Parties with a hidden agenda
By Justin Hunter
Some people enjoy holiday
parties, or just functions in general, while others
hate them. While there are some generally unhappy people
in the world, the one’s that hate these gatherings
are usually not just angry people.
There is a new theme emerging in dinner parties or gatherings
and that is to leave the pies and wine
at home and instead bring your checkbook.
No, the hosts aren’t asking you to pay them (I
wonder if that would work though), but rather make a
voluntary donation to a pre-determined charity. And
if you have been to such events, you know that the term
voluntary is a nice way of saying mandatory.
While donating to charity is a good cause, many people
do not like the pressure they feel to pony up the dough
and they especially do not like to be ambushed into
doing so.
The article, “Hitting Up the Guests,” written
by Christina S. N. Lewis and Jennifer Saranow and published
in the December 1, 2006 edition of The Wall Street Journal,
explains things you may want to consider if you plan
on hosting one of these charitable parties.
“This year it's getting harder to be a Scrooge.
As the entertaining season shifts into high gear, party
hosts are asking for something else in return for their
hospitality -- a donation to their pet charity. But
the practice is trickling down, with civic-minded hosts
adding a charity component to their usual holiday gatherings
and asking for as little as a $5 donation from their
guests.”
Hosts are choosing charities for their party that range
from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation to the Children's Aid Society. While some
people would rather donate their Christmas spirit to
a different charity, there usually is not much qualm
about which charity benefits. That’s not the problem.
The first problem is that you have to know your guests.
While it would be nice if you knew all their motives
and darkest secrets, you need to establish a median
age that will be in attendance.
“Funding experts say parties that mix charity
with the cocktails are especially popular with the under-40
crowd, many of whom grew up with community service as
a part of their classroom education. Now they are incorporating
philanthropy into their everyday lives.”
Older crowds are not going to storm out of the room
but may not be as appreciative towards your motives
as younger guests. And although you are trying to help
a charity, your main goal is to make sure everyone has
a good time at the holiday party.
In order to do this, the number one thing you should
try avoid doing is ambushing your guests. As the host,
you have a responsibility to make it crystal clear in
the invitation that there will be a charitable twist
at the event, so people
have time to decide if they want to go or not.
There is nothing worse than going to a party with a
large plate of brownies only to see everyone else with
a checkbook. You feel mislead and deceived.
“‘Wanting to give to charities is terrific,
but to ask people to give to your own charity can get
pretty awkward,’ says Peggy Post, director of
the Emily Post Institute. Plus, she says, ‘holiday
timing might be a little difficult for some people’
since they are getting asked to give to so many causes.”
It is the charitable season and what better way to celebrate
a night with some friends than to give to a good cause
at the same time. As the host, you have a great heart
and a better agenda. Just remember though, do not pressure
people because you could end up looking like the Scrooge.
Back to Articles
|
