Entertaining Ideas
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
XP: Cookie Swap or Open House
I'm trying to decide if I should host a cookie swap for Christmas or an open house. The cookie swap would be females only and include family and a few close friends. The open house would be family members and friends. I think the open house would be more flexible in terms of fitting in to people's schedules and wouldn't require guests to bring anything. Or I could do both an host them on separate weekends. So... cookie exchange, open house, or both?
Re: XP: Cookie Swap or Open House
I don't know about your schedule, but I can't imagine hosting two events or attending two events hosted by the same person. I would pick one or the other.
I go to a cookie swap every year that is a blast. We do it on a Monday night so there is less scheduling conflict and you still have Sunday to bake. Something to consider instead of a weekend.
Like 6fsn... I go to a great Cookie Swap every year and really only want to go one... so I would vote for the Open House. It's nice to host an event that people just need to show up for and is more flexible and laid back and that way you could do whatever you wanted for menu, drinks, decor etc.
Let us know what you choose and Good Luck!
I hosted a couple events (2? 3? lol, can't remember) last Christmas and looooved doing them. I invited different crowds, so I got my entertaining fix and they got their holiday party fix.
If no one in your circle does a cookie exchange, I think 6's Monday night idea sounds great. If someone does, go for the open house.
My Pinterest
The Googlesites Paint Bio
Thinking of doing cosmetic updates to a dated home? These were our costs.
Re: I hosted a couple events (2? 3? lol, can't remember) last Christmas and looooved doing them. I invited different crowds, so I got my entertaining fix and they got their holiday party fix.
If no one in your circle does a cookie exchange, I think 6's Monday night idea sounds great. If someone does, go for the open house.
Tarheels - I really liked your idea from last year re: having your guests bring a wrapped toy to donate. That I would love to do as a guest! Much more so than baking more cookies!
I think I'm going to go with the open house. I did some questioning of friends and family and found out that's what most preferred. Thanks for the help!! A couple follow up questions:
1. I'm looking at a Sunday afternoon and probably the 18th because the 11th is right before my birthday and I don't want people thinking that I'm throwing myself a party. I want to literally make it an open house so guests can come and go as they please. Would starting at 2 be a good time? Should I specify an end time?
2. When should I mail out invites?
3. Food/drink suggestions?
2:00 on a Sunday afternoon doesn't exactly scream "Party Time!" to me. It's like, too early to drink, and too late to eat lunch. Maybe closer to 4:00 and then you can serve dinner? To me, putting a time range is better for an open house. Otherwise, the guests might just figure you want them there at the start time.
I would say to mail invites 1 month ahead. Christmas time is so busy. And if you want them to bring anything (white elephant gift, gift to donate, cookies) alot of people do all of their baking and shopping early in the month. Some people might think that a month is a little early, but I would totally appreciate the advance notice at that time of year.
Food and drink depends on how many people and how fancy you want this party to be.
Please visit my blog The Party Hostess
My read shelf:
2:00 on a Sunday afternoon doesn't exactly scream "Party Time!" to me. It's like, too early to drink, and too late to eat lunch. Maybe closer to 4:00 and then you can serve dinner? To me, putting a time range is better for an open house. Otherwise, the guests might just figure you want them there at the start time.
I would say to mail invites 1 month ahead. Christmas time is so busy. And if you want them to bring anything (white elephant gift, gift to donate, cookies) alot of people do all of their baking and shopping early in the month. Some people might think that a month is a little early, but I would totally appreciate the advance notice at that time of year.
Food and drink depends on how many people and how fancy you want this party to be.
All this except for some reason my friends/family seem to have no trouble drinking at 2:00pm...
Every party hosting website I've looked at has suggested 2pm-8pm. I probably wouldn't do an actual dinner, more like snacks and appetizers. I figure the people that come earlier would leave before dinner time, and those that would come later would be after dinner time. I don't really have the space to have an official sit down dinner.
Noted. Thanks!
If you do both, no way can they be on the same day. If I went to a cookie exchange, and my DH was supposed to come later in the day, we'd pick one.
I'd just do the Open House. I love the idea of cookie exchanges, but I think people get so sick of sweets that they come to dread them. JMO (I've been a part of many and always get so excited until I get the plate of cookies home. I throw most away.)
74 books read in 2011