A house party is a type of
party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...
where people gather at the residence of the party's host.
Organization
A house party might be organized several months or just a few hours in advance. News of a party may be spread by personal invitations, word of mouth, posted leaflets, or notices on social networking sites. Broad notice of a party – sometimes unintentionally – can result in large numbers of people attending who do not know the host personally, and may be disruptive. A person who attends a house party but has not been invited, is typically referred to as a "
gatecrasher", particularly if the party is open only to invited guests; they are usually perceived negatively, but may nonetheless be welcomed by the host.
History
An early example of a house party can be seen in the play ''
Mostellaria'' (''The Haunted House'') by the Roman playwright
Plautus
Titus Maccius Plautus (; c. 254 – 184 BC), commonly known as Plautus, was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest Latin literary works to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the gen ...
. In the play, a young man called Philolaches holds a house party with many friends while his father Theopropides is away on business.
House parties have become a prominent feature in popular movies, particularly movies aimed at teenagers. While many have probably been present before the movie, ''
The Party '' is one of the first to properly provide a scene of a house party. However, the most popular film later on is ''
House Party'' featuring hip hop rap duo Kid-N-Play.
In various cultures
In the
former Yugoslavia, a sijelo (In
Ijekavian
Shtokavian or Štokavian (; sh-Latn, štokavski / sh-Cyrl, italics=no, штокавски, ) is the prestige dialect of the pluricentric Serbo-Croatian language and the basis of its Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Montenegrin standards. It ...
), silo (In
Ikavian
Shtokavian or Štokavian (; sh-Latn, štokavski / sh-Cyrl, italics=no, штокавски, ) is the prestige dialect of the pluricentric Serbo-Croatian language and the basis of its Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Montenegrin standards. It ...
) or selo (In
Ekavian
Shtokavian or Štokavian (; sh-Latn, štokavski / sh-Cyrl, italics=no, штокавски, ) is the prestige dialect of the pluricentric Serbo-Croatian language and the basis of its Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Montenegrin standards. ...
) is an evening social gathering at a house. The use of the word ''sijelo'' is particularly widespread in
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
.
In
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, a
Céilí is a social gathering which, in its traditional form, takes place in a domestic dwelling. Contemporary céliís often involve music and dancing and can also take place in a public or private meeting space, in addition to in a domestic setting.
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, house parties may be referred to as a 'Skins' party, referring to a well-known
TV show focusing on the lives of teenagers who often participate in and host open house parties.
See also
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Cocktail party
A cocktail party is a party at which cocktails are served. It is sometimes called a cocktail reception. A cocktail party organized for purposes of social or business networking is called a mixer.
A cocktail hour is sometimes used by manag ...
*
House Party, Inc.
House Party, Inc. is an experiential, word of mouth marketing company based in Irvington, New York that enables immersive hands-on interactions between consumers and brands. Founded in 2005, the company facilitates brand-sponsored “House Parties ...
*
House Party (radio and TV show)
*
Political houseparty
A political houseparty is a party held in a private home for the purpose of supporting a particular candidate, political party, or ballot measure, or to share information and opinions about an upcoming election.
Such events may be arranged as a d ...
*
Šokačko sijelo, minority festival
ReferencesHouse Party Decoration Ideas
Bibliography
For Sijelo:
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{{Parties
Sexuality and society
Parties
Youth culture