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guests at a party
If you live in a house, see that the doorway and the walk which lead to it are well lighted for the comfort and first greeting of your guests. In an apartment house, the halls are presumably properly lighted so guests can arrive at your door without mishap.
"come right in!"
Who answers the door when the bell rings? In a house with a servant or two, the man or the maid opens the door. He or she says, "Good evening" pleasantly, adding the names of persons he knows. ("Good evening, Mrs. Jones.") Don't forget, this initial impression of your hospitality ought to be an agreeable one. Next, the servant tells the guests where to leave their wraps, or takes the men's coats from them if they're to be left in the hall closet. The guests go to the room indicated and then repair to the living room, to be greeted by their hosts.
In most homes where there is temporary help or none at all, the door is opened either by the host or the hostess, a matter which has been agreed upon before the party. Usually, it's better for the host to take this responsibility, so the hostess can direct the lady guests to the room where they're to leave their wraps, and be with the guests who have already arrived. She should not go to the dressing room with guests as they come in because this will leave the early arrivals uncomfortably alone.
the friend in need
If the party is very large and people are likely to arrive over a long period, it's a good plan to arrange with some close Iriend or relative to take over answering the doorbell for at least part of the time. This is
especially important at a cocktail party where the host is acting as his own bartender. No one can do both jobs well. The hostess, too, has responsibilities enough with introductions, looking out for her guests, being certain that the food is in good supply. She will be endlessly interrupting conversations and disrupting her party if she has to keep answering the doorbell. Try, if you do ask someone else to tend the door for you, to have a person who's likely to know the guests. An impersonal greeting from another guest can be a cool reception, but a greeting from a naturally cordial person, even one who doesn't know your guests, can be warm and hospitable.
greetings
It seems to me gratuitous to tell you what you should say to guests as you greet them. What you say ought to be a measure of what you feel, and how you express that pleasure is highly personal.
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