Party Planning

Holiday Entertaining Holiday season brings a relationship issue that most people don’teven realize — what to bring as a hostess gift. During this season,above all others, food is prevalent, and makes a great hostess gift– but you have to know the rules!* Never show up to a party or a dinner empty-handed. It’s badmanners and it’s inconsiderate. Whether it’s a cocktail party, adinner party, a Christmas party or you’re a weekend guest atsomeone’s home, bring something.* Gift Giving doesn’t have to be stressful.. When in doubt,visit AskApril.com’s “Gift Giving Rules, Tips & Advice” column –itoffers answers and solutions to all your gift giving questions.Follow these tips, relax, and enjoy your holiday visit!If you’re meeting your honey’s family for the first time at theholidays, you’re probably nervous about what kind of hostess gift tobring, and you’re probably not the only one who’s nervous.Introducing a boyfriend or girlfriend to your family for the firsttime is a major step in any relationship that announces, “We’reserious.” No one should introduce a boyfriend to your family unlessthis is someone you want to go all the way with — and I DON’T meansex. I mean marriage or a long term, committed relationship. Ifyou’re not serious about him, don’t bring him home to meet the family- unless it’s in a group of your friends who are coming for dinner.1. Discuss a hostess gift with your girlfriend or boyfriend. Someguys don’t know that they should bring a gift to your mother. Educatehim. Tell him what she would really like. Or what your dad wouldlike. If this is a holiday gathering, a fail safe gift is a holidayplant like a Poinsetta, or festive centerpiece , also great are a boxof goodies for the entire family. If the family loves music, he mightwant to burn them a compilation of great holiday songs, which is verythoughtful, and they can put it on the stereo and have something tolisten to and talk about. Regardless of what it is, when he shows upat the door with a big gift basket, a bunch of CDs that he eitherbought or burned himself, the attention will be on the gift, and youcan avoid any awkward getting to know you silences or not quiteknowing what to say.2. If anyone in the family is alcoholic, recovering from somethinglike an eating disorder, drug abuse, or has a chronic illness, or anew divorce, you should let your boyfriend know so he doesn’t show upwith a case of wine as a gift or make jokes about dying or any othertopic that may be off color given the circumstances.