For the longest time, the thought of hosting dinners made me sweat a little.
My biggest fear was that someone would leave our home unsatisfied…with the food, with the look of my home, with me.
But that’s because I wasn’t really understanding my guest.
I was assuming that what our guests were hoping to gain out of our time spent together was the delight of properly-placed silverware, or the thrill of a well-executed 3 course meal, or the pleasure of relaxing in a home where everything has that distressed, shabby chic look and the color palette is visually stunning and soothing at the same time.
So of course I was stressing myself out! I was putting all of my energy into trying to create a scenario that – for one – doesn’t and will never exist, and – two – isn’t even necessary.
This is why it isn’t necessary…because the reason people want to be invited into another’s home has nothing to do with a compliment-worthy setting that has been created. Rather, most people are simply hoping to gain relationships! In other words – it’s not about me and it’s all about them.
Once I finally and painfully came to that realization, everything changed – I was free! I packed up “fake, formal, wannabe-shabby-chic Lauren” and threw her away so that “normal, God-made-me-with-my-own-set-of-gifts-and-abilities Lauren” could do her thing.
And games are my thing. 🙂
I love games. And I think they are just the thing to take any type of gathering from “polite table talk with maybe a few awkward silences here and there” to “instant bonding and camaraderie allowing for everyone to relax and have fun and never want to leave.”
It’s true. Games can do that.
And just to clarify…when I say “games” I’m not necessarily talking about Monopoly or Scrabble or Sorry, although those are super great.
No, planning a dinner in which your guests are given the opportunity to be the highlight of the evening will require something more than a board game.
I want to share with you one of the most hilarious and well-received games that we have played with dinner guests. It is so, so easy to prepare and even easier to play.
Ready?
The Hidden Phrase Game
Throughout the evening, everyone will have to work a random phrase into the conversation without anyone recognizing it as “the random phrase.”
Before the guests arrive, I tape a phrase underneath the front of the table where each person will be sitting. Once we are all seated, I tell everyone to look for their phrase and read it – but don’t let anyone else see it!
I give them their mission: Slip your phrase into the conversation at any time tonight. Try to make it as natural as possible, because if you can say it without it being noticed you get a point. And the person with the most points at the end of the night wins a prize!
The prizes are usually little “Game Champ” ribbons that I make.
You can also win a point by correctly guessing when someone says their phrase. But you lose a point if you charge someone with saying their phrase but, in fact, it wasn’t! This is when people start being tricky…they’ll say silly things to try to get people to make incorrect guesses.
I love this game. It’s hilarious, and you get to see a silly side of people that, well, you usually don’t get to see in the fast pace of the real world.
These are some of the phrases that I have used for the game:
- I just can’t believe how fluffy the clouds have been lately.
- Does anyone here have some fingernail clippers I could borrow?
- My mouth feels like wet velcro.
- Does my voice sound really high-pitched to you?
- If you don’t mind, I might need to go lay on the couch in just a minute.
- The dirt is so lovely this time of year.
- I keep forgetting that lions exist.
- My doctor told me I need to start blinking less.
Doesn’t this make you want to invite a group over for dinner tonight so you can play this game??
Enjoy the game and enjoy your guests. 🙂
Any other fun hosting ideas out there?
