What to know how to have a great dinner party? Try these helpful hints for organizing and hosting a successful dinner party:
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b. Greet your dinner party guests as they arrive at the door. Ensure that you have a safe and secure area for their personal items. After all the guests have arrived, you should ensure all the proper Introductions have been made. If, and when gifts are presented, accept them graciously. If you are the guest, you should always bring the hostess a gift that is small and one which the hostess will not feel the need to use that night, like dessert or flowers.
c. Offer all your guests beverages and hors de oeuvres
d. While your guests are enjoying the hors de oeuvres, you can slip out to the kitchen quickly to get the first course on the table before the guests are asked to take their seats. However, if the first course is hot, then you would wait until the guests are seated to bring the food to the table.
e. Ask the guests to join you at the table and direct them to where you want them to sit. Even with placards there can be a great deal of confusion and some uncomfortable moments.
f. Use an etiquette book as a guide for setting the table. Lots of changes have occurred in recent years and many of the pieces that were previously used might not be necessary now. Additionally, some utensils have been changed to different locations. Remember, a guest should never move a utensil to get to the napkin.
g. Utensils, knifes, forks and spoons, should be used from the outside toward the plate. A used utensil should rested against or on the side of the plate and never be placed back onto the tablecloth. Napkins should only be place on the table when the meal is over. In those situations when you must leave the table, excuse yourself and place the napkin in your chair. When you return, place the napkin back in your lap.
h. Remove the plates and utensils used after each course
i. All plates, used utensils, butter, salt and pepper, dressing, and so on are to be removed after the main entree. The dessert fork and spoon are then place at the top of the plate on the table until dessert is served.
j. When you serve dessert and coffee cups, be sure and place sugar and creamer on the table.
k. There is no need to remove the dessert dishes after dessert unless they will be seen from the living room or family room for the rest of the evening.
l. By this time all hors de oeuvres and cocktail glasses should have been cleared.
m. After dinner, if desert has been serviced, it is acceptable to play games and just converse with each other.
n. As the dinner guests leave, walk them to the door, give a brief good-bye and return to the other guests. Guests should realize the host must return to the other guests and should not engage the host in a long conversation at the door as they are leaving the dinner party.
And, the ever popular question - What about the children??? Here’s some suggestions:
a. Feed your children early and let them greet guests and serve hors de oeuvres. Then slip off quietly to watch television and to sleep
b. Order pizza and cokes and then let them eat and watch a parent-approved movie in a family room away from the dining area
c. Let them participate in the entire evening by adding the proverbial "children's table."
These are suggestions for getting started. It is always a great idea to have an etiquette book to refer to as needed. But the best rule of thumb to follow is to be a gracious host and enjoy your guests when they arrive at your door.
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