Partay!

The urge to be hospitable is emerging again. No one liked that stay at home mandate. Social distancing is bad enough and the word “lockdown” has become an element of everyday conversation. That word has a militaristic connotation implying forceful penalties for violations and was previously applied to prison populations and then to schools/offices horrifically under attack. It is sad that this is where we are.

And yet under that skin of distrust and avoidance flows a richly vibrant pulse. It is driven by the human heartbeat of shared good fellowship and common decency. We want to entertain, have people over again. Not that the viral veil has been lifted, only that we have an irrepressible yearning for community. That’s a good thing. As good things go, I am not including the family weddings in the traditional manner sans masques or the backyard barbeque for the neighborhood sans masques or the rowdy bar scene sans masques. What I refer to are the more intimate parties of 4-6 people.

The practicality of this naturally depends on your living space and table size. We used to joke about the “kiddie table” and now we are sitting there. It has become perfectly acceptable to distribute guests at your home in satellite tables. Not every dining room table (even after the leaves are added from the closet storage) can serve for what are allowable distances between diners. Couples are one close configuration to accommodate, but once you add in any singles, you don’t want to force discomfort or uneasiness on anyone. We don’t want them to feel like outcasts. Separate everyone in that case.

If you don’t have any nice card or game sized tables to use, employ whatever you can and toss an appropriate table cloth over it to disguise its less than elegant appearance, even if it is a shop bench or plywood slab. Add a floral centerpiece (not fragrant of course) and away you go. You may elect to ask everyone to bring their own food and utensils. No one is going to say boo to that these days. If you are preparing the meal, I suggest you opt for a plated presentation rather than a buffet. People tend to clump in such circumstances and we don’t want to hear “back off” muttered in the service line. Ideally you are able to serve outside which adds a lot of ease to the whole affair. If you do have a covered porch that would do splendidly. There is no getting around the fact that indoor contacts are the most hazardous. For apartment dwellers it will be a challenge no matter what approach you take and you will want to explain the ground rules to your guests in advance with as much specificity as possible. The latest science tells us that distancing and masking are the two simplest and most efficient preventatives from infection. Your hospitality does not extend to slacking the rules.

The lavatory should have special accoutrements: sanitizing wipes, soap, throw away hand cloths and disinfectant spray among them. The comfort of your guests and peace of mind for everyone is paramount, in addition to an invitation to return!