Give me a reason (like peanut butter) to host friends and family in my home for the day…and if I have the availability and the resources, I’m excited and ready for the opportunity.
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Hosting a luncheon or special celebratory event is just something I enjoy.
Yes, there is always dusting, some cleaning, and preparation to do before everyone arrives, but to me, there’s nothing like the wonderful sense of satisfaction I feel as I look around and admire a clean and organized home before the first guests arrive.
And while I may not have the largest home in the neighborhood, I know that’s not really what matters during these occasions.
What is important to me is that our home resonates with the love and peace of Jesus, so that all who enter feel loved, welcomed, and at home when visiting.
And this is just how it should be.
Several years ago, I was so pleased to have the opportunity to host a sponsored event in our home through HouseParty.com (site no longer available). This website gave people like me- who enjoy hosting- a reason to have people over beyond just the normal holiday parties and get-togethers.
When checking out the site, I noticed that there were open applications for a Peter Pan sponsored Simply Ground peanut butter party. Although I had never done one of these before, I was excited to apply.
Yes, I would create a party centered around peanut butter, asking my guests to all bring in a dish, appetizer, or dessert featuring this delicious, popular ingredient!
While it took a couple of weeks to find out if my application was accepted, once it had been, it was only a matter of time before I received my box of free Peter Pan sponsored party supplies!
Inside of the box, I was so thrilled to find basically everything I would need to decorate, sample, and promote the Simply Ground peanut butter products.
All that was left to do the morning of the party after the previous day’s cleaning was to decorate the house, set up the food and beverage areas, and cook my main dish of Spicy Peanut Chicken, a recipe I found on the Betty Crocker site via my search engine inquiry.
Prior to the party, I had thought I would need to have games, putting a little pressure on myself to make it oh-so perfect. But with all of the regular demands and busyness of life and preparation, I never had time to really get any games together…
And you know what?! No one even seemed to notice.
Everyone just enjoyed sitting and chatting together. It was just beautiful how everyone got along so well together.
From family to friends from church to my sweet neighbor (who helped me perfect my spicy peanut chicken recipe which did not originally include peanut butter), everyone just hit it off.
And that’s one thing I love so much about these kinds of times together. It gives everyone the chance to get know each other…People who probably would never even cross each other’s paths in normal life… And even more so, it gives those of us who do know each other the opportunity to become more than just passing acquaintances, giving us more time to get to know each other on a personal level.
Yes, hosting is definitely something that brings me a lot of joy.
The ability to share my home and a sweet experience with the wonderful people the Lord has surrounded my life with enables us all to get to know each other better, and we can find so much encouragement from each other during these times as well.
Yes, hosting definitely opens up opportunities for building beautiful relationships with others.
And you’ll quickly realize after get-togethers like this that these were definitely important times worth opening up your home for…
Even if it’s an event simply prompted by an opportunity to sample free and delicious peanut butter!
This is a most enjoyable and fun post with great ideas. I absolutely love all the pictures. Everyone looks so happy. What an absolutely GREAT idea!
Thanks! Love you!
What a fun idea!!