Comments on: How to Throw an Awesome Holiday Party–Part II: Guest Lists, Invitations, and Planning

By: P.M.Lawrence

P.M.Lawrence — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:09:55 +0000

Oops, finger trouble: that should have had “try using”.

By: P.M.Lawrence

P.M.Lawrence — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:09:03 +0000

Also, be kind to your teetotaling friends, too. They get tired of only being offered water and soft drinks. So plan to make some hot apple cider and come up with a few cool holiday mocktails to serve them.

Er... cider is alcoholic. It's fermented apple juice. In fact, it's often stronger than beer. Heating it can't be relied on to drive off the alcohol. Maybe you should trying using unfermented apple juice (though that's often too disgustingly sweet, as the juicing has concentrated the fruit's sugars and there hasn't been any fermentation to get rid of enough of them).

By: Zachariah

Zachariah — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 04:51:40 +0000

Yeah that large chunk should really be distinguished more as a block, or “The convention in English is to give opening quotation marks to the first and each subsequent paragraph, using closing quotation marks only for the final paragraph of the quotation”…

By: Steve Harrington

Steve Harrington — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:33:55 +0000

I am genuinely confused. Why should feedback that is entirely off the mark and based on a lazy reading of the article be “heard and appreciated?” Why not call a spade a spade? Whether or not the text was from the 1950s or the present day, a lengthy discourse on why being called emotional is worse than being called dogmatic, and somehow compromises this site’s political neutrality is the very definition of uptight and bizarre… [Edited by admin]

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:37:10 +0000

Great tips! I always feel like I have to invite so-and-so because they know such-and-such who is already coming…I definitely get a bit spazzy when it comes to hosting any party but I came across a pretty awesome party planning checklist > http://www.skinnyscoop.com/list/claudia/the-ultimate-holiday-party-planning-checklist

You should definitely include this article in the list!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:04:58 +0000

I think it was fair to call your reactions “uptight”. Haven’t you ever been to a party where one harmless comment has sent someone on lengthy tirade? Nobody wants that person at the party.

By: Clint

Clint — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:44:45 +0000

@Susan:

I think you could have left it at “I’m not sure they realize it’s a quote, although that seemed clear enough to me in the the article.” The addition of “probably skimming and looking for something to react to, instead of really drinking it in,” seems unneeded.

I enjoy the content of the site, I noticed an issue (but not quotation marks, as you noted), and (long time listener, first time caller) I thought I would give posting a response a try. I’ve followed the blog for some time, read the book, and listened to the podcasts, and I thought the potential dialogue could be interesting as (like Michael) I find the people who respond tend to be genuine.

By: Clint

Clint — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:29:13 +0000

I apologize. I did not notice the quotation marks, or see that all of the content was not original and was all taken from an earlier guide.

Nonetheless, I think calling your readers uptight and bizarre is a great way to make them feel heard and appreciated. Thank you.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:22:06 +0000

This is one of the only sites (possibly the only one) that I even bother reading the comments on because it is one of the very few where readers generally have open minds, senses of humor, and seem to be pretty level headed.

Genevieve: I am all about fee speech, but really?? That needed to be said? I am sure that you have better things to do than to get up-in-arms over a blog post about planning Christmas parties on a site that isn’t even the slightest bit sexist.

By: Susan Hatch

Susan Hatch — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:11:43 +0000

I am a woman. I am a feminist. I was a political science major in college. And I love this site!

I don’t know if that’s weird or not. I am beautiful (or so men have told me) AND I like to talk about politics.

But I honestly don’t know what Genevieve and Clint are blathering on about it. I thought the passage from the book was wonderful and it didn’t offend me in the least. Just a nice bit of advice from way back when.

Actually, I’m not sure they realize it’s a quote, although that seemed clear enough to me in the the article. Were probably skimming and looking for something to react to, instead of really drinking it in!