“The pandemic has taken a toll on home entertaining, with fewer people gathering and fewer occasions celebrated in 2022 than in 2019. There are key segments of the population who are eager to entertain, however, including parents with kids under 18. Encouraging these consumers to celebrate even small occasions can help to boost the home entertaining market and provide inspiration for consumers to enjoy the company of friends and family during at-home gatherings.”
– Kristen Boesel, Senior Analyst
This report discusses the following key topics:
- Occasions for which consumers have hosted or attended a social gathering
- Factors that motivate consumers to host social gatherings in their homes
- Barriers to hosting social gatherings
- Elements that contribute to the atmosphere of a gathering and
- Sources of inspiration for party themes, décor, and refreshments/meals
- Items purchased for events hosted in the home
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Fewer consumers are hosting gatherings at home
- Figure 1: Share of adults who hosted a gathering at home in 2022
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- Figure 2: Types of parties/gatherings hosted or attended, 2019 vs 2022
- Competitive strategies
- A Sense of the Intense can help hosts set the mood
- Throwback: The comforts of the past are something to celebrate
- Market predictions
- Figure 3: Entertaining at home, category outlook, 2023-28
- Opportunities
- Parents represent a key demographic for this market
- Figure 4: “I would like to host gatherings in my home even if there are no specific events to celebrate” agreement, by parental status, 2022
- Cooking for others is losing its appeal
- Figure 5: Motivations for hosting parties/gatherings at home, 2022
- Gen Z and Millennial hosts more likely to expect guests to contribute
- Figure 6: “I would expect guests to contribute with food or drinks if they came for an event at my home” agreement, by age, 2022
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Party Hosts by the Numbers
- Majority of adults hosted a social gathering last year
- Figure 7: Share of adults who hosted a gathering at home in 2022
- Millennials and parents are more likely to be hosts
- Figure 8: Share of adults who hosted a gathering at home in 2022, by age
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- Figure 9: Share of adults who hosted a gathering at home in 2022, by parental status
- Hosts skew wealthier
- Figure 10: Share of adults who hosted a social gathering at home in 2022, by household income
- Majority of adults hosted a social gathering last year
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Market Drivers
- Inflation makes spending on parties harder to swallow
- Figure 11: “Spending money on at-home events is worth the cost” agreement, by household income, 2022
- Homeownership is linked to entertaining
- COVID-19 remains a concern for some consumers
- Figure 12: Percentage of adults worried about exposure to COVID-19, 2020-23
- Inflation makes spending on parties harder to swallow
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- A Sense of the Intense can help hosts set the mood
- Brooklinen showcases the impact of a specific scent
- Magic Hour Tea helps hosts personalize what they serve
- Throwback: The comforts of the past are something to celebrate
- The taste of the past
- Figure 13: Raise a toast to crunchy, toasty RITZ Toasted Chips, 2023
- Revive old recipes
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Hosts & Guests – Fast Facts
- Parents are enthusiastic about social gatherings
- Seeing friends and family is the top reason for hosts to entertain
- Concerns about contracting COVID-19 still keeps some consumers from hosting
- Most sources of inspiration for hosts are digital
- Main dishes and activities are top contributors to a party’s atmosphere
- Four in 10 consumers expect guests to contribute food or drinks
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Entertaining Occasions
- Social gatherings have not returned to pre-pandemic levels
- Figure 14: Types of parties/gatherings hosted or attended, 2019 vs 2022
- Younger adults celebrate more occasions than older adults
- Figure 15: Number of parties/gatherings hosted or attended in 2022, by age
- For Gen Z, birthdays aren’t just for kids
- Figure 16: Birthday celebrations hosted or attended in 2022, by age
- Parents keep celebrations alive
- Figure 17: Types of parties/gatherings hosted or attended in 2022, by parental status
- Parents would like to host even if there are no specific events to celebrate
- Figure 18: “I would like to host gatherings in my home even if there are no specific events to celebrate” agreement, by parental status, 2022
- Gains to be had by promoting pet parties
- Figure 19: Instagram post honoring Blake the dog’s first birthday, 2023
- Social gatherings have not returned to pre-pandemic levels
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Motivations for Entertaining
- Seeing friends and family tops other motivations
- Figure 20: Motivations for hosting parties/gatherings at home, 2022
- Women more motivated than men to see friends
- Figure 21: Motivations for hosting parties/gatherings at home, by gender, 2022
- Parents, especially dads, are eager to socialize now that COVID-19 is less of a threat
- Figure 22: “I’m eager to socialize in-person now that COVID-19 is less of a threat” agreement, by parental status, 2022
- Cooking for others is losing its appeal
- Figure 23: Motivations for hosting parties/gatherings at one’s home, 2022
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- Figure 24: Farmhouse Mexican Style Rice, 2023
- Gen Z adults want a reason to dress up
- Figure 25: Percentage who hosted parties/gatherings at home as a reason to dress up, by age, 2022
- Seeing friends and family tops other motivations
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Barriers to Entertaining
- COVID-19 remains top concern among those who have not hosted recently
- Figure 26: Barriers to hosting a gathering/party at home, 2022
- Concerns about COVID-19 are strongest among older adults
- Figure 27: Concern about COVID-19 as a barrier to hosting a gathering/party at home, by age, 2022
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- Figure 28: BinaxNOW | The Medicine Cabinet Has A New Essential, 2023
- Black and Hispanic adults are more cautious about inviting guests
- Figure 29: “Even after COVID-19 is no longer a threat, I will be cautious about inviting people to my home” agreement, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Hispanic consumers may need more encouragement to entertain
- Figure 30: Cost and appearance of home as barriers to hosting a gathering/party at home, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- COVID-19 remains top concern among those who have not hosted recently
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Sources of Inspiration
- Online explorations are key for generating party ideas
- Friends and family are a top source of inspiration
- Figure 31: Sources of inspiration/ideas for social gatherings hosted at home, 2022
- Women more likely than men to find inspiration in-store
- Figure 32: “I enjoy browsing for party supplies” agreement, by gender, 2022
- Parents are especially reliant on social media for inspiration
- Figure 33: Social media platforms used as sources of inspiration/ideas for gatherings hosted at home, by moms and dads, 2022
- Use Pinterest to highlight thematic ideas
- Figure 34: Setting a spring table with Anthropologie, 2023
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Creating Atmosphere
- It’s all about the main dishes
- Figure 35: Elements that contribute to an ideal atmosphere for an in-home event, 2022
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- Figure 36: Rubbermaid Takealongs Food Containers Make It Easy To Share Food At Home Or On-the-Go, 2021
- Main dishes are especially important for older adults
- Figure 37: Elements that contribute to an ideal atmosphere for an in-home event, by age, 2022
- Moms and dads perceive atmosphere differently
- Moms are especially focused on party decorations
- Dads might be looking for a project
- Figure 38: Elements that contribute to an ideal atmosphere for an in-home event, by parental status, 2022
- Parents enjoy the creative side of event hosting
- Figure 39: “I enjoy the creative side of event-hosting” agreement, by parental status, 2022
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- Figure 40: Instagram post promoting Easter tablescape workshop, 2023
- It’s all about the main dishes
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Items Purchased
- It’s not a party without beverages
- Figure 41: Items purchased for an in-home party/gathering in 2022, 2022
- Women are more likely than men to purchase most items for gatherings
- Figure 42: Items purchased for an in-home party/gathering in 2022, by gender, 2022
- Younger hosts more likely to purchase party activities
- Figure 43: Party activities purchased for an in-home party/gathering in 2022, by age, 2022
- Black and Hispanic hosts more likely to buy disposable cups/glasses
- Figure 44: Items purchased for an in-home party/gathering in 2022, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Gen Z and Millennial hosts more likely to expect guests to contribute
- Figure 45: “I would expect guests to contribute with food or drinks if they came for an event at my home” agreement, by age, 2022
- It’s not a party without beverages
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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