A Favorite Things party is really just a posh gift exchange! Keep reading to learn what a Favorite Things party is, why I love hosting them and why YOU should host one. Then I lay out a step by step guide on how to host a Favorite Things Party, including giving you some sample wording to use on the invitations and during the party itself.
What IS a Favorite Things party?
It’s a party where each guest brings one of their favorite things and swaps it with another guest. It’s sort of like a very posh white elephant exchange. Depending on your guest list and location, it can be quaint and intimate, or lavish and raucous.
Curious about how to throw an amazing Favorite Things Party? Read on!
Why I love to host a Favorite Things Party:
- I always learn something new about friends. I cannot think of a time when I hosted one of these and I didn’t learn something new about my friends. And when people talk about something they love, they light up as they start explaining why they love the item they bought.
- An easy way to connect with new people. If I’m trying to get to know people a bit better, a Favorite Things party acts as a natural ice breaker. Rather than having an open-ended dinner party with no structure, this loose structure helps people focus on making new connections as they discuss the item they bought.
- I learn about or get introduced to new products, brands, or items. People bring all sorts of cool things. Because interests vary widely, the assortment of items that are brought also varies. I’ve received some items that I never would have bought myself, but ended up loving. From an amazing set of grippy socks, to body scrub, to a variety of cheese, I’ve been introduced to so many amazing things.
- They are a great excuse to get together with people. This speaks for itself. I’m always looking for an excuse to get together with friends!
- Lastly, they are so dang fun!
Why YOU should host a Favorite Things Party:
For many of the same reasons I listed above. Plus....
- It lets people engage at their comfort level. - If you have some friends who are shy or more introverted, this party is set up to let them hide out in a corner with a drink and participate just briefly when time comes to share their favorite thing. For your extrovert friends, well this is their stage! They can mingle from person to person and chat it up the whole time until the sharing part starts. Additionally, sharing with the group about your favorite thing gives each person a chance to shine as much or as little as they want.
- It builds friendship and community. People love to feel like they belong!
- Finally, Favorite Things parties are easy to plan and host. It pretty much boils down to sending out invites, maybe putting out some food for guests, and guiding the flow of the evening once guests are there.
How to Host a Favorite Things Party From Start to Finish
Send invites:
Send invitations at least two-four weeks in advance.
Invitations can be sent via snail mail for a little extra pizazz. However, a digital invite is also acceptable. Paperless Post and eVite are two websites I occasionally use when sending digital invitations. But my favorite way to make invitations is to design something in Canva and send it as a pdf to email, or as a jpeg to a text group.
Pro Tip: If you’re on the cusp of season changes, use an invite that is connected with the season you’re leaning into. For example, I was hosting a party in mid September. It was still hot-as-Hades where I was living, and I had the option of leaning back into summer or leaning forward into fall.
I opted to lean into the autumnal season. The invite had fall colors and I made it clear we’d be in the backyard. With that gentle nudge, many guests ended up binging their favorite Fall items.
(If you want a great fall drink suggestion, check out my Apple Cider Ginger Mocktail)
Include instructions in the invitation:
The invitation should include how many gifts each guest should bring, what the recommended price limit is, and if you want guests to provide anything else. (Pssst! These type of parties work great as potluck!)
Including instructions and “How it Works” on the invite is CRUCIAL. Setting expectations for any party is vital in my opinion. Plus, laying out the ground rules in the invitation will help people decide if they want to attend or not.
"...had I not laid out the ground rules in the invitation, she would have ended up at a party that she didn’t enjoy."
Story time: Once I hosted this type of party and was really surprised when a good friend said “No thanks.” We had the type of relationship where I could ask her about it. I had no idea - but she hated group events where she had to be in the hot seat at any point. It just wasn’t her thing. And had I not laid out the ground rules in the invite, she would have ended up at a party that she didn’t enjoy. And if you know me, you know that I believe that good hospitality is all about helping people feel comfortable in your home.
So lay out the mechanics of how the party works, be clear about the price range each present should be, and how many presents they should bring.
I've included suggested wording and invitations below.
At the party
When guests arrive, greet them and remind them what to expect for the night.
Sample wording: “So good to see you! Your favorite things can go on that table, drinks are over there, and around 7:30 we’ll do the swap! Here are the paper slips to write your name on.”
Guide the flow of events.
Here is my recommended order of events, along with some sample wording.
- Call guests to attention when it’s time to do the swap.
- Re-explain the rules - I first ask the group if everyone has put their names in the bowl. Once I confirm that everyone’s name is in the bowl the right amount of times, I swirl them about and ask people to pass it around and draw out names. While that’s happening I review the rules.
- Sample wording, “Please share your name, (potentially answer an ice breaker question), why you like the thing you brought, then share whose names you drew. Then pass out your gifts to those people.”
- Guide the gift swapping by doing the following:
- You should go first, thereby leading by example. This gives your guests an example of how to present their favorite item and gives your guests a few minutes to mentally prepare what they’d like to say.
- Gesture to the next person, address them by name, and ask them to go next. After they share, thank them by name and move on to the next person.
- Wrap it up! At the end of the gift swapping, end on a strong note by thanking the group for coming!
- Sample wording: “What a great collection of items! It was such a blast to learn a little bit more about each one of you!”
- This can often be a natural wrapping up point for the party in general. Some people may stay to mingle and chat a little longer, but other people can use it as a natural exit point.
WHY address each person by name before and after?? Addressing each person by name has several benefits. First, it helps that person feel seen, heard, and welcomed - which are three keys to good hospitality.
Second, it reminds the group of that person's name. This may not be necessary if everyone already knows everyone. But if anyone is new to the group, it’s so helpful to have a reminder of their name.
After the party
Because this is a party where guests brought something, I think an expression of gratitude for participating is a nice finishing touch. As a host, I reach out to my guests individually and thank them for making time to come and compliment them on something. “Thank you so much for coming tonight! It was great to see you and I loved learning about why you like.....”
Pro Tip: After every single event I host I like to ask myself these three questions: “What went well?” “What could have gone better?” “What are three things that made me smile?”
You can make it as small as three people, and as large as 30. When considering the invite list, you’ll also need to consider how many items each person should bring and what price range the presents will fall in. It is unrealistic to have someone bring 30 gifts or even take 30 gifts home. Generally I recommend that you keep the party small and have everyone bring a gift for everyone that’s in a slightly lower price range. Or if it’s larger than 4-5 people, have each person bring one or two of a higher ticket item.
Potluck style is good, as are finger foods or appetizers, and I feel like you can never go wrong with a cheese board.. Unless you’re hosting a dinner party AND doing a Favorite Things gift exchange, I recommend having the food NOT be the main focus. SO keep the food simple and easy
Yes! This is critical information your guests need and it should be included on the invitation.
Sample Wording for a Favorite Things Party Invitation:
How it works:
"Pick one of your favorite things that’s priced between $5-10. Bring three of that item, along with a good, funny, silly, sweet, interesting, or weird explanation about why you like it.
"At the party we’ll put our names in a bowl three times, then draw out three new names. We’ll take turns sharing why we love the item we brough, and then pass them out to whoever drew our name.
:So come with three of YOUR favorite things, learn what things other people love, and go home with three new things!
Some ideas I’ve seen in the past:
Food / Cheese / Pasta / Chocolate / Drink Mix
Magazine / Book / Journals / Notebooks
Mug / Glassware / Small Kitchen Gadget
Garden Tool / Potted Plants
Candles / Home Spa Stuff
Sample Invitation
What other party idea's or invitations would you like to see? Please leave a comment!
Cheers!
Susan
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