You Want to Throw an Interesting Dinner Party? Here's How

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Who says the dinner party is dead? Naysayers believe the fine art of throwing a dinner party is dying for three reasons: time, space, and ability. Hosts don’t have the time to prepare, they don’t have the space for elaborate setups, and they don’t have the skills for elaborate canapés, turducken, and homemade pâté.

Let’s be frank, you don’t want to be at these types of events either, let alone host them. Don’t over complicate things by inviting a huge group and making everything from scratch. You can throw a great dinner party. Just remember to keep it fun and simple.

A great way to organize and bring your party together is with a theme. A theme can help you focus your menu, drinks, and even your decorations. (Just don’t go overboard recreating every little detail from Pinterest.) Keep to your interests or try some of these ideas to bring new life to your party. Revive the art of hosting and have fun with your guests.  Here are some perennial favorites and some sure to be new classics to try for your next soiree.

Dinner and a Show

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With so many hit shows and movies with cult followings you most certainly have a favorite. Center your dinner party plans on a show and invite guests to attend a screening following the meal. Some great Pinterest Boards are available for food and decor ideas for Downton Abbey, Mad Men, Duck Dynasty and Game of Thrones, just to name a few.

Regional or International Themes

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Going with a themed cuisine is a classic move. Who doesn’t love a great make your own taco bar? But there are other countless ideas beyond centering on Mexican or Italian foods. Try something different such as German or Thai. Don’t forget to mix takeout food with homemade creations. What about Southern fare or a New England-themed dinner party?

Game Night

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We’re not talking about Taboo or Monopoly (though they would be perfectly acceptable too). Keep dinner guests engaged and occupied with a game themed dinner party. Try a story night where guests come prepared to tell an original or biographical tale. The host can suggest a topic with a 3-5 minute limit per guest to keep things lively. Or host an adult show and tell where guests get to know each other better by sharing something during the course of the meal.

Progressive Dinner

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Take the pressure off of having one host by collaborating on a progressive dinner party. Each course is served at a different hosts’ place. Collaborate on your menu or simply show off your best dish. Half the fun is traveling around so even people with smaller spaces get a chance to host without feeling too overwhelmed by the crowd.

Swap Night

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Great food and leftovers to take home, sign me up. Consider hosting a swap night where everyone brings variations of the same type of food to share. In a soup swap, guests enjoy dinner and bring a variety of extras home to eat or freeze for later. Guests can also come together to create a dish that they’ve never made before or is labor intensive to do by yourself. At a tamale making party guests come together to create large quantities and varieties. Celebrate with a dinner of tamales and take home many more for another time.

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