The Hospitality Lies We've All Believed

And this is where I really want to start to work and operate under definitions and not just terms, because I think there are these two terms that are often used synonymously and are actually different things.

They can go hand in hand, but they can also be completely separate, and that is the idea of entertaining and hospitality.

So let's dive into those definitions.

So entertaining at its core is the craft of creating an experience for your guests.

Entertaining is the what.

It's the planning.

It's the setting of the table.

It's the food.

It's the flow of the evening.

It's the decor.

It's the tablescapes.

It's all of the thoughtful details that you put into an event.

It's intentional, it's prepared, and it is designed.

Hospitality, on the other hand, is a posture.

It is the posture of welcoming people into your space and life.

It is all about the who.

Entertaining is about the what.

Hospitality is the who.

It is receiving someone so they feel at home.

Hospitality is relational, it is open, and it is present.

Put simply, entertaining is the gift you prepare, and hospitality is the welcome you extend.

You can't have one without the other.

You can have a meticulously planned dinner down to the nines with the most beautiful tablescape where every guest comes in and is impressed, but they walk away not really feeling known and not ever really feeling welcomed.

Or you can have a chaotic Tuesday where a friend drops by and leaves deeply cared for.

Nothing was prepared or planned or really that intentional aside from the intentionality of opening your door, but your friend feels the warmth and care that is the heart of hospitality.