Are you one? What is the reason you think you are a good host?
Please share a few tips with us , that in your wise opinion make any ordinary lady/gentleman a fantastic host?
I shall start with mine
As soon as guests arrive at the table, I annouce my menu of the occasion to them, from starters to dessert and after tea … so they know they must stuff themselves up in a balanced manner
Secondly, as I place food on the table, I take a minute to explain the ingredients of each dish , so if someone dislikes a certain ingredient they dont pounce on that dish Its not a detailed one just a simple one , something like " Chicken karahi , cooked in yoghurt and tomatoes " … "Pasta Salad , contains prawns as a special delicacy " etc etc …
Now , you wanna share with us , if you were a host , what is that special thing you will do to make a good host … or any particular thing that you have noticed anyone around you do that made you feel they are a good host?
A tip from my sister. When she invites other couples with children she ensures that the children always have kid-friendly menu choices and she has activities for the kids to do. For example, she will make plain cookies and have the kids decorate the cookies or have the kids make puppets - this keeps the children occupied and the parents free to enjoy adult conversation.
One time around Christmas, the stores had build your own Gingerbread house kits. She bought a few (she had I think close to 8 kids at her place) and the kids had a blast. Actually, come to think of it, the adults (husbands and wives) got into the fun and started to build the houses themselves.
One last tip - when she has a really big gathering (60 to 100+) she will hire a child minder for the day. She has a play/toy room upstairs and she encourages the kids to play upstairs with the child minder looking after the kids. This way the adults are free to enjoy the party and the kids are not bored out of their minds.
Sehrysh , those were fantastic tips loved reading them …
LP, I do that too … I make them eat with a danda .. like aaph kyu nai lai rahe bi ? and pour some zaberdasti in their plate .. I have stopped doing that to all the guests .. just to the ones that i dont like
I try to serve them drinks while they are eating or have one of my family members help and serve drinks. Also, something my parents do best is they serve kashmiri chai after dinners and people just love them :)
My mom is like that, but in a different way, she’ll keep encouraging guests to get seconds, and gets kind of aggressive, keeps repeating it over and over again lol.
Gina , thats actually very true ... coz I remember during winters , when people come for a visit , they ask for something garam immediately and i guess its the other way round in the garmi ... so yeah cool drinks is a fab idea ...
Gina took mine.....I always try to provide a drink right away......especially if we are still waiting for everyone to arrive and dinner might be a few more minutes from being served.
And I try to make this drink a little special......like Saturday's cocktail was a combo of lychee, pomogranate and 7Up.
Reha , not wierd at all … I do the same .. I love to add color to my dishes … and if its something like chicken karahi , which is all in one color then i garnish it with bright colored herbs /vegies … it just makes the food even more yummilicious …
Its not a detailed one just a simple one , something like " Chicken karahi , cooked in yoghurt and tomatoes " … "Pasta Salad , contains prawns as a special delicacy " etc etc …
loved reading them …
… I make them eat with a danda 
.. like aaph kyu nai lai rahe bi ? and pour some zaberdasti in their plate 
Like I want to make sure my menu looks bright and fun…is that weird?
… it just makes the food even more yummilicious …
