Game Day Entertaining Anxiety?

Many people have a fear of spiders, others of snakes. Some folks find inviting friends over to their house is almost as scary. Your chances of getting bit by a snake is almost 41,000 to 1, a spider are 1 in 15,000. With spiders and snakes, we over-emphasize the possibility of something going wrong.

Many of us do that with entertaining. Almost one-third of Americans say they have too much clutter to invite people over. Others fear their homes aren’t stylish enough or their friends won’t mesh, or no one will show up. Or they’ll show up but won’t have a good time. What if you sidelined that critical voice in your head and just went for it? Have that Super Bowl Party! Stained couch, be damned.

What if you sidelined that critical voice in your head?

And your friends may be glad for it. About 60% of Americans say they’re lonely and socially isolated. Wow! They may want an invite!

We had just bought our first home – a fixer upper (It was a 1950s ranch last decorated circa 1975. And this was the 1970s décor that never came back in style.). Our second child had just been born. I was home on maternity leave and decided to throw a little party. We were new to the neighborhood. Several houses had young children, but I didn’t know the other mo

ms’ names. I pushed my stroller around the neighborhood stuffing a homemade flyer into their mailboxes inviting them to a party and indicating they could invite others. I was hoping for a pretty weather for a couple of reasons:

1. When it rained, we had to put a bucket in the front room to catch water from a leak in the roof.

2. The kitchen was cramped and covered with a wallpaper of bunches of green asparagus wrapped in yellow ribbons. (In which decade was asparagus wallpaper ever a décor trend?)

3. My glass topped stove was cracked. Only two burners were useable. The oven was so old that the numbers had been rubbed off the knobs. I used a Sharpie to mark the on/off button. For several years, I never knew what temperature we cooked anything.

When we bought the house, the owners left some old lawn chairs that were sturdy and an ancient wooden picnic table and bench that were not. It was also guaranteed to give splinters to anyone who used them. My husband planed it down and added a few bolts. That was our party/patio furniture – all of it at least 30 years old. My backyard neighbor, Alene, offered to make PB&J sandwiches for any kids who showed up with the moms. I made some simple food and a fruit tea.

What stands out in my mind was how glad the moms were to connect with one another. It didn’t matter to them what our house looked like. They were just grateful someone stepped up to bring some mostly strangers together. It helped connect our neighborhood in a new way.

Someone once told me procrastination and perfection are twins. If I had waited until the house was perfect to do that party, the kids would be half grown by then, and friendships would’ve been lost!

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If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and hosting a game day party, do it! You can use entertaining as an opportunity to:

1. Do some pre-event sporadic cleaning. Knowing I have people coming over spurs me to clean the cubbies, go through the magazines and junk mail on the coffee table or put away shoes piled by the back door. Those things usually fall under “unimportant” and “not urgent”. But when company’s coming, they’re suddenly important and urgent. Deadlines are great for my decluttering!

2. Try a new recipe. People say you should try them at home first before serving them to guests. I usually often don’t have time for that. Plus, it’s an easy excuse if it’s not perfect. (Hey, it was my first time to make it.) And you get instant feedback on how good it is and whether to make it again. Need some foolproof recipe ideas? We have those here.

3. Practice some grace toward yourself and others. I’ve made so many cringeworthy mistakes while entertaining! I called someone by the wrong name the whole night. I’ve burned recipes. Our dog, Willie, waits until someone’s in the door and then gooses them in the rear with his nose. (A couple of friends have dubbed it “The Willie Welcome.”) The list goes on. And some guests can feel socially awkward too going to someone’s house and may need a little help being at ease.

4. A chance to focus on what’s important. When you’re stressed out about entertaining or making the perfect charcuterie board, remember the higher calling of hospitality -- to create connection. Many cultures place a high value on hospitality. The Bible says, “Be inventive in hospitality.” (Rom. 12:13, Message Translation.) Also, is there someone who might not get an invite who would appreciate it? One year, my husband invited someone he’d just met who would be alone for Thanksgiving. He was glad to be invited, and we were glad he came. It wasn’t long after that that he passed away. I was so grateful that he didn’t spend his last Thanksgiving alone.

5. To have fun! The great thing about a game day party is that food and the game are the main attraction. It’s ok to keep things simple. And the recipes from Game Day Grub can help you make even the simplest party a winner!

If you need more tips on how to host a party, find those here.

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