""I have a rule: I never accept an invitation if I don't want to invite somebody back," Garten told Esquire. According to Garten, you should never invite anyone because you feel obliged, and she is right! Fewer things are more uncomfortable than extending an invitation to someone whose company you don't enjoy, and on the flip side, no one wants to go to a dinner party if the invitation wasn't genuine."
""A dinner party is not an opportunity to impress people. It's an opportunity to make people feel good," Garten told Esquire. With that in mind, if you are hosting an event with people you care about, it's important to remember that their lasting impression will be based on how you greeted them and how welcome they felt at the event, and not whether you used cloth or paper napkins."
Never accept an invitation if there is no intention to invite that person back. Invitations should stem from genuine desire to spend time together, not from a sense of obligation. A dinner party should aim to make guests feel welcome and cared for rather than to impress them with formality or material details. Lasting impressions depend on the warmth of the greeting and the hospitality, not on napkin choices. Traditional etiquette emphasizes reciprocating invitations, but prioritizing sincere connections over antiquated rules leads to more comfortable, meaningful gatherings.
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