Sure, a delicious dinner and pleasant company are a must for a successful dinner party, but those are just the basics. After you’ve come up with a killer dinner menu and have invited all of your favorite people, what’s next? The best parties have fun activities and games to keep people interested and willing to mix and mingle.
1. Celebrate an Unusual Holiday
There are some interesting, weird or funny national holidays every day. Even if you’ve already picked a date, check out what national holiday lands on that day. If there’s a good one, tailor it to your party. For instance, September 18th is National Cheeseburger day. Break out those burgers! Or, if you happen to hold your dinner party on National Faux Fur Day, the first Friday of every December, you could encourage guests to arrive in their favorite faux furs.
2. Wine Tasting
Wine tastings conjure up the ideas of sophistication and opulence. Create that kind of atmosphere with your own wine tasting as part of your dinner party. Put out snacks that make good wine pairings, like various cheeses and chocolates. Wine tastings work well both before and after dinner, depending on your itinerary.
3. Book or Movie-Themed Foods
When you’re stumped for a dinner party theme, especially when it comes to the food, look to your favorite books or movies for inspiration. Harry Potter lovers might serve pumpkin pasties and butterbeer. Of course, spaghetti and meatballs is a great choice for those who love Lady and the Tramp. For Forrest Gump fans, serve multiple recipes featuring tasty shrimp.
4. Make-Your-Own Pizza Party
Get all of your dinner party guests involved in the meal with a make-your-own pizza party. Provide the pre-made crusts and a host of classic and unique pizza toppings and sauces. What original ideas will your guests come up with?
5. Photo Booth Competition
When it comes to games, take a traditional party activity and turn it into a competition. Photo booths are a must for preserving some seriously fun memories. Compile all the pictures and announce the first, second, and third place winners of your photo booth competition. The sillier the pictures, the better. Don’t forget the photo props!
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6. The Game of Celebrity
Depending on your guest list, some people may not know each other. Cut through the tension with a getting-to-know-you game before dinner starts. Have each guest pick a random post-it and put it on their forehead without looking. They then have to go up to guests and ask them questions to try to determine which celebrity is on their forehead.
7. Try Not to Laugh
Try Not to Laugh challenges have become a mainstay on YouTube, and this new trend is perfect for a dinner party. Whether you’re trying to make each other laugh around the dinner table or you have a funny playlist queued on your TV, who after laughs loses.
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Do you have any special plan for your dinner party? Let us know in the comments below!
Happy Planning!
