6 Low-Lift Ways to Have Friends Over if a Dinner Party Sounds Like a Lot
This year, I aspire to be the friend who hosts dinner parties. In my head, I see a gorgeous tablescape, a glorious meal, and all of my friends chatting, laughing and having a good time. But as someone who currently doesn’t host often and is a little clumsy in the kitchen, I’d rather work my way up to this vision. I don’t want hosting to feel daunting or overwhelming — especially because opening up my home to loved ones is for connection.
Thankfully, when it comes to hosting, there’s magic in simplicity, and creator and entrepreneur Kenzie Elizabeth knows how special low-key gatherings are. “I love hosting because I love gathering people together and creating a moment that’s out of the ordinary,” she shares. Life can get repetitive and we can just fall into autopilot, but with hosting I’m able to take a step back and be really intentional about a moment with friends and family.”
If you’re feeling some holiday hosting fatigue, or if you’re like me and having friends over more often is on your 2025 intentions list, read on for a few low-cost, casual ideas for hosting.
At-Home Coffee House
Turning your home into a coffee shop for a morning or afternoon has been popular on social media recently. It’s an event with minimal prep: No cooking is involved, as you can simply pick up pastries from a local bakery or the grocery store. Use what you have as far as coffee goes, and to make it special create your own menu and post it near your kitchen. And if friends’ nights are booked up or you’d rather be in bed by the time it’s dark, a DIY coffee shop is a nice way to hang out with friends in the daylight.
You can, of course, go the extra mile and prepare your own food or add unique touches, but it’s not necessary. I’m so excited to host my own coffee shop this month, and I’m doing a Ralph’s Coffee theme for my own. I just purchased custom stickers for coffee cups, simply because it’s fun, and Elizabeth agrees. “Adding a fun simple theme is a very low-lift, inexpensive way to take your night to the next level,” she says.
Podcast Club
If book club sounds fun, but the actual reading feels like a lot, why not start a podcast club? Simply swap a book for a podcast episode. It’s an appealing option for anyone who can’t commit to reading a full book on a timeline (especially if it’s not exactly the book you’d pick yourself), but is down for thoughtful discussion with friends.
Simply pick a podcast episode that’s no more than an hour long, then invite friends over to chat about it. As far as topics and podcast genres, the sky’s the limit. Self-help, pop culture, true crime — check in with your friends to see what they might be interested in! Make it a potluck and have guests bring a dish to share so there are plenty of snacks to go around.
Apero Hour
Apero hour is typically an hour or two before dinner and serves as a time for a drink, a snack, and a chat to kick off your evening (aka an at-home happy hour!). This is perfect for spur-of-the-moment gatherings. It’s right after work, and your menu can be super simple. Open up a bottle of wine, put out some cheese and crackers, and unwind with friends. Apero hour feels incredibly casual and lovely — I’m inspired to do this with friends nearby or neighbors on any old Friday throughout the year.
BYOB (Bring Your Own Board) Night
The cost of food and drink can add up — especially if you host often. But it doesn’t have to be that way. “You don’t have to cook and provide everything yourself,” Elizabeth says. “You can do a potluck, have people bring drinks, appetizers, desserts, etc! This helps with the cost and you’re able to split the overall workload.” A perfect way to do this is to make it part of your theme. Enter: a board night.
For this simple gathering, invite your guests to bring one thing to add to a shared grazing table. This can include a charcuterie board, a dessert board, a taco board, a butter board — truly anything that can fit on a serving platter. No cooking is involved! Just a fun evening with snacks and friends.
Themed Potluck
Speaking of potlucks, adding a theme to a potluck dinner is another great, low-lift hosting option. You only have to make one dish, and preparing a meal with the help of your friends makes it feel extra special. To keep it easy for everyone, host a taco dinner and provide the protein option, while your friends can bring tortillas, shredded cheese, guacamole, and other toppings.
If everyone is willing to cook, have an Ina Garten night where everyone brings an Ina dish to share, or have a comfort meal dinner where everyone brings and shares a cozy meal they love to make. This makes for great dinner conversation as well, as everyone can share a little bit about their dish and why it’s a time-honored favorite.
Movie Night
I typically think of a movie night in with just my partner and our pup, but why not invite friends over too? Because the movie is the main attraction, your job as the host is to simply make your space as cozy as possible. Plus, movie snacks like popcorn and candy are a fun touch. If movies aren’t your vibe, perhaps you watch a TV show instead and make it a weekly thing. The Bachelor watch party, anyone?
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
