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I Prefer Party Spills to Involve Merlot, Not Milk
Given a choice between cleaning up spilled merlot or spilled milk at a party, I’ll take the merlot, despite the much-higher risk of a lasting stain on the carpet. Why? It means I’m having an ADULT party, not one for kids.
Birthday parties for kids used to involve cake, family, a few friends and some party hats if you were lucky. Period. My mom was cool because she actually did the fancy Wilton cakes for us, e.g., Wonder Woman. These days it seems as if kid parties are a disaster if they don’t involve pony rides, big inflatable monstrosities or a group trip to the Build-a-Bear factory. My toddler is not old enough for these things so I have no idea what they cost; I imagine that none of them are cheap. I have no plans for such things for our kid. Call me selfish, but I prefer parties for grown-ups!
In our pre-baby days, my husband and I delighted in entertaining. We had make-your-own pizza parties, New Year’s parties, Christmas open houses, family Memorial Day weekend barbecues and casual dinner gatherings. I hosted bridal and baby showers. One time I even threw a ladies-only afternoon Valentine’s Day celebration so we could all have something to look forward to regardless of whether we were attached. My husband and I have been in our house for over four years and I have dreamed of having a summer cocktail party in our backyard once we got it all fixed up. Then the baby came, and the recession, and it seems our time and money have been directed elsewhere.
However, I do think it is possible to combine adult entertaining with being a parent. It just takes a little more thought. I have lots of ideas for how to make it work.
Host a Saturday morning brunch and make it clear that families are welcome. Set a definite start and end time but make it clear that people can stop by whenever as they are running the inevitable weekend errands. Pick up a pre-cooked spiral-sliced ham and serve it with rolls and condiments. Add some store-bought bakery items, fruit or fruit salad and an egg dish such as a frittata or strata that will taste great at room temperature. Serve coffee and juice and you’re set. (Of course, just because you have kids does not mean you can’t offer a bloody mary bar or champagne to mix with the OJ!)
Invite people to a late afternoon happy hour. Serve store-purchased antipasti such as olives, almonds, cured meats, cheeses, roasted peppers and dried fruit. Do NOT feel guilty that you simply opened some containers. Arrange it in a lovely manner, perhaps on a wood cutting board with fresh grape leaves. (I love the Barefoot Contessa’s ideas for displaying food.) Make your favorite sangria and serve the favorite local beer.
For winter gatherings, make a large pot of chili, soup or gumbo and have a late afternoon open house. Serve crusty bread or an assortment of your favorite crackers (or Fritos!) and brownies for dessert. This is great for football season unless you are like me and pretty much watch games from morning to night on Saturday.
Or the ultimate easy idea: host a potluck! Let people know that you are making the main dish and ask them to bring specific sides and desserts. Get out the crock pot and make a large batch of meat for sloppy joes or barbacoa tacos. Evite now has a great tool that allows people to set up invitations with a list of things for guests to bring. Folks simply sign up to bring a side or dessert when they RSVP.
Note that none of these ideas requires that you whisk your children away somewhere although you are certainly welcome to do so! Sometimes it is definitely worth it to send the kids to the grandparents for the weekend. If that’s not an option, it does mean that you have to sacrifice having grown-up parties at your home. By scheduling the parties around naptime and bedtime you can avoid disrupting their schedules without ruining your social life!
Oooh. The very mention of the word *potluck* sets my heart a flutter. Nothing excites me more than the opportunity to graze endlessly on food that people have made with that intent. I am having some people over next week, and may do the happy hour antipasti bit….
Great ideas!