The lost art of inviting people over {stress free tips to make people feel welcome}
The lost art of inviting people over
She set a place for her honored guest. A clean cloth napkin, a teacup, a plate of tidbits and a flower. Her heart went into each step, delighted to have her visitor spend an hour feeling special. In five minutes, she created a place of sanctuary. An offering far greater than the place setting..
A heart gift.
We tend to make hospitality so complicated! It isn’t our fault, really. The lost art of inviting people over has been replaced by unrealistic expectations.
Social media reels skew our view of what we should be offering to people. A soiree, an over-the-top get-together with a band and floral arch…based on curated highlights of a preplanned photo shoot.
Did you catch that? Curated.
I too create content, hoping to bring encouragement and joy. Sometimes, I surely fall short.
In that vein, I also try to show real-life messes, fluff-free mishaps, AND pretty things that brighten a daily perspective.
Whispers of comparison and doubt and lack, convince women that opening their doors to others is a monumental task they simply cannot accommodate with a busy life.
Expectations seldom lead to a joyful encounter.
Hospitality is an amazing gift. We just need to deconstruct the unrealistic expectations and make it a good experience. For the guest, AND for you…the hostess.
I still remember the first time someone I received this beautiful invitation for a cup of tea. It left me stunned and feeling exceptionally special to this friend. 25 years later, the impression still inspires me to shake off the pursuit of perfection, and open the door.
As is.
This is the lost art of invitation. A practice worth our time.
Simple ways to invite people without extra stress
What if there were a few super simple tips to make invitation easy? Let me share a “template” that makes it a five-minute prep to get ready for tea. This is my go-to way to invite people over, regardless of health, finances, or oodles of extra time!
(P.s. I’ve even got you covered if you DON’T enjoy hospitality 🙂
A cup– I happen to collect vintage teacups. Some guests enjoy picking out their favorite patterns. Why tea? It is easy. Hot water, tea bag. Done. However, it can be ice water, lemonade or cocoa. Anything will work!
A napkin– A cloth napkin lends an air of elegance for your guest. These are SO easy to find at thrift stores in very pretty patterns. Often a set of for for about $1. But, paper napkins do the trick just as well.
A plate– Do you have a small plate? Perhaps you can designate one pretty dish just for company. Then you won’t feel any stress trying to find one in a pinch. Make it pretty, just for fun
A snack- I’ll be honest here…most guests just pick at the snack. I’ve created homemade scones over the years, and alternately, just put a few nuts and fresh berries etc. out. Often, they smile and are flattered you THOUGHT of them. It can be popcorn, apple slices, or if times are lean, nothing at all. This is totally optional.
A flower– Be creative here! If you have a flower to cut, wonderful. Otherwise, snip anything green or natural to add a pleasant surprise to your offering. If you have a small vase (hello thrifting again 😉 ) or a tiny cup? Anything goes.
The invitation is the gift…keep hospitality simple
Ecclesiastes 11:4 reminds us, “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.”
So it seems in regards to extending hospitality.
In creating sanctuary at home, even in the stormy seasons, we benefit from making time to invite someone in.
Waiting for the perfect time usually results in never extending an invitation at all.
Our homes offer a safe spot to land, which is a valuable gift. Never underestimate it!
YOU have much to offer… your presence. As a bonus, you’ll likely feel rejuvenated by the time together too!
Wipe off the crumbs from a seat, a quick wipe of any visible counter, and follow this five-minute pattern to make inviting people over simple. You’ll both be blessed.♥
My current favorite hospitality reads
- The Lost Art of Hospitality: Making People Feel Welcome in Your Home
- Extraordinary hospitality
- Teatime discipleship: Sharing Faith One Cup at a Time
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This little blog post found me exactly where I needed it to. Thank you for reminding me of the simple art of hospitality, the kind I grew up with. Reading this felt like home.
Aww Grace, that makes my day. May you be blessed as you open your doors with peace♥
This is SUCH a LOVELY post. Thank you for sharing this! I love sharing tea with others and I’m excited to add the extra details you mentioned to up the magic even more!✨💖🫖 Enchanting!🙏🏼
Hi Joanna, thank you for such an encouraging note! This made my day♥ Enjoy the welcoming and may you be blessed
thank you for just showing me to get back to basics. I love having a friend or two for tea. and,Yes, it’s not a competition.
Safe space, pretty tea cup and God’s love…. wonderful! ♡♡♡♡♡
Oh veronica, you put it so eloquently! Yes, that is the perfect trio of comfort. Thanks for reading!
This! ❤️ This post was exactly what I needed today. I am a work from home mom with a 10 month old, prior to baby our house was open all hours of the day for friends and family in need, but lately, with the mess a exhaustion and such… not so much. Thank you for the reminder that God doesn’t call us to be perfect, He simply calls us ❤️❤️
Hi Kendra! How sweet to know that your heart is already geared towards welcoming people in. Babies are wonderful (and exhausting)! Everything in its season….God bless you ♥
Found your post via Pinterest. Thank you for reminding me of this simple pleasure. I do invite friends over for tea. I get a great deal of pleasure setting out a pretty tea table (I have a lot of tea paraphernalia), as I know it makes my guests feel special.
Welcome Anna, so glad you left me a note! A fellow tea hostess, how fun! What is your favorite tea “item” to pull out?
Aww, I love this! It’s so true!
Thank you Michelle! Especially perhaps the more people rely on tech, the simple reminder of human experience and slowing down can be so awesome