Your most important duty as a host is to make sure that none of your guests drink and drive. Have a phone number for a taxi service readily available and offer to call for them.

1. Forgetting to Inform the Neighbours

The last thing you want to do is anger your neighbours and have the police pay your home a visit because they weren't expecting blaring music or hoards of people.

Tip: Inform your neighbors that you are going to be throwing a party a week or two in advance, and let them know they can drop by anytime to let you know if the music is too loud. This way they can make arrangements to be elsewhere that night, and are less likely to call police.

2. Not Introducing Your Guests

If you have people coming to your party who don’t already know each other, make sure everyone is introduced. It can be daunting for guests to have to introduce themselves.

Tip: Introducing guests is a great way to make them feel acknowledged and welcome. When a guest arrives, simply announce their name to everyone and explain how you know them. This will give your guests an easy conversational starting point.

3. Not Serving Alcohol or Having No Non-Alcoholic Alternatives

Alcohol isn’t a requirement, but many people expect it to be available―or at least allowed. Alcohol can take the edge off of meeting new people but not everyone drinks alcohol so make sure you to have non-alcoholic alternatives on hand (e.g. sodas, juices, and virgin cocktails).

Tip: BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) is a good idea, but let your guests know beforehand to avoid confusion. Be sure to have ice and mixers on hand. Serve each guest their first drink and let them know they should serve themselves later on. This wil give you more time to mingle.

4. Having Too Much to Drink

As the host you should make sure everything runs smoothly, so having a few too many can make you sloppy.

Tip: Pace yourself and follow every alcoholic drink you have with a glass of water or other non-alcoholic beverage.

5. No Food/Not Enough Food

Another common party faux pas is not having enough food. Your grub doesn’t need to be extravagant, but make sure you have enough to satisfy everyone. Unless you have specified a pot-luck, don’t expect guests to bring food.

Tip: Simple finger food presented buffet-style allows guests to choose what they like. Put out a variety of foods that will meet others' dietary restrictions or preferences including vegan options. Choose a menu that fits the event and your culinary abilities.

6. Force-Feeding Guests

How many parties have you been to where the host is begging you to ‘eat some more’?

Tip: You want your guests to feel relaxed, not under pressure. Making them feel guilty for not eating enough will hurt the party atmosphere, and might even drive people away.

7. Cleaning While Guests Are Still Around

If a guest spills a drink, don’t overreact. The last thing you want is to make your guest feel more embarrassed than they already are. Keep the big clean-up for after the party. Don’t chase your guests with a vacuum cleaner or pick up after them.

Tip: Tidying up here and there, checking the bathroom to make sure there's enough toilet paper, is kosher hosting etiquette. Your guests will certainly appreciate it. But leave the non-serious messes for later.

8. Having No Designated DJ or Playlist

Music is what sets a party’s mood, so having no designated DJ or no playlist can kill the atmosphere. You don’t want to be stuck at the sound system, changing songs every few minutes.

Tip: Play music that suits the event. If you want people to dance, play something fun and upbeat. If it’s a low-key gathering, choose something more jazzy and light.

9. Making Your Party Overly-Themed

Themed events like Murder Mystery Parties, or even dress-up parties, can be a lot of fun. But when you go overboard with specific details it can make people feel out of their element and raise the level of awkwardness.

Tip: Focus only on the very necessary points of the theme, and if someone is unable to participate in the theme, they shouldn’t be ostracized. After all, a party should bring people together.

10. Not Preparing for Overnight Guests

It is possible that you may have a guest or two sleeping over, either because the party runs late or because they've had too much to drink.

Tip: Have some extra clean sheets and pillowcases around. And don't forget the guest towels.

11. Micromanaging the Party

You want guests to feel at home at your party, so the more ‘hands-off’ you are the more content your guests will be. Make games and activity paraphernalia available, but let your guests decide what they would like to do.

Tip: It’s natural for some partygoers to break away from the core party to do other things. This doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying themselves. The trick to having a fun and lively party is to make it easy for people to feel comfortable and to be themselves. The more you seem to be having a good time, the easier it will be for your guests to do the same.

Remember not to let any of your guests drink and drive. Have a happy and safe party!