Entertaining Center

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Modern Mom

By: Elizabeth Anne

A neighborhood party is a great way to get to know the people who live around you. As with any party, be sure to send out invitations more than three weeks in advance. Requesting an RVSP from guests is essential so you can know how much food to prepare. And even if you know your neighbors well, it does not hurt to plan some ice-breaking activities. Let’s party!

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Modern Mom

Inviting your neighbors into your home for a party can be a great way to get people together. The challenge is making sure you have enough space and getting your house ready for visitors. For a party in your home, it's going be important that you send out invitations well in advance and that you require an RSVP. You don’t want too many guests flooding your home. Select food options that you can prepare in advance, such as chicken fingers or vegetable trays, so you’re not rushing to cook the day of the party — or, make it even easier on yourself and have the party catered.

Remember to stock up on essentials like paper towels, napkins and toilet paper before the day of the party. The day of the party, clean up the house and then relax. You want to be able to enjoy the party as well, and you won't be able to do so if you're stressed out prior to welcoming guests. Consider hiring a team of servers to handle the food and drinks at the party. That way you can be part of the action instead of hiding in the kitchen. You can also consider hiring a cleaning service to come by after the party so you can truly focus on your guests and enjoy yourself.

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Progressive dinners are great neighborhood gatherings because guests don’t need to travel by car. They can simply walk together from one house to the next for the different courses of the dinner.

This type of party also lets neighbors see the inside of other houses in the neighborhood. Typically, progressive dinners have at least four stops: drinks or cocktails, appetizers, main course and dessert with coffee. You can add as many other stops as you’d like — just be sure to contact neighbors several weeks in advance with the idea and see if they are interested in participating.

For more information, please visit www.modernmom.com.

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Modern Mom

If the weather cooperates, a block party can be the best way to get your entire neighborhood engaged. With a block party, you have no space limitations, so it’s truly a case of "the more the merrier."

It’s best to start organizing the party several months in advance. If you want to close the street, you’ll need permission from the city to do so. This can take a few weeks to arrange. When you send out invitations, consider having the party be a potluck. As the host, you can provide drinks or a main dish and leave the rest of the food to others. That way, no one is burdened with feeding the whole block, and everyone gets a little taste of life up and down the block in the form of family favorite or cultural dishes.

As host, you’ll also be responsible for providing tables, tableware, music and fun. For entertainment, you can always ask neighbors to bring out their favorite outdoor games. It’s great to have a bunch of different activities going at once. Be sure to ask neighbors to bring seating for themselves and their families.

For more information, please visit www.modernmom.com.

About the Author
Elizabeth Anne is a freelance journalist based out of Kansas City, MO. She specializes in health and medical writing. Her work has been published in The Dallas Morning News, Betters Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications and the About.com health pages.