Being the Host
At times, the thought of hosting a large party is enough to make one want to
crawl back in bed and pull the covers up tight. All of the work, all of the time
and effort... all of the mess! So many people, so many needs... so little time.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! With the right tools and knowledge, and a
good system, being the perfect host is never a chore and usually more fun than
one would anticipate. More often than not, all it takes is a little organization
and your party will be a success!
The Greeting
Remember the old saying about first impressions are usually the last
impression? Believe it or not, that is so true! So give your guests a lasting
impression, the first time. When a Sim comes to visit you, acknowledge their
presence, and offer them a stool to sit on after such a long trip to see
you. To simply nod in their direction is usually not going to keep that
guest feeling welcomed and wanting to stay and visit.
What does this mean, you ask? Why not simply do what you have been doing
all day long by pasting in the same old, tired greeting... for the ease
and speed of greeting new guests? Because it’s generic. Sims want to feel
acknowledged... individuals. Not lumped together with everyone else. Usually,
nothing more than a simple “Hey Sim X, c’mon in!” is needed. In fact, when
asked recently one Sim said: “I really hate that copy and paste greeting
thing. I'd rather get a quick "Welcome back, Sim X" that someone
actually typed than a whole elaborate "Sim X, Welcome to Grand Skilling
Upside Down Style, Our Humble Abode! Please Come In and Make Yourself at
Home. Enjoy Your Stay."
Sims will feel more specifically greeted, rather than generically acknowledged
if you give yourself over to a relaxed fashion of greeting your guests.
The Offering of Comfort
When you travel long distances to visit family and friends, is the
single most thing you are looking forward to (aside from seeing your
family and friends) just a comfortable place to be? Someone to provide
you with a cool drink and/or a hot meal? How about maybe a place to
stretch out and nap for awhile? I know that when I come to the end of
a long trip, the last thing I want to do is search for the bathroom
or beg for something to eat.
As you are building the house you are planning on hosting in, it is
always a good idea to try and design a floor plan with ease of location
in mind. Will your guests have to run from one corner of the house downstairs
all the way to the opposite corner upstairs to get to the bathroom after
eating? Will they have to go up and down four flights of stairs and
through a pool to find a bed to nap in? Try to make the location of
the bedroom and bathroom relevant to the kitchen and play room. Guests
will feel much more comfortable if they can find what they need with
ease.
The Kitchen
"When I was growing up and we would visit family and friends, everyone always
ended up in the kitchen. The warmth of the oven, the smell of baked goods, the
love and effort put in to making a good meal. It was just the place to be!
Grandma always had freshly baked cookies out, or smoothies in the freezer for
the kids. And we would always pretend to sneak in and steal one. Grandma would
look at us out of the corner of her eyes and wait until we got just far enough
away... then swoop us up in big flying hug while calling us thieves. What a
great time!"
The kitchen is where it all happens. And what you keep in your kitchen is going
to have a lot to do with whether or not your guests feel welcomed. So make sure
your guests always have a warm, cooked meal to fill their stomachs with. A
response to a recent inquiry, many Sims indicated that a home-cooked meal went a
lot further than McDonald’s or the typical buffet. More Sims feel welcomed by
the effort of a home-cooked meal being provided.
So when hosting, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the kitchen. When the plate
of home-cooked food is low, prepare another one. Keep ‘em coming! But, if you
are too busy, many Sims are more than happy to choose from the buffet, if you
have one handy. If you know that you will have your attention elsewhere, it
would be a good idea to set up a buffet or two for those Sims that get to the
home-cooked plate a little too late.
The Entertainment
When hosting, it is your job as the host/hostess to keep your guests
interested in staying. This is sometimes the most difficult chore to accomplish.
Many Sims wish to be left alone, while many others want every last shred of your
attention. When you have 15 different people clamoring for your notice, it can
be quite daunting to spread yourself evenly so that no one feels left out.
The secret? Who really knows? There are many Sims that will never be satisfied,
and others that are quite content to be greeted and left to do their thing.
However, the most common response to “What is the most annoying thing a
host/hostess can do?” is, plain and simply, “being ‘afk’ and non-responsive to
their guests.” So when you have to take a quick break and you have guests... let
them know! Tell them that you care about their needs, but could they please
excuse you for a moment? All of our Sims have humans with needs, too... and I
have typically found that as long as you acknowledge that you will be stepping
away for just a moment... and it truly is just for a moment... then most Sims
are generally happy with that.
Many times, guests are happy with idle chit-chat. However, to spice it up a bit,
many places offer trivia games and other forms of entertainment. This depends on
what service you are offering, if any, and how that effects the ability to
engage in games. As long as you show some creativity and individuality in
attempting to provide a warm, welcome, friendly and entertaining environment,
there should be little to no complaints. And you will most likely see those same
faces again.
On the flip side of that coin, however, is the host/hostess that sets
up 4 or 5 plates of food and several buffets, and then leaves their Sim
sitting on a sofa reading. No response to guests, to inquiries, to anything.
Or even worse, the host/hostess that returns only after the screaming
and crying of their Sim alerts them there is a problem - a Sim standing
in a puddle waving their arms frantically hoping someone will see them
and rescue them from their terrible torture. This type of "hosting"
will very rarely gain you repeat business.
All The Right Moves
There are a variety of Sims out there, so if you intend to provide an
“adult only” environment or something geared towards one specific goal,
be clear and specific on the house description. Many times Sims have gone
to what appeared to be a lively place, only to find that it was not to
their liking due to the nature of the liveliness. There is a time and
place for everything, and it is always better to be forewarned of what
to expect. Many Sims will read the house description before entering a
home, as that is sometimes the best way to find out if that home is offering
what they are looking for.
The bottom line in being a great host/hostess is to be courteous, attentive,
and respectful. If you have a large group of people, do not get all stressed
out. Simply communicate with your guests that you are aware the toilet
is broken, or the buffet is empty... or that there is a particularly annoying
person who is causing a problem for everyone else. As long as your guests
know that you are there for them... all of them... they are almost always
willing to be patient and understanding while you get everything under
control. Communication goes a long way in creating a good foundation for
repeat business.
May you enjoy your hosting endeavors, and may you meet many long time
friends along the way.
Editor’s Note: A special thank you to all of the Sims who so graciously
provided me with their own particular views on hosting and sharing with
me your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions! ~AK
Photos by KChan
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