Party time folks

I am taking time off my environmental posts to rant. Well if you know us, you sure must have been invited to one of our parties, diwali or new house or something. You see we love to entertain. We love playing hosts. We love designing invites, choosing the menu, cooking and having a fun time with friends. Our parties are not ones with loud music and everyone trying to shake a leg, it is more of companionship, a group of friends catching up and talking about anything under the sun. We plan weeks ahead, clear out our weekend, clean the house and get the food ready. Our parties are totally informal, food spread out on the table take your pick and relax. We do have impromptu parties and for those we choose a restaurant we have been meaning to try out and hang out. And there are a few friends who have an open invite, they give a call and come home anytime. So now you know how we party. Let me get to the issue.
We take the efforts to plan a party, send out invites and ask people to RSVP and why on earth do they not do it? Is it so tough to RSVP or are they so busy? How are we supposed to plan things out? And then there are people who send out a lengthy mail about their life history and schedule, but don’t say yes or no. I never thought RSVPing was a difficult task, check your calendar and make a decision. After all you know your life and priorities. Every one of our parties has such characters, they just can’t make up their mind and there are attention-seekers who are on a roll to prove that they work hard. And believe me to host a party at our place we work hard, V and R have careers and to plan something is work. We do it so that we can have a break and enjoy some time off with friends.
Then there are people who always point their fingers at you. We choose a date and time for our party according to our convenience and schedule. It will be stupid if we choose to host an event the day before V’s finals or a week before R’s deadline at work. Makes no sense. And there are friends who demand we plan a party to suit their plans. Well, the truth is our parties are flexible, we decide who we plan to invite and work out a date and time according to everyone’s convenience but there is limit to how much we compromise. You can not expect us to throw out our plans and work around your schedule.
And okay you bring in a small hostess gift. Great of you to think about it! It is a small gesture to appreciate the efforts taken by your hosts to have you over and feed you and entertain you. And above all it is a sign of Indian hospitability and courtesy. There are people who come to every one of our parties (well we thought they were our special friends!) and come empty-handed. But always criticize openly and publicly what we get for them, be it the goody bags or the food or the hostess gifts we take over.
And there are people who make a big fuss about the gifts they bring in. You hand V a card or a gift bag or flowers, she knows you got something for her; she’ll smile and thank you and will mean it. R will do the same. Later the day after the party is over, we’ll send out a thank you mail. But what more do you expect? There are people who keep emailing asking twice, thrice (save me!) if we liked the gift? Comeon guys! Get a life!

Here is a list of small rules you need to keep in mind if you are invited to a party

• Please RSVP atleast 2-3 days ahead. The hosts need time to plan and get set. And remember it is very impolite to ignore it.
• Try to be on time. If the invitation says 7pm, it means the same. The hosts will feel bad about going ahead without you and it sure causes big confusion. Also try not to be too early, for one the hosts might not even be ready to welcome you.
• Please try to bring a hostess gift. This doesn't have to be anything expensive or elaborate.
• Please do not monopolize. Try to engage everyone in the conversation and desis out there please don’t keep talking in you mother tongue when there is a bunch of people who do not understand it.
• At the end of the party, thank your hosts and please do not engage them with a conversation at the door. If it is private, call some other time and talk else talk when you are inside never at the door.
• A thank you note/ email for the hosts is sure a nice gesture.

Here is a list of small rules you need to keep in mind if you throw a party

• Send out an invite atleast a week ahead. Your guests need to plan. Be sure to include the venue and time of the party.
• Please be ready on time. If you say the party is at 7pm be ready to welcome guests by 7pm. It is not fair to leave the guests to tend to themselves while you get ready
• Greet your guests at the door, thank them for coming and introduce them around if they don’t know the others.
• Offer them drinks, appetizers or whatever has been planned.
• When the guests leave, thank them and see them to the door. Keep your conversation at the door short and return to the others.
• Remember to thank your guests for the gifts and for coming to your party. Send a thank-you note or card.

Happy Partying everyone!

1 Comments:

Lavs said...

Humans who have brains will understand these rules. What abt those characters who repeatedly prove that they are brainless gits???