Doori, o doori

While every reasonable person is going to pick celebrating the turn of the year at home instead of at a club among strangers throwing caution to the wind could make the atmosphere at home unsafe too With the highlytransmissible new Coronavirus variant Omicron gaining ground every day Sunday midday decided to reach out to dining experience curators on easy hacks to being a dependable party hostlsquoUse glass tags to discourage sharing of drinksrsquoAmi Kothari Tablescape Styling and Curator of Dining ExperienceWhile Kotharirsquos first choice would be a sit down dinner to restrict the movement of guests if a buffet is being planned opt for preplated individual portions so that people are not using the same cutlery or serving spoon and not gathering around a spot for very long For a sit down she suggests having cutlery prewrapped inside the napkins Disposable cutlery might not be the most environmentfriendly option but she suggests using leaf plates and paper napkins that are kind to nature ldquoPeople always end up being casual at a party and tasting or sharing drinks which is a big no right nowrdquo she says adding that the solution is to use glass tags ldquoYou can either use a marker to mark the glasses with the names of guests or use fancy paper tags available at party planner shopsrdquo The host can also opt for customised name stirrers for the guests so that they donrsquot share them and can take home their stirrer as a tokenrdquo According to Kothari it is these personalised touches that people love and what will make your party safe and special When it comes to food Kothari suggests avoiding fondue dips or mezze platters where guests serve themselves from the same bowl Anything that is preplated or in an individual serving set is better For instance she says instead of a salad bowl there can be martini cups with individual servings that the guests can pick up Another suggestion is having a preplated appetiser dish or tray per person ldquoYou can serve two to three appetisers on a preplated dish thatrsquos ready to serve to each guest individuallyrdquolsquoRent bean bags so guests donrsquot share seatsrsquoNikul Ganatra and Ramssha Hamllani Sparkle Events SolutionsWhile you limit the number of guests at your party also ensure that the seating includes singleseat sofas or couches ldquoYou can easily rent bean bags and puffies to ensure that people donrsquot huddle Or spread out large cushions on the floorrdquo says Ganatra Large furniture like couches or the dining table can be pushed towards a wall in order to create an open space in the middle of the room available The pair suggests that guests stay away from playing games that require sharing of props and instead host a musical nights or turn to games like dumb charades To ensure hygiene the host must call a COVID hygiene company that will sanitise the entire house before and after the party Itrsquos a good idea to hand a sanitiser bottle to every guest when she arrives along with a customised and personalised mask which would be a memorable takeawayRamssha Hamllani and Nikul GanatralsquoKeep it strictly outdoorsrsquoNayantara Sangtani Founder DinnersByNayantaraAn outdoor sociallydistanced seating is best for a house party in the light of rising COVID19 casesSangtani who runs an event styling company says this time all house parties should be held outdoors if possible with a small guest list It could be on someonersquos terrace a garden or at a rooftop restaurant According to her there is no ideal number of people to call as it depends on changing government guidelines and how large a space you have at your disposal However 20 people is the maximum number she suggests To adapt to safety norms in the pandemic she has been making alternate seating arrangements to ensure distance between the guests She also ensures that all eating counters are at least six feet apart While chefs visited a clientrsquos home earlier to prepare the dishes from scratch now the precooked meals are sent across packed to minimise contact ldquoEven the party deacutecor is sent across in DIY boxes clients set it up themselvesrdquo she says Sangtani suggests keeping seniors out of the guest list because they tend to be the most vulnerable Those who canrsquot attend or are unwell can join for a little while on Zoom ldquoIf you are keen on live music have over only one guitaristcumsinger opt for just one bartender if you canrsquot whip up the cocktails yourselfrdquoNayantara Sangtani4 easy steps to a safe house party1 Call as few guests as possible to an open space free of air conditioning and with good air flow2 Avoid a buffet Arrange a preplated dining set up3 Give the bar a personalised touch with glass tags tagged stirrers and masks4 Have individual seating