The Girlfriend’s Guide to Hospitality

Let’s talk about having people over! Why does hospitality feel so hard sometimes? The idea of having people over is so nice. Chatting in my clean living room, having beautifully prepared hors d’ourves, not running ahead of someone to make sure the bathroom is presentable ... But that’s not reality. We don’t need to have perfect homes and lives to invite someone in. So just do it! Here are some tips I want to share with regard to hospitality: 1. Stop putting it off. Be honest about the kinds of excuses you might be making and just invite someone over already! I have a challenge for you: invite someone over before the end of Lent this year. 2. It’s not about your house. Reflect on the differences between the idea of “entertaining” versus “hospitality.” If you are worried about your house instead of about welcoming people, you might be focused on the wrong things. 3. Keep it simple. No one says you have to throw a fancy dinner party. Just invite friends over for dessert, or another mom over for coffee. Make sure it’s not overwhelming and you will more likely to do it again. 4. Do not make your family insane. Hospitality is more likely to be a pleasant experience for all of you if you calm yourself down beforehand. You are not allowed to make your family insane while preparing for company. Again, if you do this, maybe you aren’t focused on the right things? (Here is the funny video I mentioned) 5. Prepare for conversations. Spend a little time before your guests arrive thinking about who will be there and what kinds of things you can ask them about. What is going on in their lives? What might you ask them about? A little thought goes a long way toward making people feel comfortable and creating meaningful connections with others. Have feedback or an idea to share? I would love to hear from you!