A FEW PARTY ESSENTIALS TO BRING IF YOU ARE A GUEST IN ATTENDANCE (2024)

FAQs

A FEW PARTY ESSENTIALS TO BRING IF YOU ARE A GUEST IN ATTENDANCE? ›

Bring a small gift.

A great dinner guest never shows up empty-handed. A bottle of wine is customary, but don't feel like you're stuck to that: A jar of jam, local honey, or preserved lemons would all be lovely, or something small for the kitchen, like a cheese knife or pretty wooden spoon.

Bring a small gift.

A great dinner guest never shows up empty-handed. A bottle of wine is customary, but don't feel like you're stuck to that: A jar of jam, local honey, or preserved lemons would all be lovely, or something small for the kitchen, like a cheese knife or pretty wooden spoon.

To answer your question: To close friends and family: Just yourselves—unless there is some special drink you want that you know I don't have.” To others: “Just yourselves!”

If they say, bring nothing, and if you decide to come empty-handed (which is fine!), show up and be helpful. Offer to help pour drinks, clean up dirty plates or empty bottles, or wash and put away dishes. Even though you're not bringing anything, you're contributing by helping them enjoy the party they're hosting.

Candles. Bakeware + Baking or Cookie Mix. Serveware and Pretty Bowls. Small Vase with Flowers.

Offer to bring something.

Chances are good that your host will say you don't need to bring anything at all, just yourself, but offering anyway is standard party etiquette.

What should you provide at a party? ›

As a general rule, hostess gifts should be given at the brunch, dinner, or co*cktail party. The one exception to this is for overnight or weekend visits.

The guest supply includes all items that are conducive to the guest's material comfort and convenience. The supplies or amenities are subdivided into 1) Guest amenities, 2) Essentials, 3) Expendables and 4) Loan items.

Note – An extra blanket, pillow or towels are very normal requests. Some guests may request a bathrobe, more shampoo, floral arrangements, etc.

The host should leave it to the guest to bring an item of their choosing, though. "It is OK to ask for a category as in, 'bring dessert,' 'bring wine,' 'bring cheese,' etc., but not request a specific item," she says. For hosts really concerned about party budget, Eisen says it's important not to overextend yourself.

You might think it's polite to accept their demands, but don't. It's always a good idea to bring something to a dinner party rather than showing up empty-handed. This doesn't have to be extravagant, and can even be a gift for the host to enjoy outside of the party.

to make a contribution to a particular activity or situation.

What do you bring to a house party? ›

The terms bring and take are often confused, and for good reason. Both words describe the movement of something from one location to another. Bring describes the movement of something toward a specified location. According to this convention, you can bring food to a party, but not take food to a party.

Bring whatever takes your fancy (and you think your hosts will like). It might be a box of chocolates, a punnet of strawberries, a box of Cheezels, a bunch of daisies, chocolate croissants or some crappy magazines (I would love any of these items).

If you are attending a dinner party or other celebration, and you've been asked not to bring anything, the rule is clear: do not show up with anything to share. Instead, discreetly present the hostess with a small token of appreciation as you are greeted, and suggest they save it for another evening.

Nobody should ask for anyone else's leftovers. The hostess can offer hers – your mother was generous, but not everyone may want them – but this is certainly not required.

It's never a good idea to show up empty-handed, no matter how close you are to the guest — and it doesn't have to be anything expensive. "You should arrive with gifts for your host," says etiquette expert Jodi RR Smith over email.

How do you make a house party fun? ›

Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler was one of the first to offer a rule for house guests: “The oldest line is still the best – guests and fish begin to smell after three days. Or, like fish, guests should go off after three days.” There you have it – Rule #1: Three days max, even for family.

You can write "please bring a dish or drink for everyone to share" in the middle or closing of the invitation and put it in bold or another colored type. If possible, you should also include the number of people you expect to attend. You could write "Please bring a covered dish for (number of people)."

The host should leave it to the guest to bring an item of their choosing, though. "It is OK to ask for a category as in, 'bring dessert,' 'bring wine,' 'bring cheese,' etc., but not request a specific item," she says. For hosts really concerned about party budget, Eisen says it's important not to overextend yourself.

Help!

Do I offer to bring a dish if invited to a dinner party? A quick call, text, or email to ask your host if you can bring anything will suffice. Follow the directions you're given, and if they assure you that you need not bring anything, it's your duty to take them at your word.

How do you make guests stay memorable? ›

Offer to bring something.

Chances are good that your host will say you don't need to bring anything at all, just yourself, but offering anyway is standard party etiquette. It's also a way to help your hostess defray the cost of the party, which sometimes can run pretty high.

Ask Guests to Arrive Early

It does not reflect the guest of honor's arrival time. Guests at a surprise party should arrive 20-30 minutes before the guest of honor. This gives everyone time to be in the right spot if you're shouting, “Surprise!” or just be hidden from windows.