When my good friend said all she wanted for her birthday party was to play football in the park and have a bbq — it was January! — I jumped at the chance to host our first party. Little did I realize that my good friend’s group of close friends was giant! Like eager kids we braved the cold, bundle up and played winter football in the park until someone got hurt. And like good little kids we lined our wet boots in the hall and squashed ourselves in around my 6-person table in my 1-bedroom apartment.

Despite the ability to mingle and roam, everyone huddled around the table while the food was available, then migrated to the “living” room and squeezed in to play games. I guess a small space never deters good company!