The holiday rush is winding down. The decorations are coming down (or let's be honest, will come down eventually). And there's this tempting thought creeping in: "Well, that's done. No more hosting until next Thanksgiving."

Stop right there.

Here's what I've learned in 30 years of gathering people around tables: The magic of entertaining isn't reserved for holidays. In fact, the best gatherings often happen on random Tuesdays when someone texts "come over for wine and cheese" at 6pm.

So before you pack away your Party Platter and resign yourself to a year of eating dinner in front of the TV, let's talk about making 2026 your most social, connected, gathering-filled year yet.

Why We Stop Entertaining (And How to Fix It)

The Common Excuses:

• "I'm too tired after the holidays"
• "I don't have a reason to host"
• "My house isn't ready"
• "I need to save money"
• "It's too much work"

The Real Truth: These are all valid feelings. Holiday hosting IS exhausting. But here's what happens when you let months go by without gathering people: you lose the habit. And habits are everything.

The Fix: Start small. Start simple. Start now.

The January Entertaining Revolution

Instead of thinking "I'll host when...":

• When my house is cleaner
• When I have time to plan
• When I can afford to do it right
• When I'm less busy

Try thinking "What if I just...":

• Invited two friends over for soup on Sunday
• Had neighbors over for coffee and pastries
• Hosted a casual game night with pizza
• Did a potluck dinner so nobody cooks everything

The goal isn't impressive—it's consistent.

The Monthly Gathering Challenge

Here's your 2026 commitment: Host something once a month.

Not a formal dinner party. Not an elaborate event. Just... something. Anything that brings people to your table.

January: Post-holiday recovery brunch (use up all those random appetizer leftovers) 

February: Galentine's or Valentine's wine and chocolate tasting 

March: Spring forward cocktail party (celebrate the time change)

April: Easter/spring gathering OR "just because it's nice out" patio dinner

May: Mother's Day brunch or Derby party

June: Summer kickoff BBQ or graduation celebration

July: 4th of July or summer birthday parties

August: End of summer cookout before school starts

September: Fall welcome dinner or football watching party

October: Halloween party or cozy soup dinner

November: Friendsgiving before the family chaos

December: Holiday party season (you've been practicing all year)

See how easy that was? You just planned 12 gatherings without breaking a sweat.

The "Signature Gathering" Strategy

Pick one type of gathering and make it YOUR thing:

Examples:

• Monthly Sunday Soup Club: Rotate hosts, everyone brings soup or bread
• First Friday Wine Nights: Casual, drop-in style at your place
• Quarterly Dinner Parties: Four times a year, slightly more formal
• Game Night Series: Monthly, potluck style, everyone brings apps
• Book Club with Food: Discuss books, eat cheese, live your best life

Why this works:

1. People expect it and plan for it
2. You get into a rhythm (less planning each time)
3. It becomes a tradition
4. Your dishware gets used regularly (not gathering dust)

The Lazy Host's Guide to Year-Round Entertaining

Let's remove every barrier:

Barrier: "I don't have time to cook" Solution: Potluck, takeout plated on your dishes, cheese board dinners, brunch (everyone can scramble eggs)

Barrier: "My house isn't clean enough" Solution: Candles + dim lighting = instant ambiance. Also, your friends don't care about your baseboards.

Barrier: "It's too expensive" Solution: BYOB, shared-cost dinners, appetizer-only gatherings, coffee instead of dinner

Barrier: "I need a reason to host" Solution: "Come over" IS a reason. So is "I miss you" or "I made too much pasta" or "let's hang out."

Barrier: "Cleanup is awful" Solution: Dishwasher-safe everything. Paper plates if needed. Accepting help from guests. Dealing with it tomorrow.

Make Your Table Work All Year

This is where having the right tools matters.

The Party Platter system makes year-round hosting ridiculously easy:

• New Year's Eve ➡️ Swap to winter/sparkle disc
• Valentine's Day ➡️ Swap to romantic/elegant disc
• Spring gatherings ➡️ Swap to floral/fresh disc
• Summer BBQs ➡️ Swap to bright/fun disc
• Fall dinners ➡️ Swap to autumn/cozy disc
• Holiday season ➡️ Swap to festive disc

Same platter. Twelve months of gatherings. Zero storage stress.

That's the difference between dishware that sits in a cabinet and dishware that becomes part of your life.

The Golf Dishware Every-Day Strategy

For the golf lovers in your house:

Stop saving the golf dishware for "special occasions." Use it Tuesday through Sunday. Make every meal a little celebration of something you love.

Why this matters: When you use beautiful things daily, life feels more intentional. Plus, it's dishwasher safe—there's literally no reason NOT to use it.

The Social Connection Science

Here's something important: Regular social connection isn't just nice—it's essential for mental health, happiness, and even longevity.

Studies show people who regularly gather with others:

• Report higher life satisfaction
• Have stronger support systems
• Experience less loneliness and depression
• Build deeper, more meaningful relationships

Your table isn't just furniture—it's a tool for building a richer, more connected life.

The "Low-Key Hosting" Permission Slip

You have permission to:

• Host in sweatpants (put on a cute top if people are coming over)
• Serve takeout on pretty plates
• Have a messy kitchen (close the door)
• Send people home with leftovers (less cleanup for you)
• End parties at 9pm because you're tired
• Say "this is casual, come as you are"
• Not make everything from scratch
• Ask people to bring stuff
• Use paper napkins if you run out of cloth ones
• Be perfectly imperfect

The best hosts aren't the ones with perfect homes—they're the ones who make people feel welcome.

Your 2026 Entertaining Audit

Let's get practical. Answer these honestly:

1. How many times did you host in 2025? _____
2. How many times did you WANT to host but didn't? _____
3. What stopped you most often? _____
4. What's one gathering you'd love to host this year? _____
5. Who's the first person you'll invite over? _____

Now set a realistic goal: "In 2026, I will host _____ times."

Write it down. Tell someone. Make it happen.

The First Gathering of 2026

Don't wait. Pick a date in January.

Easy First-Gathering Ideas:

• Post-Holiday Recovery Brunch: 11am, Sunday, bring whatever leftovers you have
• New Year New Friends Dinner: Invite people you want to know better
• Cozy Winter Wine Night: Cheese, crackers, wine, done
• Game Night: Order pizza, play games, laugh a lot
• Soup Swap: Everyone makes a pot of soup, go home with variety

Send the text today: "Come over on [DATE] for [EASY THING]. Casual vibes, no stress. You in?"

That's it. You just started your year of gathering.

The Compound Effect of Consistent Hosting

Here's what happens when you host regularly:

Month 1: You're nervous but it goes well Month 3: You're getting into a groove Month 6: People are asking "when's the next one?" Month 9: You're the friend who always hosts Month 12: You've created dozens of memories and strengthened countless relationships

The best part? It gets easier every single time.

Your Party Platter becomes second nature. You figure out your go-to menu. You know what works. The anxiety fades. The joy increases.

That's the compound effect of showing up and opening your home.

The Jane Fifteen Thirty Promise

We created these products for exactly this reason:

So you could host year-round without the stress, the storage problems, or the cleanup nightmares.

So your table could tell a different story every month without buying new serveware constantly.

So entertaining could be what it should be: easy, joyful, and worth doing over and over again.

One platter, endless celebrations. That's not just our tagline—it's our promise to you.

Your 2026 Entertaining Manifesto

Repeat after me:

I will not wait for perfect conditions to gather people I love.

I will use my beautiful dishware regularly, not save it for "someday."

I will prioritize connection over perfection.

I will ask for help when I need it.

I will remember that store-bought counts as homemade once it's on my platter.

I will host more, stress less, and create memories that matter.

2026 is your year of gathering. Let's make it happen.

Ready to make entertaining a habit, not a holiday-only event?

SHOP THE VARY ENTERTAINING COLLECTION

P.S. — The first gathering is always the hardest. After that? You'll wonder why you waited so long. Send the text. Pick the date. We'll handle the dishware.