Throwing a party at home can be a lot of fun, but you don't always have a lot of time to prepare. Sometimes it's a last-minute decision to host a party, and sometimes life just gets in the way and you don't have time to do any complicated planning. Rushing to plan a party at the last second can be tough, but there are plenty of shortcuts that you can take to make sure it all works out ok. No one will notice if you don't plan things perfectly, and using a few quick cheats can allow you to concentrate on making sure everyone has fun.
Pick Up Some Prepared Food
Some parties are the right time to impress everyone with your cooking skills. If it's a dinner party or you're part of a supper club, you probably don't want to pull out some takeout. But for plenty of parties, it's completely acceptable to buy prepared food and serve it to your guests. Picking up some Asian appetizers from your favorite restaurant or getting dessert from the bakery down the street is fine. And it might also be better than something that you could put together at the last minute.
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Let Everyone Help Themselves to Food and Drink
Part of being a good host at a party is ensuring your guests have enough to eat and drink. However, that doesn't mean that you need to wait on them hand and foot. They're capable of getting their own things to eat and drink, especially if it's a casual affair. You can set out a buffet for them and create a bar area where they can pour themselves drinks too. Let everyone know that they can help themselves whenever they want. You could even ask them all to bring a dish and turn it into a potluck.
Get the Party Started with a Cocktail
Kicking off the party in the right way can help to make sure it continues to be fun for everyone. To get the party started, consider offering everyone a cocktail. It's a bit more impressive than just a beer or a glass of wine, and you can pick a signature cocktail for your party. A mocktail can be available for those who aren't drinking. Of course, you can offer a variety of other drinks too, especially because not everyone will necessarily want a cocktail.
Take a Shortcut on Coffee
Ending the night with a round of coffee (or tea for those who prefer it) is a great way to wind down. But if you've got a big group, serving coffee for everyone can take a while. If you want to take a shortcut, there's no shame in using a good instant coffee. Offer some treats alongside your coffee too, whether it's biscotti or petit fours, so everyone gets something sweet to end the night with. It doesn't need to be too much because everyone will have probably had their fill of food by that point.
If you need to put together a party at the last minute, don't be afraid of using some quick cheats to save time.
