Not everyone has a clue as to the socially correct procedure of entering a party. This may not make you the king of the ball, but it’s a beginning.
You show up at the party with nada. You might not even think of a gift until you arrive, and then you see what others have in tow. How can this be?
I know it’s hard to think of everything, but think of the person hosting a party, housewarming, or social even. It can never hurt to arrive with a little something something. Some people like to bring hooch, but if things get out of control, you don’t want to be the person that broke the camel’s. Unless your guest’s have heart troubles, or have religious beliefs against it, coffee is a wonderful gift. You can find excellent gourmet coffees on the internet that are fresh roasted and reasonably priced (avoid stale stuff from the supermarket. Making an exotic fruit drink from locally grown produce is always a stand out alternative! If you aren’t near produce stands, and you don’t know what to get, the last choice for the beverage category is fruit teas. Almost everyone loves fruit teas. Low or no caffeine, they can fit into every meal and be blended with regular teas to make delicious flavored iced tea without adding any sugar. Currently I’m on a kiwi tea kick.
Obviously, we’ve covered hooch, so lets move on to comida. The healthy choice is a vegetable meddle with a creamy dipping sauce. Don’t just bring everything in a brown paper bag. Think artistic presentation! You can get a colorful, plastic tray, for very little money. It will make all the difference in the world. Keep your eye out for specials on serving dishes at stores and even yard sales. Make sure you include a card so that they know the platter doesn’t have to be returned at all.
If you don’t want to give food or drink you may want to consider bringing flowers, a gift basket, or a potted plant. It is always best to avoid hard alcohol, pictures of yourselves (unless you are attending a family event), and work related items. Finally, don’t forget to enclose your card! You do want credit for your well thought out gift, don’t you?
