jjquantz
Full time employment: Posting here.
DW and I are cleaning up today after hosting our 28th (?) annual Holiday Party. Many of our friends wonder how two people who are as quiet and introverted as we are can host such a large/great party. Here are a few things we have learned.
When we host a party:
1) We control the guest list - the only people who are going to be there are people we like (or at least tolerate). Also, we won't have to meet any strangers.
2) We control the noise level. It's our music and our volume settings.
3) We always have excuses to end a conversation. "Uh sorry, I just heard DW call me." "I need to go check on the wine." "There's the doorbell, be right back." "Time to put some more "whatever" in the oven."
4) We can direct the interactions. "Oh, you've never heard the harpsichord. Let's go down and I'll play something for you." That's always good for at least 15 minutes without talking because others will always join us and ask for additional music. And there's always, "Oh, let me introduce you to..."
5) We are fortunate that DD#1 is local to help us. Between our younger friends and hers we always have a fair number of BABIES and small children in the mix. Babies are the ultimate low-stress interaction. Hold a baby for 15 minutes and the parents are happy and you can just make faces at the kid and not converse with any other adults.
6) We have a large house relative to the number of guests that we invite so that there is always a room or the patio where we can duck out for a minute or two to catch our breath or converse with just a couple of people.
I can't stand going to other people's parties, but DW and I both have a good time at the one or two events we host each year. We're always exhausted the next day, but that's ok.
Any other introverts have successful party hosting strategies that they would like to share?
When we host a party:
1) We control the guest list - the only people who are going to be there are people we like (or at least tolerate). Also, we won't have to meet any strangers.
2) We control the noise level. It's our music and our volume settings.
3) We always have excuses to end a conversation. "Uh sorry, I just heard DW call me." "I need to go check on the wine." "There's the doorbell, be right back." "Time to put some more "whatever" in the oven."
4) We can direct the interactions. "Oh, you've never heard the harpsichord. Let's go down and I'll play something for you." That's always good for at least 15 minutes without talking because others will always join us and ask for additional music. And there's always, "Oh, let me introduce you to..."
5) We are fortunate that DD#1 is local to help us. Between our younger friends and hers we always have a fair number of BABIES and small children in the mix. Babies are the ultimate low-stress interaction. Hold a baby for 15 minutes and the parents are happy and you can just make faces at the kid and not converse with any other adults.
6) We have a large house relative to the number of guests that we invite so that there is always a room or the patio where we can duck out for a minute or two to catch our breath or converse with just a couple of people.
I can't stand going to other people's parties, but DW and I both have a good time at the one or two events we host each year. We're always exhausted the next day, but that's ok.
Any other introverts have successful party hosting strategies that they would like to share?