What makes a good party?

spalko

H and I are throwing our first party this year for Halloween and I am curious what you ladies think makes a great party?! I haven't had a party since my college days and those parties were slightly different. This isn't going to be a dinner party or anything like that but I will be serving snack/finger foods and, of course, alcoholic beverages! I just want it to be a fun night for everyone and not an awkward, everyone just stands around kind of night.

amandad18

Aside from awesome food and awesome music, I always try to set up the party in a few different spaces with different focuses- Nothing super involved/ over the top, but simple things like having food in the kitchen, maybe a fire pit/ candles outside, the bar set up in a different room than the food- Stuff like that. It gets people to circulate, rather than just all standing in the same room staring at each other ;p

mancila60

Music! Always top of my list. Good drinks and food good company don't just put a bunch of strangers in a room make sure most of them know each other it will help. Also make it fun by including costumes and maybe do a best dressed vote where everyone votes on who has the best costume.  

kimberlykh

Good food and music!

And, if you have people from several groups, who don't know each other, I'd go out of your way to introduce them and get them talking to each other.  I always love meeting new people at parties, not just talking to the people I already know!

bpphoto785

kimberlykh:

Good food and music!

And, if you have people from several groups, who don't know each other, I'd go out of your way to introduce them and get them talking to each other.  I always love meeting new people at parties, not just talking to the people I already know!

THIS! I'm not super outgoing when I don't know anyone at parties so it helps to be introduced to people.

comeongetdown

everyone has good suggestions, i'll add my 2 cents: i love some sort of activity.. like corn hole, or other types of fun yard game like that.  or maybe foosball or xbox kinect or wii, something that everyone can play and can take turns at, but if they don't want to play they can watch or do something else.  if you don't have any of these, maybe someone coming to the party has them and can bring it ahead of time.

AurorasEnvy

PPs have good suggestions!  When I think of a party, I think of:

1.) Good food (snack or otherwise)

2.) Good drinks (boozey, of course

3.) Entertainment of some sort - depending on the party, of course - maybe have an area set up for a game/cards?  Music/dancing?

If you've ever played Apples to Apples, my friend just got this game and I can't wait to play it.  It's basically apples to apples for adults with a terrible sense of humor.  You can even download all the card and look at them/print them yourself.  Sorry in advance for any offensive content :-P

http://cardsagainsthumanity.com/ 

toothpastechica

I agree with the ladies, good music, good food, and something to do. What about setting up a photobooth with a laptop? And I ditto the kenect....that can even be your music if you have a dancing game on it and its always hilarious to watch the guys try and dance like they got groove...