(Real quick: I’m hosting a Dinner Party Prep Club live class on October 27 and you get a discount! Use code HS20 right here: LINK)
When I was a kid, my best friend Christina and I would play “Dinner Party”. She had a pair of white cotton gloves and a man’s suit jacket in her dress-up trunk, so one of us got to play Butler, while the other was Madame in an elaborate “ball gown” cobbled together from the other bits and bobs in dress-up trunk. The game mostly involved ridiculous table-setting, followed by Butler’s elaborate explanation about “Tonight’s Menu”. Every menu was built around escargots (the word always made us giggle).
I thought I’d be eating a lot more escargots as an adult…and wearing more ball gowns!
The truth is, no one hosts those kinds of dinner parties anymore. Frankly, I couldn’t be happier.
To me, a dinner party is just joyful time spent with friends over a meal. No stress, no high heels, no elaborate tablescape, no three-course meal with wine pairings. Instead, a simple, tasty meal and easy conversations with people I love. Like this, dinner parties are my favourite thing. In fact, these type of parties are my go-to move:
New neighbour? Come for dinner. Friend I haven’t seen in ages? Come for dinner! Hockey parents we see all the time at the rink? Come for dinner.
It’s worth mentioning that, personally, I’ve also let go of having a pristinely clean house. I never scrub the baseboards. I pass the vacuum to pick up the visible dog hair and make sure the bathroom is “acceptable”. There’s never a tablescape…or even a table setting. I simply plop a stack of plates, napkins and cutlery in the middle of the table. I wouldn’t care if your house was immaculate, hopefully you feel the same way about mine!
Later this month, I’ve got a few neighbours coming over for a chili party*. I’ll make two pots of chili (one vegetarian, one not) and a big vanilla sheet cake early in the day. The children can build forts in the basement while the adults get to chat and relax. I can’t wait.
So while my “modern” dinner parties never involve ball gowns or butlers (sadly), they’re nevertheless a highlight of my life.
Why not host a modern dinner party yourself? You’ll never regret spending time with friends, and no one will miss the escargots.
https://cart.learnlife.ca/dinner-party-prep-club/*Join Claire’s popular Dinner Party Prep class for the Chili Celebration Menu with a special discount code HS20: https://cart.learnlife.ca/dinner-party-prep-club/
