Hosting a game night is a great way to gather friends and family. Unfortunately, we sometimes hardly have time to see other people. But making a deal that you will get together for example once a month to see each other and have fun playing games, is not too complicated to organize and put in everyone’s calendar.
It is a good idea that every member of the group hosts once, you can even make a schedule of it. And we will provide you with advice on how to make sure everyone will have a blast and there will be enough food, drinks, and entertainment. Here is what you need to do.
Make a guest list
We said at the beginning that a game night once a month is a great way to make sure a group of your loved ones will see each other once in a while. But you do not have to put pressure on each other that everyone has to come or it’s canceled: the host can send an invite and see who RSVPed. That way the exact number of people will be known, and games, food, and snacks can be planned accordingly.
Also, this doesn’t necessarily have to be a thing of tradition and something that is immediately built to last. One well-organized night can be enough to create memories and have fun, and eventually, spark up more of them. If you are planning a game night as a one-time thing, make sure you invite people who get along and choose games and treats according to their preferences. Because a proper guest list is the first step in a recipe for success.
Choose games and set ground rules
It’s not easy to guess everyone’s taste, especially if you never played games before as a group. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to have a small chat with everyone coming to see what their favorites are and, perhaps even more importantly, if there is a game they dislike. Of course, it’s not possible to have everyone agree on one game, so have multiple options, and ask your guests to compromise. They are for sure aware not everyone can always get what they want.
Another important part of the game choosing process is to check if everyone knows the rules of the game before you start playing. And have instructions on hand to revise the rules before you start. If you are playing a card game, why not have a gambling dictionary on hand to clarify basic terms before or during it. And speaking of card games, check whether the group agrees to play with real money or not before you start.
Another important set of rules is the ones about space you will play. Make sure everyone understands that the host would like them to stick to the kitchen or living room for example, and other spaces are off-limits. Also, make sure the designated space is well organized and provides a seat and enough table space for every player.
Sometimes having music or TV on in the background isn’t a bad idea. These can keep the guests of the party that don’t want to participate in a certain game entertained. However, it can also be a distraction, so it might be best to decide on this based on the characters of your guests.
Have food and drinks in place
When it comes to snacks to serve to the gaming party, a host should, first of all, have in mind restrictions. Check with your guests are there any vegans, vegetarians, do they have any food allergies and if there is any food they can’t stand to even look at.
The same goes for drinks: check if your guests are wine or beer lovers, does someone only enjoy soda drinking, and should it maybe be a shot party if everyone agrees. Make sure you also have plenty of water available for everyone, because hydration is important, no matter the choice of drinks and snacks.
Once the host knows what to avoid, it’s good to decide whether they will make something or it will be ordered in. Either way, timing is very important, so maybe try to choose snacks that are tasty while cold. This way they are already served when the guests start arriving.
Also, if the food will be ordered in, it is advisable to take care of it before the beginning of the party, otherwise, it will be hard for everyone to agree on the type of food and the night will end up being about that, and not about the games. And, don’t forget the desserts for those with a sweet tooth.
To conclude
A game night is hosted with one premise: to have fun. The best way to accomplish that is to do the diligence before it starts and make sure you have all of your ducks in a row. That way everyone will accomplish the mission of having a night to remember and want to do it again sometime.
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