite tiresome after a while. It is likely that you spent the majority of the year making plans with your friends and family, but now that you can do these plans, you probably feel slightly anxious.
Being away from people for so long has made many of us unsure of how to do some of the most basic social activities. Though we miss them, we can’t quite remember how to do them without feeling slightly awkward. If you spent the last year making plans, it is likely that a dinner party was on the cards, and you have to host it.
When you haven’t been able to host something for the best part of a year, you may feel as though you have lost your hosting touch. Stay calm, hosting a party is like riding a bike. However, if you are still feeling worried, here are some sure-fire ways to host a successful dinner party,
Make Sure the Food Goes off Without a Hitch
Though a big part of dinner parties is the ambience and the mood, the food is what everyone is turning up for. Planning your menu is a very important part of the night and the last thing that you want is to make food that nobody enjoys.
Don’t be afraid to ask your friends about their likes and dislikes, as they will appreciate that you are going to the effort to make sure that they are catered to. Once you know what everyone dislikes, you can ensure that you don’t put it on your menu.
If you are cooking a specific meat, it is recommended that you ask your guests how they prefer for it to be cooked. This will once again show that you are putting a bit of thought into the evening and will also ensure that everyone enjoys what they are eating, which is bound to put everyone in an excellent mood.
Put Together Some Entertainment
If you haven’t seen your friends for some time, it can be a little awkward trying to plan an evening together. The last thing that you want is an incredibly awkward silence, so to avoid this, you can host a few games. To start your night off, you can play a few rounds of the never have i ever game to reveal secrets. This will get everyone laughing and will be a fantastic way to catch up and hear what everyone has been doing in the last year. If you have a few drinks flowing, then everyone will be extremely open with their questions. Once you have heard people’s deepest secrets, it feels almost impossible to feel awkward around them, so everyone will feel a lot more relaxed.
You can also add some fun challenges and classic party games to the mix. It has always been said that no dinner party is complete without a few games of charades, so get out the sand timer and wait for the laughter to start.
Introduce Fun Cocktails
There is nothing more impressive than making signature cocktails for your guests. Absolutely everybody loves a cocktail and so a great way to impress your guests is by producing a creative cocktail. You can also get your guests involved in this process and have them make their own cocktails.
If you have someone at your dinner party that doesn’t drink, don’t worry. You can easily make them a delicious mocktail, as this will make them feel included in the events of the evening.
Offer a selection of desserts
Dessert is arguably the easiest part of your meal, as it can be kept in the fridge or freezer and you don’t have to worry about messing up the timing. Desserts can be bought and nobody will judge you for not making them, for this reason, we recommend that you get in a few options, as your guests may be in the mood for different desserts.
It is recommended that you keep a lighter dessert option in, as your guests may be too full to take on something heavy.