Q: I always struggle to find a date to host a party that does not conflict with everyone’s schedules or competing events. Do you have any ideas?
A: The closer to the date you extend your invitation, the more likely people will be busy. If it is a small gathering of 6-8 people, you can email with a few dates for them to choose and see what has the greatest consensus. If you are entertaining a larger crowd it is difficult to coordinate everyone. Use some commonsense tactics to increase the headcount. If you wish to host a Christmas open house, invitations should be received 8 weeks in advance. This means you will begin preparing for the party at least 4 months in advance to create a theme, pick invitations, etc. Use some creativity with a holiday party. Instead of December, why not host an event in November to kick off the social season? It is not too early to use festive Christmas décor, and the party will now be the first of many your guests will attend. A bonus about being early: holiday fatigue will not have set in! By choosing an out-of-the-ordinary date you have minimized your chance of competing events. Always think about seasonal activities when choosing a date. In the fall those of us in Texas always take football and hunting season into consideration if we want our attendance to be strong. If you are in the child-rearing season of life, I would suggest staying away from a July event. Many families take family vacations during this month. The key to avoiding conflicts is early planning, knowing the busy season for your group of friends, and choosing dates that might be a little out of the ordinary (i.e. a holiday party in November or on a weekday instead of a weekend). There will always be conflicts, but at least you have eliminated those things that are in your control.