🆒 hosting touches please.

Question

Wine Guy · Answer

LeNOSE - Orange You Glad Life’s Not So Bad: This new hand soap from LeNOSE is one of the best things I’ve smelled. Better version of Aesop. Can’t believe it will only be 10 bucks.

Minna Kelly · Answer

Bedside water carafe + glass: For overnight guests, lean a little welcome note against this sucker and you'll automatically gain elite host status

Adrienne · Answer

Folding Luggage Rack: For overnight guests. Practical but also a small luxury.

Eric F · Answer

Pass The Pigs Dice Game 🐖🐖: Easy to learn dice game with little pig figurines! Quick games without complicated rules. Great for small groups. Fun to play on vacation or poolside.

Laurenrab · Answer

Infused Water: I prep a big jug of infused water the night before and put it in the fridge to chill (or at Christmas I make “jingle juice” - cranberry orange ginger soda). Nice to have a non-alcoholic option that feels festive and novel. Last week I made strawberry basil for a brunch gathering.

Bonus: it looks nice on the table!

What Would Caroline Cook · Answer

Summer Hosting Outside + more below: always welcome your guests. if you're hosting over a theme, share some fun facts about that topic. think of some topics ahead of time to create conversation, less opportunity for gossip. Follow what would Caroline cook! Links in bio!

Alma Aldrich · Answer

Party Wine Glass Markers: Very fun and very helpful, whatever you are drinking!

Cathay · Answer

Light a candle in the bathroom: I do this 20min before guests arrive and leave it going until they’ve left. No embarrassing smells for anyone!

Nicole Anderson · Answer

Mansikkavuoret (Strawberry Mountains): Marimekko napkins! A simple and inexpensive way to add some visual fun to a table.

Kate T · Answer

name tags with a prompt: I love adding "Ask me about ______" to give folks an easy icebreaker. It's such fun to see what niche subjects people want to talk about: square dancing, houseplants, WNBA, Arabic, etc. Even if people know each other, you might learn about a friend's secret passion. So fun!

Analisa Burns · Answer

Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass (1965) Whipped Cream & Other Delights: this whole ass album

Analisa Burns · Answer

Vintage 1960's Avocado Green and Metallic Gold Ice Bucket

Hallie · Answer

High quality hand soap: Life is short; even the most mundane daily activities should be pleasing, and that includes washing your hands. Whether it’s bar or liquid, floral or herbaceous, indulge in a hand soap that brings you joy and turn your guests’ mid-party bathroom break into a restorative moment of luxury and delight.

Anna Griffin · Answer

Make (or bring!) a batched cocktail: I love a signature cocktail for a party but cannot/will not make drinks all night long. Enter, the batched cocktail. Pre-mix, pour it in a pretty pitcher or bottle, set out ice and maybe tonic water, champagne, or other bubbly top-off, voila!

Sophie Halma · Answer

Sonic Ice: My neighbor always gets extra bags of ice from Sonic (pellet ice) for her parties and it slaps in a mixed drink/feels like a thoughtful touch

Juliana · Answer

pop rocks as cocktail rim: Add pop rocks to the rim of cocktails for a fun and nostalgic surprise.

Vanessa · Answer

Dinner candles: Adding a few taper candles to your table elevates the romance immediately

YooMi · Answer

Khruangbin: Intentional music & lighting (candles or table lamps). Khrungbin is one of my go-to’s for easy background music that won’t put guests to sleep! Volume can be turned up when shifting to the dance party portion of the evening 🪩

Emily · Answer

A guest book!: Make your friends leave you pithy sayings and inside jokes in writing! A lovely way to capture and recall the gathering’s vibes.

April · Answer

Fresh flowers: If you host it’s good to vibe it up by putting fresh flowers. If I’m going to someone’s house and it’s not a potluck and I don’t know what or if they drink I always bring them.

April · Answer

A conversation facilitation activity: Recommending an activity of some sort at some point that is either mixed in an optional or planned like a group game. If you have a lot of friends who don’t know each other this can loosen the vibes. For my last party (the theme was Italian dinner party) people painted glass olive oil bottles to take home. A 30 pack of them is pretty cheap (linked) and you just get glass safe paint. I was surprised how many people got into it and some couples made sets to take home for oil and vinegar.

Ginny Branch · Answer

Foiled Chocolate Cigars: Super fun for a New Year’s party, a new baby celebration, or any ole party!

Steve M · Answer

Baked Brie & Crackers: So simple yet elegant. Bake some brie. Top with honey. Pair with crackers. Always a crowd pleaser.

Joy Joy · Answer

pop off game: Not very elegant, but I’ve never gotten a more spirited response at a party. It’s great for both participating and watching and everyone gets so rowdy.

April · Answer

Candy Cigs for parties: I don’t have the budget or the amount of cigarette smoking friends to necessitate cig bowls ala Mary Kate’s wedding to Olivier Sarkozy BUT this was a hit at my last birthday party. I put them all over the drink table and hangout room surfaces.

April · Answer

Bring back the communal Punch: Bringing back the communal punch bowl. It’s good, everyone likes it, it’s fancy looking and is within the communal spirit of partying.