How to Create a Signature Hospitality Routine

Have you longed to open your home to others around you and create a hub of social gatherings, but felt intimidated by the thought of all that goes into it? I certainly have! Fear of the food not turning out, worry over what will happen if we run out of things to talk about, or trying to figure out how to create seating for everyone can put those hospitality dreams right out of your mind. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

That is where the beauty of a hospitality routine comes in! Sitting down and taking a few minutes to think through the logistics of hosting in your space can help you establish a routine you can use time and time again. It takes the stress over the logistics out of the picture, giving you mental space to focus on creating a beautiful evening!

Am I suggesting you host the exact same type of gathering every time, or serve the exact same meal for each event? Absolutely not! Think of establishing a signature hospitality routine like choosing furniture for a room: as you select your core pieces (a couch, coffee table, and chairs, for instance) you are taking time to consider what the needs of your family are, what works with your space, and what suits your style. Those big pieces create the backbone of your room. Once they are there, you can more easily switch out the artwork, throw pillows, or floral arrangement to fit the season or your whim. A signature hospitality routine takes the basic needs of your family, your space, and your budget into consideration, and then you can mix things up as you feel like it.

Some of the best hostesses I know have signature elements to gatherings at their homes. One woman who often hosts families with children usually pulls out acrylic paints or board games for anyone interested, while others visit and take turns enjoying her massage chair. My aunt typically keeps the upstairs available for adults and those wanting to chat, while her basement is set up for the kiddos to play games, watch a game, or just be kids! My mother has traditional dishes she serves to company that make planning a meal for guests a no-brainer.

Creating a signature hospitality routine can transform hosting into something relaxing and enjoyable for not only your guests, but also yourself. So let’s dive in!

Having Signature Foods

This is one of the biggest hold-backs: “What will a fix?” “I’m not a good cook!” “What if they don’t like it?!” You don’t have to be Ina Garten or Mary Berry in order to host a meal! All you have to do is learn how to cook two to three main dishes (or find a good restaurant from which you can order takeout!) and then rotate them, adding different side dishes.

My mom’s go-to recipe when hosting is grilled chicken, made with her amazing marinade. She whips up a batch of it ahead of time, and then puts my dad or one of my brothers in charge of grilling, and focuses on making a few of her tried-and-true side dishes to go along with it. It is delicious, and suits a wide variety of dietary needs! The next time you come to her house, there’s a good chance you’ll be served a classic lasagna with her favorite Caesar salad. Or maybe it will be one of her favorites soup recipes. You get the idea.

Take a few minutes to jot down a few recipes you are confident making; or, if you’re new to cooking, scan Pinterest for a few simple or easy recipe to practice. Once you have two or three under your belt, you’ll already have main dishes you can rely on for multiple gatherings!

Some of my favorites I go back to when we host a meal are these delicious skillet Swedish meatballs, chicken parmesan, and these easy sourdough dinner rolls. I’ll list a few more ideas below to get your juices going!

• Classic Meatloaf – This one can be made the day before, kept in the refrigerator, and then pulled out and hour and a half before your guest arrive to come to room temperature and be popped in the oven. How easy!
• Slow-Cooker Lasagna Soup – This one is a great option, as you can start it up to six hours ahead of time, and can easily pair it with a quick Caesar salad and some garlic bread!
• Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas – Enchiladas are almost always a hit, and Mexican side dishes are so easy to fix (think salsa and chips, a purchased corn salad, or seasoned rice).
• Sourdough Blackberry Scones – If you are hosting a brunch, these delicious scones are just the thing! You mix-up the dough the day before, making for an easy morning-of.

Keep in mind: you don’t have to make everything! Feel free to ask your guests to bring a side dish, a dessert, or some type of bread. In my experience, they feel more at ease (and less intimidated) when they get to contribute to the meal!

Planning a Signature Drink

Having a signature drink can really be something that stands out in people’s minds. One of my friends has a classic peach mint tea she makes, and is simple and delicious. Even simply serving water, and offering a variety of add-ins (think lemon slices, mint leaves, or ice-cubes with berries frozen inside) can be a fun and easy idea! Just have a go-to, so that you don’t have to re-invent the wheel every time. I’ve included a few simple ideas for signature (non-alcoholic) drinks below!

• Homemade Lemonade
• Fresh Mint Tea
• Easy Party Punch

Dinnerware for Hosting

This one can be casual or fancy, depending on what you like. If you know you want to use paper plates and keep things low-maintenance (no shame in that!), then be sure to keep plasticware and paper plates on hand. If you have a set of family china that you enjoy pulling out, add that to your routine, and it will become second-nature to set them out for evenings you want to host.

Seating

This one just requires some thinking through of who you are having, and what your space is. If you see yourself often hosting bigger gatherings, make sure you have a folding table and some extra chairs. If you picture yourself serving brunches on your back patio, make sure your patio furniture is cleaned off and ready to go. You get the idea!

Activities

You don’t have to plan any activities at all! Some gatherings are all about visiting. But, if you are worried about running out of things to talk about, or just want to have something fun to do, having a few standard activities you know you have the supplies for can be a time-saver. Some folks always take a walk after dinner, inviting anyone who wants to to join them. Others collect tons of board games and always have something fun for whoever comes. Maybe you keep a bean-bag toss set and badminton set-up ready for outdoor gatherings, or maybe your signature activity is to have a fire in the evening and make a warm drink. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just consider what you keep on hand or what you (and your guests) enjoy doing, and have those activities ready to go for easy entertaining.

Preparation for Hosting

This one isn’t hard; just have a plan you can go back to over and over for how you prepare for guests. Maybe that looks like always setting up the extra table and making sure the bathroom is tidy the morning of, or texting a reminder (or dietary inquiry) the week before to make sure everyone is on the same page. Here are a few ideas of things to incorporate into your routine preparation for a more enjoyable get-together.

• Ensure the bathroom is stocked with needed items
• Send out a text ahead of time to see if there are any allergies to consider
• Give your living room a tidy the morning of your dinner so you aren’t cramming it in later (remember, you don’t have to clean your whole house, top to bottom!)
• Set up any extra tables or chairs ahead of time
• Set out any games or activities you’ll be using

Greeting your guests

Of course I’m not suggesting you say the same thing or follow exact actions every time you host. But just having a few ideas to routinely incorporate into the first few minutes of your evening can get the evening off to a smooth start. For us, my husband typically greets our guests and takes their coats (if needed) while I am in the kitchen finishing up food. Sometimes I’ll have our guests do something to help me finish getting ready (it seems to set them at ease to have something to do) by doing something such as filling the drinks or arranging the food for serving. Then we usually gather everyone together for a blessing over our meal, and share any instructions or explanations for the meal (where to sit, what we are having, etc.) After that, it’s dinnertime!

My husband and I were far from being experienced hosts when we began, and I remember feeling nervous as we prepared for our first guests to come! But after doing it over and over, it feels like second nature, and makes having guests over much less stressful.

So there you go! Now that you’ve taken a few minutes to think through your own signature hospitality routine, you are ready to invite your guests. Those few minutes of strategic planning can yield hours of enjoyment for both you and your guests, and cut the stress from having others over. Happy hosting!