How to host a dinner party

Let me tell you a story about my friend Mark (the name has been changed to protect the innocent).

Mark had a neighbor he wanted to get to know better. He tried to come up with clever ways to get to know her in a comfortable way. Mark decided to have a few people over for dinner and invite his neighbor. But he didn’t have any idea how to host a dinner.

It’s a lot of fun and not too hard if you follow some simple steps.

First, decide who you want to invite. If you are trying to get to know someone new, the other guests should be people you feel comfortable with who will include the new person in their conversation. Invite people with varied interests, if possible, so more people can get in on the conversation. Invite people who will give your neighbor a good impression of you.

Second, decide what kind of food you want. This can vary greatly, depending on what kind of atmosphere you want to create, and depends on how much work you want to do. I suggest you start simple with your first dinner party. You could order pizza and use paper plates and plastic utensils. Or you could do a potluck and eat off dishes with proper utensils. If you do a potluck, you supply the main dish and you can suggest that others bring side dishes or desserts.

Third, issue the invitations. This can be done informally or formally. If you are inviting someone new, I suggest you do so face-to-face. Take the opportunity to knock on your neighbor’s door and invite her to a dinner with some of your friends. It’s scary, I get it, but many times you don’t have the cell number of a new acquaintance. Let her know what you are serving, ask if there are any food allergies, and tell her it is a potluck. When she asks what she can bring, tell her to bring her favorite dessert or side dish. If you have a good relationship with your friends, you can send out a group text to invite them.

Fourth, decide if you are going to make your main dish or order take-out. If you are ordering take-out, you need to know what time it needs to be at your house so you can tell the restaurant when to deliver. If it’s a casual night, it’s okay to have it delivered at the time the party is set to start, that way it’s hot. But if you are making something, you will need to figure out when you need to start cooking so it will be done when your guests arrive.

Fifth, clean your apartment. You don’t have to go all “Mr. Clean,” but you need to make sure you and your guests are comfortable in your space. Dust, vacuum, clean the bathroom, clean the kitchen, and spot clean any messes. Close your bedroom door and any other rooms you don’t want people to enter. Make sure your garbage has been taken out, so it doesn’t smell.

Sixth, enjoy and have a good time getting to know someone else. When everyone has finished eating, hopefully they will all help you clean up. It can be a fun time to talk with each other and it can go quickly if many people help. If not, no big deal. If you go casual and use paper plates, cleanup is a breeze.

Seventh, and this is completely optional, have some games ready that you can play as a group after dinner. This can help everyone get to know each other. But it depends on the dynamic of the group you have invited and how long you want people to linger.

You did it! You successfully hosted a dinner, and you did it like a pro. Now, have fun with your guests!