You can take it for granted that, since your friends are good hosts, their guests will have been served fruit juice and coffee before arriving at your party, just as your own guests would be. And, if you can, serve your guests tall, cold glasses of fruit juice and coffee in their rooms when you know they're awake. In that way, they don't lie around wondering whether to get up and ask for coffee or whether they ought to offer to help you, and you are free to get on with your preparations for the party without conversation.

luncheon parties-light food for ladies
Luncheon parties given at home are usually, though not invariably, all female, and they often precede a card game of some sort. We've learned a great deal about how to entertain women at lunch in the past couple of decades. We invariably used to give them too much to eat, but most American women nowadays watch their figures and they will appreciate your cooperation. It's a challenge, but entirely possible to plan a beautiful luncheon with almost no calories in it. This can, and usually does mean inexpensive entertaining.

with men-brief, but hearty
When a luncheon, as is likely to happen in the country in summer, is for both men and women, more substantial fare is in order. If you have no servants, make it buffet, with a main dish that can't be spoiled by waiting. Let people carry their filled plates to the garden or the porch where it's so pleasant to eat on fair days. Two courses are all that should be offered and their preparation and serving are easy as well as moderate in cost.

tea parties-cosy and almost no trouble Small tea parties are a simpler way of entertaining than at luncheon. They are cosy, intimate and the perfect place for people to make friends or for old friends to have a good chat. As with luncheons for women the food should be much simpler than it frequently is. If you are care­ful to see that every bit of simple food is the finest, you will make yourself a great reputation and be loved by all dieting females.

If you want to entertain a large group of women at once, a big tea party is the best solution. It's the most inexpensive kind of big party you can give, and women seem to prefer it to a big cocktail party.

at home
I should like here to make a brief plea for one of the most pleasant kinds of home entertaining rarely done now owing to our lack of leisure. It's the custom of having tea at home every afternoon, or on a specific afternoon every week, and inviting your friends to drop in.