Your Guide to Successfully Hosting Dinner for the Holidays, Part 2
Welcome back to the only guide you need to have your friends and family singing your praises for hosting the perfect holiday dinner!
By now you've read Part 1 and have determined the vibe of your soiree. If not, get all caught up here because that post will help you set the vibe that'll determine everything from your music playlist, decor and even the style of your invitations.
Speaking of invitations, today someone on the street shoved a flyer into my hand inviting me to a cabaret dinner. The flyer was just a basic 8.5' X 11 sheet of white paper with the details of the event typed in black ink. It couldn't have been any less interesting or enticing. Where is the flyer now? In my trash bin. Did I totally judge the quality of this affair by the proverbial cover? Yes, and so will your guests when they receive your invitation. A good looking invitation will create the assumption that a good looking affair awaits. A simple text message to attend would imply that your dinner party will be wack and that you're probably serving a struggle meal.
Don't text your dinner invitation, PLEASE.
Whether you care to admit it or not, we all do tend to judge a book by its cover and an event by its invitation. It would be an absolute shame for you to go through the trouble of preparing for your first grown-up holiday party at your home just to have no one show up due to a less-than-enthusiastic response to a tired-looking invitation. Let's do your party justice and find the perfect invitation to mail. Mail means business! We all love getting something other than bills in the mail, something that we can pin to the fridge and look forward to attending.
I suggest you step your game up and MAIL out real invitations, if you want your dinner party to be taken seriously.
Here are my favorite invitations that appeal to various moods. Think about the vibe of your Thanksgiving dinner and choose something that complements that perfectly. It'll clue your guest into what goodness will await them. Remember, the average American gets invited to 2-3 Thanksgiving dinners so make sure yours is at the top of their list.
(Click images to shop on Amazon)
Casual
$10.25 for 20 invitations
Formal
$12.49 for 25 invitations + reply cards
Polished
$10.55 for 20 invitations
Peak Sophistication
$49.99 for 50 invitations
Once you have purchased your invitations, drop them in the mail immediately to your guest list. Time is of the essence and you'll like to get those RSVPs rolling in so you are best prepared with the food preparation.
TIP: I highly recommend inviting someone who wouldn't mind helping with the clean up afterwards in lieu of bringing you a dish or hostess gift.
In the meantime, now is a great time to start planning your menu, which again should complement the vibe of your event. Remember the diet restrictions of your guests and you'll be fine.
I suggest a game night after dinner with wine and dessert.
Have fun and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Happy Thanksgiving!
xo Terina Nicole