A cocktail party is a
party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often featu ...
at which
cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely acr ...
s are served. It is sometimes called a cocktail reception. A cocktail party organized for purposes of
social
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
or
business
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit."
Having a business name does not separ ...
networking is called a mixer.
A
cocktail hour is sometimes used by managers of hotels and restaurants as a means of attracting
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar ( ...
patrons between 4 pm and 6 pm.
Some events, such as
wedding reception
A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...
s, are preceded by a cocktail hour. During the cocktail hour, guests socialize while
drinking and eating
appetizers. Organizers of these events use the cocktail hour to occupy guests between related events and to reduce the number of guests who arrive late.
Although it has been said that the inventor of the cocktail party was
Alec Waugh of
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, an article in the ''
St. Paul Pioneer Press
The ''St. Paul Pioneer Press'' is a newspaper based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. It serves the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the east metro, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, ...
'' in May 1917 credited its invention to Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. of
St. Louis, Missouri. Mrs. Walsh invited 50 guests to her house on a Sunday at high noon for a one-hour affair. "The party scored an instant hit," the newspaper declared, stating that within weeks cocktail parties had become "a St. Louis institution".
Alec Waugh noted that the first cocktail party in England was hosted in 1924 by
war artist Christopher Nevinson.
A German observer of English life advised its co-nationals to import the "three fundamental rules" of cocktail parties:
# It should not last long, an hour and a half maximum, the time one can stand up, even if there are chairs for weaker constitutions.
# Guests should enter and leave freely, avoiding elaborate greetings on arrival and departure.
# Conversation must avoid passionate subjects (personal, political or religious topics) to keep a harmonious and cheerful ambiance.
Formal rules
The cocktail drinks usually start no earlier than 17:30 and no later than 19:00. The duration is usually limited to approximately two hours. The cocktail party thus takes place during normal working hours and is held before dinner. Punctuality of arrival is not expected, but punctuality of departure is.
Cocktails and other alcoholic beverages are available, except for 'normal' drinks such as beer, liquor, etc. Soft drinks may also be served. Usually, no food is served, only a few snacks. The classic cocktail drink is a martini. In the UK it is also common to serve pina coladas and mojitos.
For formal cocktail parties, invitations are sent out in writing one or two weeks in advance. For less formal cocktail parties, invitations are usually only invited verbally. The informal nature of the event allows the invited guest to ask if they can bring an escort if that is acceptable to the host.
Dresscodes
As a rule, gentlemen still wear their usual casual attire (office suits) because the party takes place during working hours. The same now applies to working women. For particularly formal or formal cocktail parties, men should wear a dark suit.
Women who attend a cocktail party may usually wear a
cocktail dress.
See also
*
* ''
The Cocktail Party'', a play by
T. S. Eliot
References
{{Authority control
Eating parties
Drinking culture
High society (social class)
Upper class culture