| Relax and Make Your
Housewarming Party Easy
It doesn't take a lot
of capital to throw your first party. In fact, a
housewarming party can be very informal, because by
definition, you've just moved in and haven't gotten
completely settled into your new home. That takes a
great deal of the pressure off, because your guests
won't expect more than a good time out by the grill
with something to drink and eating supper off paper
plates. That type of gathering isn't going to strain
the budget much.
Keep your initial guest list manageable, and make
sure the people you're inviting have enough in
common to be able to mingle comfortably. It's best
to invite folks who already know each other. A guest
list of about a dozen is your best bet for your
first attempt at throwing a party.
Give everyone a couple weeks' notice. You can print
up invitations if you'd like. They're not expensive
anymore, and can easily be done on any home computer
and printer. You might follow up with an email as
the day gets closer, to remind everyone. You could
also ask them to shoot you back an email to let you
know if they're coming. The telephone works well,
too.
Basic Preparations
Even if you just moved in, you want to clean your
house well and make sure the bathrooms are well
stocked with supplies, including toilet paper, soap,
and towels. Vacuum the house and furniture,
especially if you know that some of your guests are
subject to allergies.
Before the guests arrive, put your own vehicles into
the garage to give everyone lots of parking space.
Keep obstacles such as lawn mowers, kids' bikes, and
skateboards out of the way to avoid anyone tripping
over them.
Party Time!
Greet every guest at the door and show them where to
put coats and other items. It will also bring them
up to speed quickly and comfortably, and let them
know you're glad they came. Give them a brief tour
of the home, and then show them to where the main
section of the gathering will be held. This will
help ease them into the swing of things before you
turn them loose with those folks who are already
there.
As the party goes on, mingle. It's your
responsibility as the host to make sure everyone
feels welcome and pampered. Move around and ask if
your guests need a drink refilled or anything else.
But the key is to have fun! If you're having a good
time, your guests will probably enjoy themselves,
too--and your housewarming party could be the
beginning of a whole new era of entertaining in your
new home.
Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher
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