Stress-Free Partying for Everyone

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Question: What is your best tip for hosting a gathering, get-together or party that is enjoyable and stress-free for both the host and guests?

This is really a hard question, because some gatherings are stress-free for the host and some are stress-free for the guests, but seldom are parties stress-free for everyone, right?

Stress-Free for the Host

• Make everyone bring their own food and beverage.
• Host the event in your backyard.
• Rent a port-a-potty. Don't allow your guests to use the bathroom.
• Hire security to throw everyone out after two hours.
• Keep children enclosed in an inflatable fenced-in area.

Stress-Free for the Guests

• Design five menus, including gluten-free, peanut-free, fat-free and kid-friendly. Make enough for each guest to have one of everything and then give them a choice when they walk through the door.
• Pay a housecleaner to shine up your house before the party.
• Hire wait staff to make sure their glasses are kept full of high-end drinks all night.
• Hire taxis to drive anyone home who has overindulged in said high-end drinks.
• Have open starting and ending times to the party so that no matter what else your guests have to do that day, they can still make it.
• Move your house so it is exactly five minutes from everyone on your guest list.
• Hire a babysitter for all your guests with children to occupy their children at their own house while they come to your party. This does double-duty: the parents will relax and have fun and those without children won't be subjected to anyone's spawn.

So, tricky Life Well Lived editors, what the heck are you trying to do to me?

The Happy Medium

• If you live in a nice climate or it's at least a pleasant season, have the gathering outdoors. You'll worry less about red wine on your upholstery, and they won't sweat to death. 
• Allow your guests to use your bathroom, clean it ahead of time and make sure there's smelly spray in there or at least matches, for heaven's sake. 
• Let your guests bring their children but either a) hire a sitter to hang out and keep them occupied or b) have a ton of outdoor toys, sports equipment, water balloons, bubbles, what have you so the kids can play and the adults can talk and there needn't be a lot of overlap. We once rented a bouncy house for a party -- it was like $75 for four hours and worth every penny. 
• Provide the main course and a few kinds of drinks (lemonade, water, and if you're the alcoholic beverage type, a bit of beer and wine) and ask your guests to bring any special beverages for themselves or their kids that are desired.
• Specify start and end times on your invitation, especially if you have kids you need to get to bed.
• Send real invitations as well as an evite so it's not as easy for your guests to forget all about your party.
• Follow up with those who don't RSVP so you have a better idea of headcount.
• Don't allow your children to deliver the invitations (mine invited several people in the neighborhood I've never met to a party we hosted the day I got home from a business trip).
• Prepare as many finger foods as possible to minimize utensil needs.
• Have garbage bags or bins and recyling bins at your party location to minimize clean-up or trash blowing around your yard later.
• Be cognizant of food allergies and make sure there is an alternative if you know one of your guest has one or is vegetarian or vegan.
• Check out the much better and more sophisticated tips than mine by Get Buttoned Up at Life Well Lived.
• Enter to win a Kindle Fire, because even though it has nothing to do with throwing a party, who doesn't want a Kindle Fire?