Having a dinner party

[Dominique07]

Hi!
I am mum to DS age 2 yrs nearly 3.

Following a couple of yrs being really really skint and therefore anti-social I'm having a girl's night in at home and am hoping to rekindle old friendships which I have let slide.

I've invited 8 and 7 have agreed to come
(I thought there'd be a few more drop outs considering my hermit-like ways of late!!!)

Some of the girls don't know some of the others, but everyone knows someone IYSWIM.
My first thought was that I'll want some lively music, and lots of drinks. I thought I'd have fun with some fruit punch and home made cocktails.

Now I'm also hoping to somehow combine that with a kind of Indian Feast (which will probably be a bit more of a British interpretation of an Indian Feast) so I can make up a big pot of Chicken Biryani and rice and easily serve 8 people.

I've never done anything as remotely 'grown up' as a proper dinner party except pizza and lambrini parties as a student! I hope I'm not going to forget something really basic. I want to show my friend's that I've made an effort, but don't want to make it too hard on myself and also aim to spend time chatting with my friends not bonding with the drinks shaker in the kitchen!

Does anyone have any tips to make the night go well?
E.g. Do people do party games, and what would work???

Don't overorganise.
No games needed.
Plenty of drink, nice snacks and a pot of biryani and some bought nan and pakora will be all you need for a fab evening.

Women are VERY good at socialising!

For pudding get some decent ice cream and some cones from the supermarket with optional flakes to make 99s.

And you need chocolate. Mini eggs ideal at this time of year

You are over thinking this way too much.

Provide nice food loads of lovely nibbles and booze and a good time will be had by all.

Dont do games.

bowls of cheap sweets always go down well - liquorice allsorts, jelly babies,love hearts

OH GOD NO GAMES ;-)
nibbles to start in bowls around the place - pretzels, cashews that kind of thing
biryani sounds good
delegate drinks making to the first person to arrive or your closest friend
after the first drink, have a drinks table so people can help themselves. ENCOURAGE people to
people often like coffee or tea at the end of the party, with some nice biscuits.
don't stress about the food. people just appreciate having food cooked for them! do short cuts if you need to.
people will probably bring wine, but you need to think about decent soft drinks (drivers like J2O ime)
lots of ice! i am known as an ice obsessive. buy a bag from the supermarket. also lemon slices.
if your kitchen is big enough, then get people to congregate in there and chat.
and did I say NO GAMES!!!!

Yes, sweets, chocolate, yum. Thanks very much, I will try to go with the flow of the evening!