Sushi rolls platter, summer rolls, falafel with tzaziki dip, a ham with rolls, veggies and dip.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.

Everybody knows a casual neighborhood get-together like this is all about heavy apps and fun food and drinks. Come off it. It's a White Elephant, not a sit-down dinner party. As long as some of the apps are heavy and filling, it's more than fine. If you can't fill up on a few cocktail meatballs, mini sandwiches, a hot dip and crackers, charcuterie, snacks, desserts, you're living life wrong.

Who said it has to be a stuffy sit down dinner? But don’t get chintzy and have only apps. Make it a casual potluck, which is appropriate for a white elephant, but make it dinner. You can make it easy - pizza, Chinese take-out, chili, but have more than just apps.

I’d much rather make a meal out of a selection of heavy apps than lukewarm takeout pizza or Chinese food. And chili would be even worse.

OP is trying to redeem herself but in knots over trying to justify her White Elephant, no substanital food "dinner" as a classy, fun, food-filled event. It's not.
I love being invited to neighbors for a fun, casual take-out meal, pizza and wine, or casual themed party, but please 7 PM is *dinner* and a White Elephant is inherently casual. If you're on here just to justify yourself, knock yourself out, but there are enough voices on here telling you that it's not well thought out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.

Everybody knows a casual neighborhood get-together like this is all about heavy apps and fun food and drinks. Come off it. It's a White Elephant, not a sit-down dinner party. As long as some of the apps are heavy and filling, it's more than fine. If you can't fill up on a few cocktail meatballs, mini sandwiches, a hot dip and crackers, charcuterie, snacks, desserts, you're living life wrong.

Who said it has to be a stuffy sit down dinner? But don’t get chintzy and have only apps. Make it a casual potluck, which is appropriate for a white elephant, but make it dinner. You can make it easy - pizza, Chinese take-out, chili, but have more than just apps.

LOL, pot-lucks are the very definition of "chintzy." I have heavy apps, a nice spread with many filling options, and I don't ask my guests to bring dishes like I'm 23 years old and this is my very first apartment with my very first job. No one needs a pot of chili; no one wants to fuss with chili. Cocktail meatballs, mini-sandwiches, fresh shrimp cocktail from Wegmans, hot appetizers, hot dips, ham biscuits, cheese and crackers, plenty of desserts. If you can't make a filling plate or two of that, stay home and mainline a tub of chili.

Says the person who is hosting a white elephant party

Anonymous wrote:White elephant parties are tacky. It's just useless junk that ends up in the trash. Just what we need more of.

Actually, our annual white elephant party is to buy nice gifts that everyone would want. Definitely not useless junk. I’m using a cashmere blanket I got at one of them right now as I type this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.

Everybody knows a casual neighborhood get-together like this is all about heavy apps and fun food and drinks. Come off it. It's a White Elephant, not a sit-down dinner party. As long as some of the apps are heavy and filling, it's more than fine. If you can't fill up on a few cocktail meatballs, mini sandwiches, a hot dip and crackers, charcuterie, snacks, desserts, you're living life wrong.

Who said it has to be a stuffy sit down dinner? But don’t get chintzy and have only apps. Make it a casual potluck, which is appropriate for a white elephant, but make it dinner. You can make it easy - pizza, Chinese take-out, chili, but have more than just apps.

gross

Anonymous wrote:White elephant parties are tacky. It's just useless junk that ends up in the trash. Just what we need more of.

The point is, you take your unwanted junk and it's a joke. Lighten up! It's just for fun. My group of friends has an unwanted Sunbeam toaster that was infamously a terrible wedding gift, and we give it to each other at special occasions, including weddings, White Elephants, etc. It's typically wrapped in a mysterious way, and then all of a sudden, you've got The Toaster.

White elephant parties are tacky. It's just useless junk that ends up in the trash. Just what we need more of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.

Everybody knows a casual neighborhood get-together like this is all about heavy apps and fun food and drinks. Come off it. It's a White Elephant, not a sit-down dinner party. As long as some of the apps are heavy and filling, it's more than fine. If you can't fill up on a few cocktail meatballs, mini sandwiches, a hot dip and crackers, charcuterie, snacks, desserts, you're living life wrong.

Who said it has to be a stuffy sit down dinner? But don’t get chintzy and have only apps. Make it a casual potluck, which is appropriate for a white elephant, but make it dinner. You can make it easy - pizza, Chinese take-out, chili, but have more than just apps.

LOL, pot-lucks are the very definition of "chintzy." I have heavy apps, a nice spread with many filling options, and I don't ask my guests to bring dishes like I'm 23 years old and this is my very first apartment with my very first job. No one needs a pot of chili; no one wants to fuss with chili. Cocktail meatballs, mini-sandwiches, fresh shrimp cocktail from Wegmans, hot appetizers, hot dips, ham biscuits, cheese and crackers, plenty of desserts. If you can't make a filling plate or two of that, stay home and mainline a tub of chili.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.

Everybody knows a casual neighborhood get-together like this is all about heavy apps and fun food and drinks. Come off it. It's a White Elephant, not a sit-down dinner party. As long as some of the apps are heavy and filling, it's more than fine. If you can't fill up on a few cocktail meatballs, mini sandwiches, a hot dip and crackers, charcuterie, snacks, desserts, you're living life wrong.

Who said it has to be a stuffy sit down dinner? But don’t get chintzy and have only apps. Make it a casual potluck, which is appropriate for a white elephant, but make it dinner. You can make it easy - pizza, Chinese take-out, chili, but have more than just apps.

Anonymous wrote:7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.

Everybody knows a casual neighborhood get-together like this is all about heavy apps and fun food and drinks. Come off it. It's a White Elephant, not a sit-down dinner party. As long as some of the apps are heavy and filling, it's more than fine. If you can't fill up on a few cocktail meatballs, mini sandwiches, a hot dip and crackers, charcuterie, snacks, desserts, you're living life wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guests coming over in early December for a neighborhood White Elephant gift exchange. What types of drinks, cocktails, food, desserts would you want to see at a 7 p.m. gathering?

How about bring your own dinner and wine/drink? Trends need to evolve

^*Traditions

Anonymous wrote:Guests coming over in early December for a neighborhood White Elephant gift exchange. What types of drinks, cocktails, food, desserts would you want to see at a 7 p.m. gathering?

How about bring your own dinner and wine/drink? Trends need to evolve

Heavy apps that can stand in for a dinner. Spanakopita, sausage rolls, meatballs, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, arancini, etc. Include some lighter fare like crudite and dip, cheese and crackers, etc. but overall your spread needs to be filling.

7pm is a dinner party, I hope you understand that. If you are going for alcohol and dessert, it should start at 8 and state somewhere or refer to drinks and dessert. Since it's a white elephant, it's probably pretty casual so you can make it a dessert potluck-type of event.