In my last post, I wrote about organizing a doll meet-up at a public location. Now let’s talk about hosting a meet-up at your home. There’s less legwork involved and it’s free of charge, but there are some unique challenges to consider before inviting all of your dolly friends.
One of the biggest reasons to choose to host a meet-up at home is cost. You can’t beat free! While there are free of charge public venues like parks, most will require some amount of financial outlay. Having a meet-up at someone’s house requires no such obligation, at least not to the guests. As a host, you will probably have to shell out for refreshments, if you choose to have them. An alternative is a pot luck approach, where each person agrees to supply a snack or drinks.
Another advantage to meets held at home is the freedom to spread out, take photos, and relax without the worry of a strict time limit. Public meeting rooms are great, but they are usually rented by the hour. Even if everyone is careful to order something, a cafe manager might give your group the hairy eyeball if it looks like you’re putting down roots. This becomes more of an issue if you decide to get together regularly, but can put a damper on even a one-time meet.
Once you’ve decided to host a doll meet at your house, here’s how to make sure your gathering is a success:
If you live alone, feel free to skip this paragraph, but if you’re like many of us, you share your house with others. The odds are that your house mates are not doll people (if they are – good for you!). Pets count too in this equation, for reasons I’ll get to in a few minutes. Lots of doll fans live with parents, significant others, children, or roommates. If you’re going to invite a group of fellow doll owners over for an afternoon, make sure you clear it with the other members of your household. Ask early, and remind them often! If you have small children, you might want to consider either hiring a sitter, or sending them to the grandparents for the meet. I hosted a BJD meet this past month, for which both of my kids went to my mother-in-law’s house. My daughter is great with my dolls, but I don’t expect other people to be okay with a four-year-old wanting to touch their stuff, and keeping her out of a living room full of dolls struck me as an exercise in frustration for both of us.
Getting back to pets, here’s something important that might not occur to everyone: Allergies. I can not stress how important it is to let potential meet attendees know if your house is home to cats, dogs, birds, or any other fur bearing creature. Give allergy sufferers the information, and let them decide if they’ll be comfortable attending. By all means, give a good dust and vacuum before the meet to get rid of as much loose hair and dander as possible, but be aware that this may not be sufficient for someone who has severe allergic reactions. Allergies are also a consideration when planning refreshments. Ask members to declare any food allergies. Just to be safe, you may wish to avoid common instigators like peanuts.
If you have the space, it’s often a good idea to create the refreshment area apart from where the dolls will be set out. This can either mean arranging food and drinks in the kitchen and gathering with the dolls in a living room or den, or it can be as simple as unfolding a card table for the dolls to keep them away from spills and crumbs. I like to keep a few clean baby blankets on hand to lay across the doll display areas. This may not be necessary for small dolls with stands, but it adds a little protection for larger, heavier dolls.
You may have all the activity you need, just sitting around, chatting and admiring everyone’s dolls. If you’d like to do more, consider adding a dolly costume contest, a swap meet, or a small gift exchange. You don’t need elaborate prizes, just something small. I used stickers, and tiny doll-sized hair ornaments at my last meet. One nice thing about including a low-key game or two is that it tends to bring new or shy group members out of their shell. As mentioned in my last entry, one potential pitfall of a home meet-up is that it can be more awkward for newcomers, as opposed to a neutral public location.
One final suggestion is to set up a photo area, if there are photographers in your group. If you’re crafty and so inclined, you can have fun with this and go a little nuts. I attended a BJD Halloween party a few years back where the host had constructed a three-sided diorama of a cemetery. She used fake tombstones from the craft store, old branches for spooky trees, and whisps of fiberfill for “fog”. Provide some good lighting, and dolly guests can take turns “posing” for pictures.
That’s about it! Have fun at your doll meets, whether they’re at the corner coffee shop, or in your living room!
The Uthando (‘Love’) Project provides free patterns to make dolls for children in a community ravaged by HIV and AIDS. The dolls are to promote expressive play, which is essential for children’s development and mental health. Your doll could be a child’s first toy, shared by the whole family.