How often do you host?

[MaryMak07]

I’ve mentioned having ppd on here, because of which we’ve had way less people over than normal. But we still have friends or family here on sometimes. We don’t host too many big events bc of a small hone, but play dates, dinner etc

 

My neighbor said something to me about how they NEVER have people over and I felt a bit surprised. I didn’t pry as to why. She also has a small house (we both love in 1200 sq foot townhomes) and they have 2 more kids (we have 3 and they have 5). She’s super outgoing and a self proclaimed extrovert. She’s also a homeschool mom.

 

I’m not judging at all, it just piqued my interest and made me wonder: how often do you host others in your home? If it’s never or super infrequent, why? Just curious!

[Joyofsixreboot]

We have people over extremely infrequently. Maybe some family 1-2x a year. Maybe kids 3x a year. I love people and am extroverted but my husband is beyond introverted. Anyone here upsets and unnerve him. Yes that's not normal but it is the situation. I often meet friends for coffee or wine or somewhere else.

 

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[Carrie12345]

Almost never, and it's mostly due to the size and layout of our house.

 

We're at about 1100sf with 7 people, though my oldest doesn't have a lot of "stuff" here. Our kitchen/dining/living room combo is around 400sf.  AND contains a lot of our homeschool supplies.  It's tight for entertaining, particularly if cooking is involved.  There's nowhere to really separate kids and adults.  Their bedrooms are small, tightly packed, and right next to the open area.

 

We have a large property, but it isn't all that conducive to big barbecues or kids running around. It's mostly in its natural state (rocky forest.) We do have a small gazebo area that's nice for sitting and chatting with a friend or two in good weather. That's about it.

 

No matter how on top of things I manage to stay, having guests always means a big cleaning spree, because any clutter/mess/filth is magnified in such a tiny space.  Plus all 5 kids share the main bathroom and there's almost never a time that there isn't one mess or another in there!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Also a small space here with 6 people.  

 

We host DH's family (2-3 people) about once a month.  

 

We host kid friends a few times a week in a pretty spontaneous way, and play dates including moms once a week or so.  

 

How much I straighten up really depends on who is coming over.  The moms likely to be regularly invited are moms who are equally casual in their housekeeping and tend to be homeschoolers as well.  

 

As my oldest approaches the tweens, I'm trying to make our home feel fun and safe and cool for the neighborhood kids.  Snacks, big screen movies form time to time, board games, trading card games, etc.  When it's just kid guests, I'll routinely just pop in headphones and listen to a podcast while I putter around the house.  The space is small enough that nobody can really get up to many hijinks.  

[Pawz4me]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by host.

 

We've lived in this house since April 2016. We've held big family gatherings twice (Christmas 2016 and for DS19's high schoo/CC graduation). The boys are both in college, but when home occasionally they have a friend or a small group over (I don't know if having one of their friends or even several hanging around counts as hosting).

 

For family events we tend to take turns, rotating among homes, so nobody hosts often. Our friends prefer to gather in restaurants.

 

We're all introverts and it totally exhausts us to have people here. 

Edited December 30, 2017 by Pawz4me

[JudoMom]

We host our community group 2x/month. Lunch and fellowship, and we've had up to 40, including kids. Right now we're averaging about 25.

 

Other kids: 2-3x a month.

 

Other families: maybe 1x a month.

[Zinnia]

We invite our families frequently; they end up coming over once or twice a year. All of our families (my side and inlaws) don't like to drive in the city and are noticeably uncomfortable when they are here.

 

We end up with friends over about once a month. I got into a habit of outside playdates (parks, events, playdates) when my oldest was young. I seem to always have one kid that is struggling to behave, and the novelty of another location helps behavior. We still do a lot of outside stuff.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Zinnia

[JFSinIL]

Down to just one BIL living close, so unless he flies off to see a different sibling (he and hubby have four other siblings scattered across the country) he comes here for holidays. Other than that, I do not have people over. Anti-social introvert here ;-) . I do not like going to other folks's houses much, either. Or going out at all, much. My dad was much the same, and so are two of my four kids.

[Heathermomster]

Our home is small, and we host dinners throughout the year. We are invited to homes frequently. During the summer, friends come over, and we meet a variety of families in town for dinner.

[marbel]

We have a group over for lunch once a month, most months.  Once a year church picnic.  Once a year Christmas party,most years.  Dinners or after-dinner casual get-togethers, probably average once a month, though more often in warm weather than cold!  (Our house is small, our back yard is biggish.)  Occasional special things like baby or wedding showers.  

 

I'd like to do more!

 

We have no family nearby, and I didn't count times when kids' friends come over. 

 

 

[ThisIsTheDay]

We have two couple friends, and the six of us are like best friends. We have them over just a few times a year, or we go to their homes. We see each other much more frequently, sometimes weekly, but at a brewery or other restaurant with great beer options. And 2 or 3 of us women often get together, coffee, lunch, etc., also away from home.

[MEmama]

I'm forced to have family stay with us 1-2x/year. Other than that? Never.

 

I don't feel like that's weird, though.

[madteaparty]

Once a month at the very least.

[Garga]

It’s been years since I’ve had adults in the house. The kids have friends over from time to time, but they stay to themselves.

 

I have no idea why I don’t like hosting, but I can tell you I do NOT understand all those home remodel shows where the homeowners say, ‘We need space for entertaining.’ That’s sooo not me.

 

I don’t feel bad about not hosting. We go to other friend’s houses or out to restaurants. I have some friends who entertain practically nonstop.

 

I’m not a great housekeeper, so I hate the last minute tidying up. I greatly dislike cooking, so I don’t like having to prepare extra food for people. I don’t have very good furniture, so some of my larger friends look physically uncomfortable on my couches and chairs. The layout is a little awkward for entertaining as the kitchen is tiny and isolated from the rest of the house.

 

I suppose if I were to remodel, then I would want a layout that would be good for entertaining, since mine isn’t, but that wouldn’t solve the tidying and cooking issues.

[QueenCat]

I wouldn't consider playdates or the kids having friends over as hosting. To me, hosting is when it is more of a planned dinner/lunch that involves my planning food (beyond quick sandwiches/snacks) and entertaining. My kids are now young adults, but the one that lives at home does have friends over, but that's not hosting, to me. We have adult friends over, at least twice a month. Sometimes just one other couple, other times a few couples. We go to other people's houses for dinner a couple of times a month. If we meet friends at a restaurant, none of us are hosting.... 

Edited December 30, 2017 by QueenCat

[Garga]

I’ve been thinking this over. It’s not really the cooking and cleaning.

 

It’s that we have different kinds of friends than in the past. We don’t have many friends where all four of us get along with all the members of the other family to the same level. When we have one particular family to visit, my dh and the husband have a billion things to say to each other, while the wife and I stare at each other and try to come up with topics of conversation. And when we have another family to visit, it’s the opposite. Or our kids don’t have anything in common with their kids.

 

When we were younger, we could all get together constantly to form those super close bonds—in our 20s we hung out with a group of friends 3-4 times a week, every week. But now that there are kids, it’s different. Getting together is spotty so the friendships aren’t as strong. We moved away from the older friends (an hour) and those friendships are still there, but are faded and we only see the old friends once or twice a year.

 

And I just don’t have the energy for other people, frankly. I don’t have lots of energy to begin with, and I feel like I’m usually barely keeping my head above water just to take care of my responsibilities. Having someone to visit tends to cut into the time I’m using for other things. It’s easier to head out to a restaurant and hang out for a few hours and then come home.

 

There are 3 sets of girlfriends that I make a point to meet for dinner every 3 months. I meet with Jo-Ann at a Subway halfway between our houses (we live an hour apart.). I meet with Brandi at Quiznos, alone, because she has 4 little boys and it’s the only way we can talk for more than 2 sentences at a time. I meet with Melissa, Shannon, and Sara as a group at various restaurants because they all have little kids and need to get out of the house from time to time. Trying to coordinate meeting with their husbands and kids in tow is either too complicated, or the dh’s aren’t really friends.

 

And when I’m with my girlfriends, I don’t want to be home, because my house is small and there’s nowhere private to talk, and it feels awkward to have 3 guys walking through the house (my sons and DH) while I’m talking with a girlfriend. Like, would the one really feel comfortable talking with me about her medical issues with 3 guys hanging around? Or the other talking about her autistic child (whom my kids know) and how she tries so hard to help her child, but it’s very frustrating?

 

So...long answer! We don’t as a family all get along with other families that much, coordinating when to get together with an entire family is a pain, and if I want time with a girlfriend, I don’t want my guys hanging about listening in. The house is small. I hate cleaning and cooking.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Garga

[Ann.without.an.e]

All.The.Time.  I love to host.  I think that hospitality is a gift for me.  We even hosted my entire family for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and we are hosting the New Year's party too.  My mom used to take some of the Holidays but she likes for me to host because my house is larger with lots of room.  And she just likes for me to do everything and I am happy to do it.  My mom is young so it isn't an age issue.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Attolia

[Serenade]

We host family maybe 2-4 times a year.  We don't usually have others over.  The big reason is my house -- I have a hard time keeping it clean and picked up.  It kind of makes me sad, but the messy house thing is the reason I stopped entertaining.

[wintermom]

Maybe 2 - 3 times a year. We just renovated our kitchen to make it more open, so technically it's much easier to host it's just impossible to find any free evenings. When the schedule does lighten up we just want to relax and be alone.  :o

[Spryte]

We have slacked off a bit lately, but we have people over often.

 

Our best family friends are a family of 7, and since they have cats and we are severely allergic - we get together here.

 

Play dates and school dates (we do similar courses and we do some stuff together) - probably once or twice a week.

 

Maker Days are once every few months - we host a lot of kids for those. Parents are welcome, too.

 

We usually have adult friends over (with their kids) once a week, possibly every two weeks. That will be something like dinner and an afternoon of play, or in the summer we will shift later and do dinner and s’mores.

 

We have big parties for birthdays in our group of family friends - everyone is assigned a “birthday buddy†and we do joint parties. Once or twice a year, one of those parties grows to gargantuan proportions and we end up with 50 - 60 people. Though we managed to curb that last year, whew.

 

Oh, and not necessarily on the house (though they are welcome), we regularly have a crowd of neighborhood kids in the yard or out in the cul de sac. Being The House means I know what they are up to, so it’s good.

 

ETA: this is for the past few years, maybe the last 5 or 6. Prior to that my health was too precarious, and we’d have a big family gathering once a year or so, but that was it.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Spryte

[Baseball mom]

Other than 1 friend stopping by for coffee and maybe lunch and my dc friends hanging out, uh never.

 

My parents come over for dc birthday (just cake & ice cream) and Christmas morning for an hour.

 

There are several things in my house that NEED to be repaired. Between that, crappy furniture and honestly we are not the neatest people (is clean just scattered) I stress like major bad when people talk about me hosting something.

 

Maybe if we could get the repairs made I would try at least with family.

[JustEm]

We have friends over every other Friday for boardgames or Pathfinder. But I don't have to cook anything.everyone brings booze and snacks to share.

 

We don't ever have people over for playdates unless they are related to us mainly because our house is too small. Relatives are always welcome over, in fact I've got 4 of my nieces and nephews hanging out right now. I'd say, when my parents are out of town, we have family over every other week. If they're in town they have us over twice a week.

 

We never host holidays. But dh likes having a BBQ for his bday every year

[Lizzie in Ma]

We host family gatherings rarely due to the house set up, my sister's place is much easier for my parents.

BUT, we always have people over, close friends, a horde of teens, it differs day to day.  Our home has always been a come by, you are welcome kind of place and we love it that way.  I don't consider it "hosting" as they are welcome to eat whatever we've made, I don't go much out of my way to do otherwise.  I will make a plate of nachos, popcorn, pasta or a stack of quesadillas for the teens quite often though.

[KungFuPanda]

I have people over at least weekly. Getting DS out of the house can be a bit of a production with equipment and ramps and whatnot and it’s a huge pain in the winter. Accessibility is just better at home than most places, so I lure people to us with snacks and lots of tea.

 

I teach weekly dance classes in my dance room that turns into an hour of class and two more hours of socializing. When I convert the dance room to a dining hall I can seat twenty in there. My house isn’t even very big, but none of the rooms are tiny so it works for entertaining.

 

Dh doesn’t care if we EVER entertain, so he’ll frequently hide upstairs when I have people over. If he didn’t have a family he’d happily be a hermit.

[mommyoffive]

Maybe one time a year when forced into it.   I would like never. 

 

 

[hornblower]

Very infrequently and only very special people.  I don't have an office, our living room is our study & work space, I'm super private about my bookcases, my vision boards, my sticky notes all over the place. 

Some of you might remember how wigged out I get when people come over and look at my bookshelves or things on my fridge LOL.  Most people I'd prefer to just meet at a coffee shop or a restaurant etc....

[KungFuPanda]

Very infrequently and only very special people. I don't have an office, our living room is our study & work space, I'm super private about my bookcases, my vision boards, my sticky notes all over the place.

 

Some of you might remember how wigged out I get when people come over and look at my bookshelves or things on my fridge LOL. Most people I'd prefer to just meet at a coffee shop or a restaurant etc....

If it helps, a tension rod and a piece of cloth can cover your bookcases and make them look neater. I have sari fabric on a couple of mine and it makes the entire space look less busy. I tend to overload my bookcases so they never look picture perfect. 😕

[regentrude]

I host frequently.

small sit down dinner parties for 6-8 - about once a month when DD still lived with us, less since she left

after dinner reception for 20 people - 4-6 times a year

choir potluck for 30 people - twice  a year

summer party 50 people once a year

New years Eve 20 people - once a year

 

Guests gather mostly in the kitchen and may spill over into the living room, except for the summer part which is outside. 

 

When we lived in a 700 sq ft apartment as a family of four, we had friends over for dinner frequently, sometimes parties for 8-10, and  larger gatherings of 25 once/twice per year.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by regentrude

[regentrude]

I don’t feel bad about not hosting. We go to other friend’s houses or out to restaurants. I have some friends who entertain practically nonstop.

 

And some of those friends are entertaining all the time because nobody else bothers.

It does get pretty old to be the.only.one who ever hosts. 

Edited December 30, 2017 by regentrude

[regentrude]

I'm super private about my bookcases, my vision boards, my sticky notes all over the place. 

 

Some of you might remember how wigged out I get when people come over and look at my bookshelves or things on my fridge 

 

What's the issue with bookshelves? Looking at bookshelves is fascinating and tells so much about one's friends. It's the first thing everybody I know looks at. I grew up in a country where people live in apartments and all my friends' living rooms are dominated by bookshelves. 

[KungFuPanda]

And some of those friends are entertaining all the time because nobody else bothers.

It does get pretty old to be the.only.one who ever hosts.

I’m just gonna patiently wait for manners and social skills to come back in style. It has to happen eventually. 😂

[Jean in Newcastle]

Very rarely any more. My kids are past the ages of play dates. They tend to go out with friends to do things- hiking, biking, working out etc. it’s kind of hard to do that in our living room. If you mean people stopping by on their way to those activities then frequently - but I don’t consider them hosting.

 

SIL hosts all family stuff because she wants to. I got tired of being micromanaged. So I don’t host. I just go to her house and bring what she tells me to bring.

 

My own friends and I often meet at coffee shops or restaurants halfway between their house and mine. We don’t live super close by.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited December 30, 2017 by Jean in Newcastle

[regentrude]

I’m just gonna patiently wait for manners and social skills to come back in style. It has to happen eventually. 😂

 

I have been waiting for 16 years (since I moved here - it was never an issue back home) for many people to even make the occasional gesture of reciprocating. I am not expecting one-to-one return invites. Just, maybe, people who have been in my home 20+ times to invite me... once?

Edited December 30, 2017 by regentrude

[flyingaway]

When I was in my 20s, I set a New Years goal one year to practice hospitality because I was an awkward, introverted, perfectionist who was cutting myself off from others. So every month I invited people over and eventually found that I enjoyed it.

 

At one time, we had a weekly meeting in our house that I still miss. Now it's something about every other month. I expect that will go back up once we're out of this season of life where we're ferrying kids to their activities.

[marbel]

Very infrequently and only very special people.  I don't have an office, our living room is our study & work space, I'm super private about my bookcases, my vision boards, my sticky notes all over the place. 

 

Some of you might remember how wigged out I get when people come over and look at my bookshelves or things on my fridge LOL.  Most people I'd prefer to just meet at a coffee shop or a restaurant etc....

 

I remember that!  

 

I love having bookshelves to look at in people's houses.  It can be a conversation starter, or give me something to do when I have no one to talk to. I'm not good at starting conversations. But once or twice I've started a conversation with another shy person who was also looking at the bookshelves!  We talked about... books. 

 

There is very little in my living room and kitchen (the only place people are welcome in my house) that I wouldn't want anyone to see.  Stuff on the fridge is good for conversation too. 

 

One year I had "homeschool rules" posted on the fridge.  People got a kick out of that.  1. Date your work.  4. Date your work.  6. Work submitted in Comic Sans will be not be accepted.   7. Write the date you do the work on your work.   The other bullet points were rather dull.

[happypamama]

We almost never have people over. Neither DH nor I are extroverted, and dinner parties and super bowl parties and all are just not our thing. We have his parents here a couple of times a year and mine sort of randomly. Mine might be around for a bit several times over two weeks and then not at all for a couple of months. Mine are low pressure and don’t expect nor care if the house is perfect. I do generally try to tidy up, but eh. It’s not a big deal.

 

I have one close friend who also has several kids who are my kids’ ages, so we try to get together at her house or mine once a month or so for a several hour play date, but it’s never a big formal sort of thing.

 

We live 30-40 minutes from most other friends, and I feel badly asking people to drive all the way up here, but I don’t mind driving. But even still, when I get together with friends, we tend to go out to dinner. There are a couple of places where we can get a good dinner without spending a lot, and we can talk uninterrupted by kids/husbands. Nobody has to cook, clean, or clean up, and we all have a good time, even the couple of us who are very introverted. ;). When we have board meetings for our homeschool group, we tend to go our president’s house, or we meet at Panera or the like, all of which are more central to most people than my house.

 

My house is also in serious need of work/updating and frequently has parts under construction. Hopefully the bulk of that will be done this year, but even still, it’s still a long way for other people to drive, and even still, we aren’t suddenly going to turn into party animals.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I pretty much never host anything.

 

 

[J-rap]

I'm not an extrovert, but for some reason I've always enjoyed hosting.  Before kids (5 years), we hosted often, at least every other week.  My dh got us started on this because he loves doing it and he loves to cook!  With five busy kids and a small house, it became harder, but we still hosted maybe every other month or so.  It was easier to do this in the summer because we have three porches that open up in the summer and then more room.  

 

Now that we generally have only one (or none) child home, we host a little more often again -- maybe twice/month.  My dh is unable to cook anymore (darn it!), so now it's up to me and I do get a little nervous about that (I'm not a great cook!), but I've found some recipes that work.   :)

 

We host family any time.  I don't consider that hosting because they're so easy.  My parents or sister or in-laws can come and stay anytime for as long as they want.  (They're all very easy to have around, and fun.)

 

We also host friends overnight now that we have extra bedrooms, and as long as they're okay with not much privacy (small home, one bathroom), it's okay with us.  I sometimes have friends who come and stay for two weeks.  I love that.

Edited December 30, 2017 by J-rap

[SparklyUnicorn]

I don't mind hosting.  I just don't have anyone to host to.  AND even if I did, it would be problematic because there is nowhere to park where I live. 

[JustEm]

And some of those friends are entertaining all the time because nobody else bothers.

It does get pretty old to be the.only.one who ever hosts.

I try very hard to make sure my friends with lots of kids know I'd love to host them at our house but it is simply too small. I make up for it by offering to bring snacks so they aren't always the ones providing a snack. And I always make my kids help clean up before we leave. It amazes me how many people will leave a house that their kids help make a huge mess of without at least offering to help clean up the toys.

[Seeking Squirrels]

For play dates, we usually are the host home. DD5 has anxiety and can't handle someone else's house, so if we're playing with friends, it's here. This could be anywhere from once a week to 4/5 weeks between. 

 

We want to host a game night more often, but as is it only happens once or twice a year. We're doing a game night for NYE and having two other couples (and their kids) over. 

 

Our biggest hurdle to having people over is usually that the house is a mess  :o

[regentrude]

I try very hard to make sure my friends with lots of kids know I'd love to host them at our house but it is simply too small.

 

That makes perfect sense; of course I understand people not having space to entertain large numbers of guests. Or people whose houses are not set up for entertaining children. But how hard would it be to invite two adults?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I haven't hosted an actual party here in years.  I had chronic pain.  Getting the house ready for the party puts me into a pain flare.  Then I have to still survive the party.  Also dh works two jobs.  We don't have free weekends or nights on the calendar. 

[EMS83]

Almost never.  DH is an extreme introvert, and works form home randomly.  When he had a 9-5 outside the house, I hosted playdates more often, but that's it.  I've never served a dinner here or anything like that.  We have grandparents over for the kids' birthdays, which counts (it counts for him).  For about half of the parties ever, we've invited friends.  Not any more, since one time DD invited about 12 kids.  And I don't really know how to host, apart from something super casual...like come over and have coffee and be messy with us.  :D  My mom did the more formal stuff so well.  I don't have that gene.

[Shellydon]

Kids friends are over 5 times per week.  Large family gatherings (40 people) 3 times per year.  Adult friend gatherings vary-- 1-2 times each week to once a month depending on the season.

[Cindy in FL.]

Wednesday night church gathering every week of 25-40 people, youth gathering most Saturdays of 10-15 people, various other gatherings each month, and all holidays.

[ThisIsTheDay]

YES! to the poster who said they are baffled by all of the house hunter shows where people say they entertain. I think they are told to say that. I find it hard to believe that the number of people is so high. I certainly don't know people like that!

 

We host family maybe 2-4 times a year.  We don't usually have others over.  The big reason is my house -- I have a hard time keeping it clean and picked up.  It kind of makes me sad, but the messy house thing is the reason I stopped entertaining.

 

I just want to say to not let a messy house discourage you. Your friends will be your friends regardless. I used to be quick to judge by others' messiness. My dh has always preferred our house look like a model home, unlived in, although he's lightened up through age or because he's fighting a losing battle (!). I had a lovely friend, with children the same age as mine. Her house was unlike anything I've ever seen IRL. Clothing, boxes, books, games, everything OUT, piled high, to the point that paths were made through the various rooms to get from one area or another. At first I was so shocked. But God used that in me to teach some VERY strong, lifelong lessons. I saw her heart, not her house. We lost contact when we moved away, but I'll never forget her.

 

 

I have been waiting for 16 years (since I moved here - it was never an issue back home) for many people to even make the occasional gesture of reciprocating. I am not expecting one-to-one return invites. Just, maybe, people who have been in my home 20+ times to invite me... once?

 

Wow. That's so odd, isn't it? I can imagine dreading feeling like I should reciprocate, but in that case, I'd just stop going. Certainly there are other things people could do, if they so chose, instead of hosting you in return, even if it's bringing you some sort of lovely gift randomly, or treating you to coffee one afternoon. I'm sorry. You deserve more than that.

 

[StephanieZ]

Probably twice a month on average we have adults/families over for some sort of gathering -- typically a dinner party for perhaps 4-10 guests plus us.

 

We host overnight guests for one to several nights of 1to 8 guests (one or two families, typically) on average once a month. 

 

Kids (one to several) come over on average perhaps twice a week.

 

We probably have larger parties (20-50 people) maybe one or two times a year, generally just for graduations or occasionally other special events (for a kid's club/team/etc). Those are stressful for me, but it's just something we suffer through, lol. 

 

We're all introverts, but this still works fine as we generally only invite close friends (or relatives) to visit us, lol. Larger parties are rare and typically for some special occasion such as a graduation. We also have a large house that is great for entertaining, so that makes it much easier.

 

Speaking of which, I have a grocery list to prepare . . . and cleaning to supervise . . . and shopping to do . . . as we are hosting a NYE party tomorrow night (with two guest families plus two additional kids spending the night!) . . . 

 

Honestly, as an introvert, I'm actually more comfortable as the host than as a guest, as when I host, I typically know all my guests well, so it's not stressful. I like spending time with close friends . . . it's strangers that stress me out. 

 

 

[Wheres Toto]

Pretty much never.  We have a very small house, with a lousy layout, and no storage so lots of stuff "out".  We don't even have a table that can sit more than 4 people to eat at, we usually eat in the living room.   It's also needs a lot of work so I find it embarrassing in general.  One of my best friends has actually never been to my house.

 

My mother comes over for dinner once or twice a year.  My dad used to come a week or so before Christmas but we went out to a restaurant this year.  My oldest used to have friends over and they didn't care about space or anything else and it was fine.  They would sleep and hang out piled on every surface around the living room.  Maybe we'll get to that point again with the younger kids.  They did just have friends over a week or so ago.  

 

Biggest problem is that the only place to hang-out, except for kids playing video games in the bedrooms which are very small, is the living room.  We only have seating for two, with a few folding chairs that can be added if necessary but really the limit is 4 adults and 2 kids, or maybe 8 kids with no adults.  

 

We did actually host a birthday party for the kids quite a few years ago. It was pretty much only family, not very many people, and we were outside the entire time.

 

ETA:  We do have a decent outside area, but weather is so iffy.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Where's Toto?

[JustEm]

That makes perfect sense; of course I understand people not having space to entertain large numbers of guests. Or people whose houses are not set up for entertaining children. But how hard would it be to invite two adults?

Surprisingly, when we've specifically invited just adults people have either shown up with their kids, asked to bring their kids, or have been offended that kids aren't invited. This of course isn't everyone but it has happened. It is crazy.