A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Friday Night Open House

Some people in my family host Friday Night Open House in their homes each week. One branch of the family does it with pizza in PA and another branch of the family does it with hotdogs on the grill in OH.

The idea is that family & close friends know it is happening each week & can just drop in if they are at loose ends on a Friday night. The other part is that the hosts can mention it to people they've had interactions with during the week.

The stick a video (or game) in for the kids. The grown ups can watch the video or just hang out together talking.

Many of the regular guests will bring something along to share... a salad, maybe, or soda, or dessert. Some weeks very few people show up, other weeks it is a real shindig!

I used to host a big sit-down dinner once a month. But I have never thought about doing something weekly!

My family says an Open House is lots easier than a sit-down meal & suggest Maxi & I might like it after we move. Since I dislike pizza, I would probably opt for hotdogs on the grill... the only way hotdogs really taste great! In fact that might be really appealing to some people... a taste of summer in the midst of winter!

Maxi is skeptical.

What do y'all think?


Merme

For years I hosted a Tuesday night potluck for a lot of neighbors. It worked out well for the most part but started getting a little more difficult to have on a school night as my kids got older.
I had it in the restaurant on the ranch next door as it was closed on Tuesdays. We started getting several freeloaders like one little chubby lady that would bring a warmed over can of corn or something and a huge bag of empty to-go dishes and load up on a weeks worth of dinners to take home. It faded away most of the time during the holidays when people got so busy, shopping and social.
When I restarted it after that ranch changed hands, I had it at my house and invitation only. (This way I could leave out the freeloaders) This also gave me incentive to clean my house at least once a week.
We also used to host huge fish fry once or twice a year.
I am looking forward to going back to the social stuff after I really spring clean here. And get a new carpet or two. And that sort of thing.

Merme,
When we lived in Az we used to do a potluck about once a month in the neighborhood... everyone would bring something for the side dish - and their own meat to cook- we had a big grill and across the street neighbor would bring his over too if we needed 2 to cook on... kids would play in the backyard or street (quiet street) course we had a big patio and even in summer it was comfortable cause we had a mister syster and fans out there... had lots of table and chairs too- was always easy and comfortable clothes... no fuss... since it was all outside was easy cleanup and no one person got stuck with it... we had fun and if someone had company same weekend they came along- one weekend I remember with fondness my granny and her daughters came- my oldest was there with her babies at the time- and my son too with his oldest kids... had lots of fun- set out he wading pool for the kids and our dog Shadow (he was a keeshound) guarded all the kids... we had tables set up with board games too- and music going ..our neighbor Scott would play guitar and we would all sing too- was a real fun time- sure wish we could do that here but this neighborhood is not as friendly and I only know one neighbors to chat with.... maybe someday when we move back to Az to retire ... very different lifestyle there.
I bet Maxi would enjoy having get togethers once you get moved and he makes friends with people.
Nana

sounds like a lot of fun Merme.

I think this sounds like a lot of fun. I would love to do something like this but we are busy people and never know what will pop up in our schedule so it is not something I would be able to do in my own home. I would enjoy it though!!