Hosting a dinner party is a wonderful way to connect with family and friends. After all, everyone loves food and good conversation! And the best part is, you don’t need to wait for a big holiday like Christmas to host one! Here are eight excuses you can use to host a dinner party today.

1. Birthday

If you have a friend or family member–or even a neighbor down the hall who has a birthday coming up, throw a dinner party! Everyone can come together to wish them well while enjoying a wonderful meal. It’s a perfect way to see the people you care about and create cherished memories. Don’t forget, pet birthdays count, too!

2. Welcome (Or Welcome Home)

Do you have a new neighbor moving in? Throw a dinner party to welcome them! Or is a friend coming back from vacation or a hospital stay? Throw a dinner party! You’ll show that you care, make friends, and have tons of fun. 

3. Celebrating Achievements

Celebrating an achievement is a magnificent reason to host a dinner party, and it doesn’t have to be a huge achievement. Did you conquer a new yoga pose? Dinner party! A friend just retired? Dinner party! You tried painting for the first time? Dinner party! Your grandson dressed himself today? Dinner party! You get the idea.

4. The Game is On

Is your favorite team playing tonight? Have some friends over for a dinner party. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Pizza is just fine. Enjoy chatting with your friends while watching the game, and feel free to repeat it next week, too!

5. Book Club

If you have a book club, why not combine it with a dinner party? That way, you can discuss your latest novel while partaking in a fabulous meal. Somehow, conversation is always better with a little wine and cheese. 

6. Full Moon

Whether you believe the full moon is a time of magic and mystery or just enjoy being able to dine in the moonlight on your balcony, the full moon is a marvelous excuse to throw a dinner party. Just think of all the themes you can have–romantic moonlight, cheese tasting, harvest festival, werewolves–hey, anything goes!

7. Weather

Throughout history, people have celebrated changes in weather with feasts. So why not do the same with a dinner party? Snowed in for a week? Serve a warm meal and have hot chocolate with dessert. The first nice spring day? Host an outdoor party to celebrate. Bright and sunny? Dinner party by the pool. Are the leaves changing? Sounds like a great time for a party featuring apple cider, squash, and other seasonal treats!

8. Sharing New Food

Did you recently take a cooking class or go on vacation to another country? Host a dinner party to share your experience with your friends. Whip up the new dish you just mastered or introduce your friends to a new cuisine. You can even go all out with a theme showcasing the country of origin of tonight’s meal so your friends can feel like they visited, too!

Need more dinner party companions? Why not join the vibrant community at Normandy Living? Whether you want to host a dinner party in your apartment, have a picnic in the courtyard, or let someone else do the cooking and meet up with friends in the dining room, Normandy Living provides ample opportunities to make friends and socialize. Complete this form for priority consideration.