Entertaining or hosting events, fundraisers or parties

“I'm in Ontario and we had a stag and doe a couple months before our wedding in 2010. It was almost... compulsory. My husband works at a factory and we were having a small wedding (30 people) but everybody at his work was expecting the stag and doe because it was what they all did for fun. It was so much work and planning coming up with a night that was great for everybody and yeah we came out ahead money wise but renting a hall, dj, figuring out food, drinks, soooo many games... between that and the wedding I ended up with an eye twitch until it was all over.”

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, I hosted a virtual “Birthday Barn-Raiser.” It was a Zoom birthday party with the goal of sponsoring a resident of Farm Sanctuary for one year. Each attendee was encouraged to make a donation, in lieu of a birthday gift, before the party. When we arrived on Zoom, we looked at how much we had raised. It turned out that we raised enough to sponsor three Farm Sanctuary residents for a year! We read the bios of various animal residents aloud and then voted to determine which three we would sponsor. Following the party, I sent the guests photos and written updates about the animals every few months throughout the year.”

“At my “Birthday Barn-Raiser,” I created a shared experience for my guests as we learned about and voted on which farm animals we wanted to sponsor. Since it was a virtual gathering and most guests did not know one another, I tried to get creative with other ways I could create common experiences for the guests. For example, I sent a small package to each guest in advance, with each one containing the same contents: [...] Many of the guests were snacking or sipping on the same foods and beverages during the Zoom call, just like you would at any in-person party.”