To think hosting at home will be ok?

[SmartestGiantInCity]

I've not hosted a party at home for about a decade, which was pre kids (have baby and pre schoolers). I'm thinking about having a christening party at home but DH thinks we should rent a hall.

There will be about 25 adult guests, maybe about ten toddlers. I have a living room, playroom, conservatory which are all connected (and possibly an office space I could clear out) for people to go in inside, and could set up a buffet at my dining room table. My garden is an ok size too and it will be during the summer (but obviously could rain). I have a downstairs toilet (and upstairs).

Advantages of the hall: one big space, don't have to worry about anyone spilling on my soft furnishings etc, has a bar so people can sort their own drinks, set time for people to leave

Advantages of home: can set up easily before hand (I think because we'd need to set up before the church I'd have to pay for an extra couple of hours hire at the hall at £40ph), can clean up more at leisure afterwards rather than having to do it at a set time, have toys to amuse kids.

AIBU to think hosting this will be ok? Or will it be a nightmare of kids running about breaking my stuff and my kids' toys? Will I be tense the whole time or will I be glad just to be able to chill out once everyone has gone?

I'd love to hear your experiences, good and bad!

Sounds fine if you have a big enough space inside incase it rains. I don’t think it’s really that many people.

we often host parties at home. We have a big marquee and get everyone out there to eat

Personally I don't like day time events in halls. They're typically too big for the party size, people spread out round the periphery and don't mingle properly and there's a weird empty acoustic without music. Night time events are fine as there's usually dancing, but where socialing is based on conversations a small more intimate venue (your house!) is better.

It sounds like a circus to me and I’d avoid at all costs

As said it will work if you have a marquee and plan it well.

However I'd hire a hall and get a bouncy castle/soft play for the toddlers.

We regularly do stuff like this and it works well

my parents used to have a lot of parties like this when I was a kid and I do miss it, it’s nice

Any tips if we do go ahead at home? I was thinking of hiring a small bouncy castle for the garden, and we have soft play bought during lockdown so was thinking of setting up one of the rooms with this.

Any good ways to stop kids spilling drinks everywhere if we need to stay indoors?

Not sure about a marquee as my garden isn't that big.

Things I have learned.

If you don't have a marquee many scout troups hire them very cheaply. Put the marquee outside, and centre the activity outside - will save your furnishings.

Firstly you do need to encourage the kids to play outside, or they will be through the bedrooms and destroying the kids toys... SO shut doors and label No Entry (will put ones that can read off) and definitely close the stairgate at the bottom of the stairs. Nobody needs to go up (other than yourselves for the loo if a queue perhaps) and add a bouncy castle and other outdoorsy things - do you have a toy library you can hire appropriate aged toys/games eg jenga, croquet etc.
If you can do a canopy from marquee to back door/patio doors, do, & add large mats before going in (so folk use them) if it rains it'll stop the mud trapsing in.

Invest in acrylic glasses - you don't want people dropping them to shatter around lots of kids.

Encourage people to bring outdoor fold up chairs and on arrival guide your guests to put them out in the marquee - saves spills on your (nicer) indoors ones.

Do a BBQ, people always gather outside while stuff is cooking, and somehow all the men want to cook it (which is fine by me).

Any carpets or furniture can usually easily be cleaned, but use throws on the sofas for extra protection especially if precious.

We hired a local (small) function room of a hotel because they could provide a hot and cold buffet, so food was taken care of, and we separately hired a children's entertainer. Not all are equal (I've seen some dire ones) but this one was brilliant and kept all the children and to be honest a fair few of the adults entertained. Bouncy castles are reliant on good weather plus they are obviously outside which means parents have to be in and out keeping an eye, so a lot of guests are outside at any one time.

Function room with food wasn't as expensive as I'd thought and meant it was all set up ready for guests on arrival, plus no cleaning up. My older DD loved it and we got to circulate with the baby and enjoy our guests without trying to set up and serve at the same time. Also there was a paying bar. They didn't do music though, so if you do hire a function room definitely ask about that because background music is fairly essential (I didn't realise how much until we didn't have it) and if they don't, make sure you bring your own playlist and speakers. We had to rely on an old CD player and some very questionable CDs from the 1990s.

Do you mind people hanging around and not sticking to the party’s end time? I much prefer halls as there’s no stragglers trying to stick around whereas when you’re at home there’s always someone reluctant to leave who’s hanging around whilst you’re trying to tidy up!

A scout troop with a marquee? What era is this?

Yes, you can host at home. We didn’t do music. People like a chat. It’s not a wedding. We got caterers and a brilliant magician for children and adults. Decide where you will serve food and drink. Make sure there are enough seats. If you can use your garden, get a gazebo.

If you worry about your home. don’t do it. Get a hall or a function room. Also if DH won’t help!

You don't need a big marquee but you could ask friends/family if they have any gazebos you could borrow, for a bit of shelter from showers/sun shade.

I agree with PP that halls can feel a bit impersonal for small groups and much prefer home parties. Have always done these. Ideas: Friends always willing to share gazebos, garden tables, chairs or ask guests to bring. Put out rugs and bean bags for children. You can put a cheapish but large gazebo outside with tables and chairs.
Hire or borrow games for the garden. If bouncy castle or trampoline have a few adults taking turns at supervision to stop accidents.
put out bin bags on a couple of hooks so people can help clear.
make a help yourself bar after an initial welcome drink.
have a firstaid kit handy.
It helps to have extra fridge/freezer space so if you don’t have one ask a neighbour to help.
If indoors allocate a room for play and clear it of all breakable/hazardous objects.
Get huge bucket of ice from supermarket to keep drinks cool so people can help selves.
Delegate some of the hosting so you can relax and chat eg putting out food, serving, clearing, making teas and coffees afterwards.
Have a lovely christening.

Thanks! No entry signs and borrowing a gazebo are all good ideas, as is having bin bags out.

We often had parties at home of a similar size pre-Covid and our house sounds similar to yours.
Things I've learned:

• if any children will be in nappies and your's aren't, set up a nappy changing area and that reduces the risk of someone suddenly changing a messy nappy on your sofa or something
• if your children have any special or breakable toys, put them in the boot of car
• if you still have Lego/duplo/small world toys/train sets and have the space, set up some "zones". We move all of the furniture around when we have a party and the one set up creates a dead space behind one of the sofas. This has turned out to be a perfect place for a bunch of pre-schoolers to play with Happyland or similar... not in the way but close enough to parents to be kept an eye on
• if you have any hazards, flag them in the invitation. We have steps in our garden. Never an issue for our children as they learned to avoid them/go down backwards. Visiting children are more likely to be taken by surprised by their existence!
• if you need to borrow crockery/cutlery/glasses, it's much easier to borrow everything off one person than it is to ask a few people to bring a few items each

Hire glasses when you buy booze. Retailers offer this.

Those are great tips! Love the idea of zones and I had not contemplated anyone thinking it was ok to change a pooey nappy on my sofa! 😳