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2 Simple Entertaining Ideas +Giveaway!

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In today’s society, we no longer offer hospitality. Instead, we call it entertaining and there are huge expectations that go with it. How about 2 simple entertaining ideas that truly allow for hospitality without all the stress of planning something fancy and serving it?

Hospitality verses Entertaining:

Entertaining makes one think of a fancy meal with at least 5 courses. A spotless house, and a kitchen that shows no signs of having prepared those 5 courses are also expected. It’s the stress of getting everything together and in front of the guests. It’s the being so stressed and busy that you never actually get to talk with your guests. And it’s the sigh of relief after everyone is gone.

Hospitality is much simpler. It’s the front door thrown wide in welcome, it’s the inviting smiles of friends as they great you and pull you inside with a hug. It can be a simple meal, or maybe not even a meal but just a few snacks. It’s the laughing together and spending time with your friends.

2 Simple Entertaining Ideas

Idea number one: A quiet evening with with a few close friends where you serve a meal and then enjoy talking together and catching up.

This is truly the time to pull out your nice dishes. I understand that it takes time to wash china when you could just toss things away, but getting out the “pretty stuff” is just one way to tell your guests that they are important.  In addition, many times when the meal is over, your women guests are willing helpers with the dishes, and it can give the guys time to talk “guy stuff”.

2 Simple entertaining ideas. Idea number one: intimate dinner with close friends

This is a time to pull out place-mats, cloth napkins, and even place-cards if you like.  Your menu can be simple but filling. I’ve placed dishes for soup and salad, a desert, and then coffee or tea afterwards.

Menu idea for a gathering of close friends:

Simply elegant entertaining

I used my fine china (garage sale find), and regular flatware for the table settings. The place-card and holder came from Mary and Martha. The place-mat and cloth napkin are from Mary and Martha as well. Both of these are reusable up to 6 washings. They are very nice, slightly more expensive than paper and much cheaper than actual cloth. The place-mat says Grateful Hearts Gather Here, and the napkin says Thankful for His Grace.

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Simple entertaining idea number two: Game night. These are best for Sunday evenings when there isn’t church or something else going on. Winter time is the best for this because one cannot be outside much and Sundays can seem long when it gets dark by 6:30.

Simple entertaining ideas #2 Game night fun!

For your basic game night you will need: salty snacks, sweets and drinks; and again coffee and teas are perfect.  I popped corn here, and put out chocolate and gummy bears, along with hot chocolate, teas and coffee. If you wish to serve some actual food, consider buying and baking freezer pizzas or just order in pizza for complete simplicity.

The theme you want here is fun. You don’t put out fancy dishes because you are going to be playing games; paper works great in this case and is easy to move around when the cards are flying.

Game night ideas

I used some fun stuff from Mary and Martha here as well. The boxes that I put the candies and teas in, say Goodness and Love. While the boxes that I put the popcorn in say “He fills my heart with good things”. They are just a small part of the new paper-ware products found at Mary and Martha. Both styles of boxes are very sturdy and are a fun way to add color and scripture to your gatherings.

What I hope you will take away from this post: Hospitality and entertaining can go hand in hand. You can offer warm hospitality and keep things elegant (or casual) at the same time, leaving you free to enjoy being with your guests.

Disclaimer: I was sent the items from Mary and Martha in exchange for a fair and honest review of them.  Since I find ordinary reviews boring, I instead chose to show you the fun and useful ways in which I will use them.

Now, who wants a giveaway? You? Of course you do!!! Well, today we are giving away a bag of free trade coffee (Burundi Mountain Blend Medium Roast) and a lovely coffee scoop that says “My cup overflows” One lucky winner with a prize value of $42!

2 simple entertaining tips plus giveawa

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Respectful opinions are always welcome

    • I know! Our only child is still taking up residence in my belly 😉 But it’s sometimes hard to play games with just 2 people. Last weekend we actually called up Jason’s grandparents and went over there to play games for a couple hours 🙂

      Reply

  6. It’s a shame – I come from a generation that just doesn’t play card games like everyone else use to. I love that you include this as an entertaining idea!

    Reply

      • FYI, Your china pattern is called the “Grafenwoehr Rose”. My mother bought this entire set (amoung others) when we lived in Germany. My father was stationed with the US Army at Grafenwoehr for several years and we made several trips to the China Factories in Nurnberg Germany to find pieces to complete this set for my mother.

        Reply

        • Yes 🙂 A dear older sister in our church called me up a few months before our wedding and told me she had 3 different sets of china that she was getting rid of and wondered if I would like to look at them. While I had picked out a set that I loved, it was really expensive so I agreed to go take a look.
          I loved the blue but there was only enough for a 12 place setting. I told her I would think about it and let her know in a week.

          I looked up the china online and it was going to be quite pricey to buy more so I wasn’t sure what to do. In the meantime I had shown my gran a photo of the plates to see if she liked them.

          Two days after showing grandma that photo, she calls me up all excited like. She was at a garage sale and she thought she saw a set of china for sale that I should come look at. So I went, and would you know, a full set of china identical to the one the sister in our church was going to give me.
          It must have been a God thing. $50 later and I had a beautiful set that will serve 20 people.

          I still love that print to this day and God knew we didn’t have the $800 needed for the china I originally chose.

          Reply

  15. I’m more of a hospitality kind of girl than I am an entertaining type. I grew up in an environment where the door was always open, coffee could be made at the drop of a hat, and the only true entertainment you offered was conversation.

    Reply

    • I love that as well! Sadly, most people do not feel comfortable “just dropping in” anymore. If we want our friends to visit us we have to make an effort to invite them. And honestly, conversation, especially with some people truly is entertainment all on its own!

      Reply

  17. I like the Blessings Carafe. Our family loves card games and board games too – no gathering is complete without them. I have such lovely memories of my husband’s grandparents teaching me to play five handed pinochle. I’m awfully glad Grandma was OK with letting the dishes sit for a bit so she could play with the grandkids…..

    Reply

  25. I love the Chalkboard Tray. I have always wanted one for my kitchen (a chalkboard) and that is a really cute way of doing it.

    Reply

  26. Blessed By the Grace of God Wall Decor – I love Crosses & Christian wall decor so this is a definite favorite!

    Reply

    • Kristi, if you ever go to my website and would like a better deal, fee free to contact me! The Blessed by Grace wall decor graces our home and I LOVE it!

      Reply

  27. I REALLY like the item : Blessed By the Grace of God Wall Decor. It’s beautiful and I can see it hanging in my living room. I feel it fits my family situation perfectly. My husband and I started out homeless, living in a shelter with a newborn baby. Almost 8 years later we have a house with a great landlord, a dependent vehicle so no more walking, access to internet so I can work (AAA work at home). We are truly blessed.

    Reply

  37. A couple other things I like are the blessing carafe and the birdie jute tote. And love the giveaway items as we are huge coffee drinkers so this is perfect. Thanks for the chance to win

    Reply

  40. I love the simple beauty here. To just share a ‘something’ with others that’s not about putting on a show.

    I should be in bed but I’m having a date with insomnia. Loving discovering your blog… just one more post… 😉

    Reply

  41. This is good stuff – It also seems that another difference is that hospitality is about others… while entertaining is about upholding MY image. 🙂 By the way, I love your china… and I have some of it also. Thank you for the post. 🙂

    Reply

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