There are many reasons to entertain- to bring friends together from their busy schedules, a meet-up for business and club meetings, to introduce people, and to celebrate birthdays and holidays. The best reason is to have fun and share it with others. Entertaining doesn’t have to be a large gathering. It could be inviting a friend over for dessert and coffee, having a couple of friends join you for dinner, or choosing a night of the week to have a special meal with your family. With sufficient planning, you can be equally at ease and have as much fun when planning a large party, such as a sit down plated dinner for eight or a buffet dinner for 30, as having a smaller gathering. A great way to start is to entertain your family first.

Next, invite a small number of guests. As you get the experience, you will gain confidence, and the better you will become at entertaining. Enjoy your party, and your guest will appreciate your hospitality. Keep your positive and confident attitude so you can be relaxed. More than anything else, learn from your mistakes. It doesn’t matter if everything is not perfect at first. Most of the time, you are the only one who knows it. Never tell your guest your mistakes. Be confident, and no one will ever know. Always have a Plan B. In other words, if your salad course did not turn out right, skip that course and remove any silverware on the table for that part of the meal. The most enjoyable parts of entertaining are designing a beautiful tablescape and creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that will delight your guests. Make sure the type of party you decide upon reflects your true self. The best way to create the atmosphere is to rely on your personal preferences along with color, balance, and proportion. Theme party items used for decorating the table should coordinate with the menu and all other tableware.

• ELEMENTS OF A TABLESCAPE

Dinnerware	Flatware
8-12 dinner plates  8-12 salad plates 8-12 bread and butter plates 8-12 soup bowls 8-12 dessert plates 8-12 cup and saucer  8-12 chargers	8-12 dinner knives 8-12 dinner forks 8-12 salad forks 8-12 dessert forks 8-12 soup spoons 8-12 teaspoons

Glassware	TABLE LINENS
8-12 water goblets 8-12 white wine 8-12 red wine 8-12 champagne 8-12 double old fashion 8-12 highball 8-12 martini 8-12 multipurpose	1 white or off white tablecloth 1 tablecloth that coordinates with china and other room interior colors 1-2 table runners 8-12 dinner napkins 8-12 lunch napkins