New Year’s Resolution

In 2016, I resolve to…lose weight? Become more organized? Put time into what’s important, be more patient, read more books? Nope, not this year. This year, for my 2016 New Year’s Resolution, I’ve pledged to…have more cocktail parties.

Not every new year’s resolution needs to be life-changing and difficult, right? Every year, I resolve the usual. Sometimes I stick with them for almost a month…

The word needs more cocktail parties

This year, I’m picking something I think I will actually follow through on. I’ve decided life might be better if I just throw a few cocktail parties.

A friend on Facebook recently posted an article from the Huffington Post titled, “9 Reasons To Bring Back Cocktail Parties” and it gave me a feeling of nostalgia. I can remember the occasional cocktail parties that my parents used to host.

My brother and I had strict instructions on these nights: we were to come down and say a polite hello to the guests, and then we were to go upstairs and not make another “peep” the rest of the night. Fine. We had McDonald’s and the tv, so we were happy. Even upstairs with the tv on though, we could hear the adults absolutely booming with laughter. I wasn’t sure the why of it, but I was sure of this: my not-that-fun parents and their friends were having lots of fun. I couldn’t wait to be a grown-up, drink out of the reserved-for-company fancy glasses, and laugh uproariously.

But now that I’m actually doing this adult thing, I don’t know anyone who hosts, or even goes to, cocktail parties these days. I’m starting to wonder if our parents and grandparents had more fun in their day-to-day lives than we do now.

Really, why don’t we have cocktail parties anymore?

I know, I know; we’re busy. And we really ARE  busy — it’s true. Plus, I always need to get some home improvement project done before having people over.

But Erma knew…

I’m going share an Erma Bombeck quote. It’s an excellent quote, if you want to read the whole thing, it’s here. She wrote it after being diagnosed with cancer. But the part I’m going to remember in 2016 is this:

If I had my life to live over…I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I love that. And cocktail parties aren’t nearly as difficult as having friends over to dinner!

So I’m declaring it: In 2016, I’m going to refuse to be too busy to have some friends over for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Seriously, that’s not hard. I can take a Saturday afternoon to clean the downstairs, make a dip, throw some Costco appetizers in the oven, and mix up some pomegranate martini’s. I can do that, can’t I? Yes.

Yes! This year I resolve that I can.

So while more ambitious and deep-thinking people start the year by eating more healthfully, exercising more, and reading more books. I’m going to promise in 2016 to host a few cocktail parties. Now off to search for the perfect pomegranate martini recipe…