What I am good at!

What are you good at planning? What I am good at is dinner parties! I love to plan a memorable evening.  Recently I was asked how I would plan a dinner party with families. Based on years of experience entertaining countless people from all ages, I will share some of my favorite ideas.

• Have your seating pre-arranged with name cards. I like to switch up the table seating, depending on my main goal. For Instance, if there are children at the meal, and you want them to be part of the sharing, I place a child in-between one of their parents and another adult.   Placing people at your table is about more than fostering small talk.   It is about mentoring, giving special attention to the overlooked, seeing the value of people at every age and sharing different interests.  Children learn more than manners and can add fun to the table conversation.

• I have had multiple families over and served the meal buffet style. However, the game might be, no one can serve themselves. They must serve the person to their right, or all the men serve the women. I also add to the dinner some other rules. No one can ask for anything during the meal, but each is given the opportunity to see if there is anyone who might need to be served, or desire something, like a refill of their drink, or pass the salt and pepper. It teaches serving and aids in breaking the barrier in conversation.

• It is fun to have a dinner party or celebration where everyone draws assignments from a bowl when they arrive. On the pieces of paper are specific jobs for the evening. Examples: serve the desserts, get the drinks, clear the table, serve the coffee, etc. I always give the same assignment to several so it becomes a combined effort, working together. If the event includes people of diverse ages, the joy of sharing life and team-building, enables incredible training and memorable fun and conversation.  A bonus of sharing the workload is that many hands make light work.

• Sometime, when the initial talk is over, you can draw random questions listed on pieces of paper in a bowl.  Here are some example questions. What is your nickname? Who do you admire most in history and why? What is your favorite school memory? Who is your favorite sports person and why? What do you want to do when you grow up?  Obviously, each person can find some common interest and answers, no matter the age. This usually opens up conversations and laughter around the table. Especially when you add this question:  What was your most embarrassing moment? Tell your favorite joke.

I think it is sad that most dinners with multiple families have the children in one area and the adults in another. The dinner does not have to take up the entire evening.  But why not allow the older ones to teach the younger how to listen, participate and connect. The memories will live on and hearts will be connected. What a treat.

By the way, you will usually find what you are good at the same way I found what I am good at…follow your passion.