Good food, good wine and most important good friends

@bubbasgma - HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA

Friends, food and music.

Alcohol.
Music.
Sense of humor.

Top three..well stocked self service bar. Hors de ourves and music/dance floor.

BTW...party tip. Turn all the lights low and place candles/tea lights everywhere and it looks like you've decorated beautifully. :)

P.s. I also ask everyone to bring their Ipod music to plug into the bose. Then, I'm sure everyone likes the music, at least for a while. :)

No1 on the 'must-have' list must be good friends or people you're hoping will become so.

From there it's a theme (Christmas, New Years, Birthday, BBQ, Fancy Dress (costume to the US readers), Scrabble-Uno-Yahtzee-Poker, Big Game (Super-Sugar-Rose Bowl in the US, Manchester United v anyone over here:).

My favourite party nibbles are the ones everyone clubs together to produce, host(ess) provides buffet space to set out the spread, and of course the liquid refreshments (wines and spirits make lovely host(ess) gifts btw). BYONibbles to share is a nice theme too!

I want to go to Michael Lee's party!
Good booze is a must, but we can't forget delish non-alcoholic drinks for our DDs.
Add music and my famous guacamole and it's on!

happy people who get along, food that everyone likes and can eat, and good conversation.

Hard to narrow down 3 specific things, but it definitely includes a good variety of cheese and crackers.

Glad someone mentioned the non alcoholic beverages. My husband's family assumes that if you aren't drinking you're not having a good time. Nothing like peer pressure from your own relatives. DD or not, I'm just not a fan of it, and no, I'm not pregnant or trying to lose weight. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy something fun and different to drink.

Plenty of food, beverages and seating

Napkins, seating, and make sure you're good on items for the powder room (i.e. soap + TP) :)

Perfect timing on this question. Planning a snow-storm party for tomorrow night (Boston area) with neighbors. I had almost everything on everyone's list, but I do need to check the napkins!

We'll be socked in with you annmarie -- time to stock up!

spiced apple cider, deviled eggs, holiday music (pop 90s)

Folks, what are your tips on "shopping" for friends? We live in a brand new community, no one knows anyone, probably not even care... Aaaaaaggghhhhh! I wanna go back to the old country! Mother went there after fifteen years, everybody still lived there and met her like family, cats, dogs and grannies. Fifteen years in NYC - not a soul to call a friend.

Natasha, join your local groups to make friends. Choose something that involves an activity, like salsa dancing or painting, or church. As far as gifts go, all do Kris Kringle, where all names go in a hat and you draw out one only. There is a dollar amount, like say $20 above which you can't go. You buy a gift for that person. Best wishes.

Soda bottles stuck in a snowbank outside the back door; big garbage can to dispose of disposable plates, napkins, cups, and silverware (fantastic plastic); freezer full of quick nukefood snack stuff in case the supply runs low.

This year I'll settle for takeout delivered to me; (excuse the drywall dust and sawdust, that IS a condiment this season); and bubbasgma you are are still cracking me up but so true sometimes! I did hold out for TOTO toilets and made sure I had no weird bends in the underplumbing (the one in the bathroom that showerpan collapsed, had a krink that explained why nothing ever wanted to flush decently).

String lights rather than candles.

Unusual and tasty drinks, both alcoholic and non.

A special event to bring the evening to a climax: lighting a bonfire or sparklers, handing out Christmas crackers, a sing-along, a treasure hunt, kids putting on a skit....something exciting for the party to work up to.

1. A designated place for coats and boots.
2. Comfortable seating in each room
3. Ice for cold stuff and warming containers for hot stuff to keep the grazers happy

Nuts, Champaign and great music.

Wine and other beverage supplies,"wine-be-gone" spray, 70s music (only a small smathering of disco).

Good friends, family, and fun.

A chef, a bartender and someone to clean up the next day.

A roaring fire, a well-stocked bar and beautiful music...

wine....jazz....friends

.......my bests

Elhamfarhat, my daughter had her first ever solid food at Soup Plus jazz club in Sydney Oz. It was chunky pumpkin soup. Jazz makes a great night.

A plan, assistance, and energy

Warm fire in the fireplace, good music and lots of food and drinks

A boatload of chicken wings. Ice-cold beverages. And a guest list no larger than 12.

Avoid anything that is drippy (e.g., salsa, shrimp cocktail sauce); I would also love to ban red wine but there would probably be a revolution among some of my friends. I have suede covered kitchen stools and dining chairs so I'm obsessively checking them for spills. Hmm, maybe I should just set up IV poles to administer the cocktails...

a fire in the fireplace, champagne and mistletoe!

coltsneck07722....perhaps just have your different colors of wine in different spaces...then your red wine lovers would hang by the red wines, etc....the reds could be on your deck.

1. Spotify playlist
2. Signature cocktail
3. Eclectic finger foods, cheese tray + dips/tartare

I agree with bubbasgma!!!! I spent many a Thanksgiving at my mom and dad's having to buy Draino or a plunger!!!

Why can't I pin this to my pinterest beverage board?!

We had a driveway party for our neighbors last summer. Over 50 showed. My three ingredients / my whole fruit margarita made in our Vtamix blender / a beautiful summer day / & plenty of neighbors to attend

Well, since I'm a personal chef, food is at the top of my list, followed by a well stocked bar and some great music.

coltsneck why not just change out the fancy chairs and stools for something you can wipe down and enjoy your night instead?

I once went to a party in a fabulous old mansion in one of the ritzy suburbs and they had covered the entire accessible interior of the house in black plastic garbage bags. The floors, the walls, the ceiling, all covered in black plastic stuck down with duct tape.

Money, energy, and patience;)

Cooked prawns, beer, Bondi beach or any beach.

Scotch, olives and music !

Great food, drinks and music!

C

@ Natasha, We solved our lack of friends by placing small flyers on neighbors' mailboxes inviting couples to a get-together. Got a pretty good response. Most important, we met two people who became our best friends! Now, years later, having moved six years ago and living alone, I barely knew none my neighbors. Got a puppy, met every child on the block within five minutes with their parents coming along soon after!

On subject: right numbers for the space, theme (Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, Soups, Stews or Appetizers pot luck), a few people who move from group to group introducing topics people have in common and so on.

Good friends, good food and good conversation!

My list goes on and on....

GOOD;
drink
food
friends/family
comfy seats
music

LOTS OF;
laughter
sense of humor
kids

How do you go about hosting a Houzz event? Who do you contact?