Throwing An All-Apartment Holiday Party

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Throwing An All-Apartment Holiday Party

aptsherpa · Dec 11, 2006

Throwing an apartment-complex holiday party is a great way to get to know your neighbors and develop friendships with the people who can help you out when you need to borrow some flour. Having a party with the neighbors can be a little more complicated than having a party with friends. Who should you invite? Should you invite all of your neighbors when you don’t know everyone in your building? Perhaps most importantly, how will you fit everyone in your tiny apartment? Here are some party ideas to help you throw a successful bash for your whole building.

The Invite List

Depending on how big your building is and how sociable you are, there’s a good chance you don’t know all your neighbors. Still, if you’re planning party exclusively for the building, it may be a good idea to invite everyone. If some people feel they’ve been purposely left off your list, you may have to deal with some awkward encounters in the lobby in the coming months. If your party will include friends from outside the building, inviting only a handful of your neighbors is more acceptable.

Should you invite your landlord? Even if you and your landlord have an amicable relationship, you need to consider how his or her presence will affect your guests. Have any of your neighbors had a dispute or conflict with the landlord? Has there been a recent increase in the building rents? Is the lobby in need of repairs? Any problems between your guests and the landlord can create an unpleasant atmosphere at your party and might discourage some neighbors from attending in the first place. If your landlord does not live in the building, it will be easier to have a party for tenants only. If, on the other hand, you are one of the lucky few with a wonderful landlord, go ahead and add him or her to your list.

Sending out your Invitations

If you do plan on inviting the entire complex to your event, you can create fliers and post them in common areas to alert neighbors about your party. Neighbors can spread news of your event through word of mouth. For parties with a restricted guest list, personalized invitations are more appropriate. Paper invitations will be easy to deliver to specific apartments. If you have your guests’ email addresses, you can also send an evite, customized invites by email.

Party Planning for a Small Space

If you live in a small apartment, it may not be possible to accommodate all the guests you’d like to have in a small space. Many buildings have a large common room that can be used for group events. Make sure to reserve it early during the holiday season. If your building has little more than a small lobby, consider partnering with a neighbor next door or across the hall for a party that spans across more than one apartment. If all of your neighbors are invited, you’ll need to worry less about the noise.

Think about the amount of seating you’ll need to accommodate your neighbors and any guests they might bring, If you think you’ll be short on chairs, ask the neighbors on your floor to bring one or two with them to your apartment. If your kitchen is small and you have limited counter space, you may have trouble preparing enough food for a large crowd. It’s reasonable to ask your guests to bring an appetizer, beer or a bottle of wine if your party is less formal. As the host, be prepared to contribute something to the party other than your space. Even if your liquor cabinet and refrigerator are mostly empty, you can create a signature cocktail or unusual appetizer and serve it in an interesting glass or plate. Remember that if you plan for your party to start in the early evening, guests may arrive expecting dinner. Unless you are prepared to cook for a crowd, start your event a little later when most people have already eaten.

Winding the Night Down

Because your guests won’t have to drive home, they may feel free to drink a little more than usual. You don’t want to spend the next morning cleaning out your toilet. Instead, enlist a few of your guests that you know well to help you keep a close eye on neighbors who may have had too much to drink. Consider listing an ending time for your party on your invitation as well. It’s hard to remind people about their long drive home when they live downstairs.

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