Tips for throwing Mad Men-style dinner parties

Back during the Mad Men era, people had great dinner parties, but it’s a lost art today.

Let's change that and hark back to the days of great conversation over a wonderful meal with friends – yet modified for today’s lifestyle to keep the host and hostess out of the kitchen as much as possible.

“This is old-school social networking,” says Tracey Doull, Kitchen Moxie’s founder. “We get so caught up in texting, e-mailing and on Facebook and Twitter, we forget what it’s like to welcome friends into your home, open up your heart and mix it up over good food and drink. It’s what the art of the dinner party is all about.”

Tips for Throwing a Mad Men Style Retro Dinner Party

1. Always make sure your dishwasher is empty at the start of a dinner party, as this will allow you to clean up as you go.

2. Warm plates prior to serving. You’ll be surprised how well this works!

3. If you have beautiful china and silver, use it! Don’t leave it sitting on the shelf collecting dust. Better yet, head to GoodWill and pick up a mix match of vintage plates or a complete China set for cheap, yet adding to the retro authenticity.

4. Don’t sit spouses or partners next to each other. Mix it up a little.

5. Prep cocktails ahead of time, so you can mingle. Set up a bar cart with glasses and alchoal selections already available. Premix cocktails into a pitcher, pour wine out of the bottle and into a decanter and put Scotch Whiskey into a crystal decanter for easy serving and a classic touch.

6. Use cloth or linen napkins only

7. When possible try to have fresh flowers or some sort of seasonal display as people really do appreciate the small touches. Also, put a bud vase in the bathroom with a candle burning too

8. Set your Pandora or Spotify music playlist to "Retro Cocktail Party" or break out the classic records if you have them.

9. You could also purchase non-collectible vinyl records at Goodwill to use as Charger plates! The sleeves can be put on your coffee table as art too.

10. Serve Salsa Shrimp Cocktail appetizers in martini glasses (Recipe)