Early Birds and Frazzled Nerves

Dear Gala Guru,

Help! What should you do when your dinner guests are early birds and show up half an hour early to your party? Should I ask them to leave and return at the appointed time? A lot still needs to be done in the half-hour before a party.

Not Ready!

Dear N.R.

Well, early birds are always a possibility. Not everyone grasps the concept of time. I agree there is still lots to do before the party officially begins.  In the last half hour, I usually clean the kitchen from all the cooking, deal with makeup and hair, and change out of my cleaning-cooking clothes. So, I am not ready to entertain until the doors officially open. Asking them to leave and return later is always an option; however, that might make it awkward if and when they return. Most of us don’t have a pre-party waiting room with a minibar, magazines, and snacks for early arrivals. You can ask them to wait on the patio unless it’s Arizona in the summer or give them a task. As there is much to do in the last half hour, I would opt for the task option. Have the early birds pour the water, clean up the kitchen, answer the door, and do anything else that needs to be done while you prepare yourself for the party.  It puts a positive spin on the situation for you, and they may think twice about ever showing up early for a party after that.  So, take a deep breath, delegate a few pre-party tasks, and remember, there’s always a reason to celebrate.

The Gala Guru

www.thegalaguru.net