By some standards considered an endangered species, the sit-down dinner has its merits and advantages over buffets and cocktail parties. They are more intimate and can be considered “close encounters of still another kind.” Sit-down dinners require work and planning whether the end result is a family barbecue or a black-tie bash. There are things you can do to make things flow smoother and with fewer headaches for both the host and the guests. So take off your apron for a minute and don your thinking cap. Hold your nose. Here goes.
One way to reduce tension headaches at a sit-down dinner is to limit the number of guests. A dinner party of six to eight guests is manageable both for the host/hostess and for the flow of conversation. If the guests are not already acquainted, make sure they do share some common thread. Strangers may find conversation more difficult, as eating is a very intimate experience. Sometimes the two elements can collide into a permanently awkward silence. The more your guests have in common, as a rule, the better. (If they share husbands or wives however, it might be more prudent to find another kind of party to invite them to.)
When selecting guests for your sit-down dinner, mix listeners with talkers, with the emphasis on the latter. Extroverts are always a lively addition to almost any table except if they bring along their roller blades and former friends from Cirque de Soliel. Never invite people because you feel you must balance the number of men or women. In fact, if you know a hermaphrodite, now might be the perfect time to invite him/her/it to dinner. That will offset the numbers, and if nothing else, give all your other guests quite a bit of material to talk about!
Above all, have a good time. It’s your party and you can if you want to.
Related Reading:
http://forums.families.com/easy-party-ideas,t36833