Gone are the days of freely slinking out to happy hour at the magical 5 o’clock hour with zero cares in the world. Coordinating babysitters (more like praying for one), making sure there’s dinner for everyone, being home at a decent hour (read: early enough so the babysitter can still go out)…and then my constant worry if my kids are okay.

So then I thought, why not bring the happy hour fun to my house?! It’s cheaper, I can keep an eye on my kids and I can stay in my lounge clothes (win win WIN). Here are a few of my tips & quick recipes to make your home happy hour the place to be — without the stress!

HAVE AN EASY HOUSE COCKTAIL

Grapefruit Vodka & Club Soda

1 Part Deep Eddy Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka

2 Parts Club Soda

3 squeezes of Lime

THE MOTHERTIP: Leave ingredients out for guests to make their own, that way you’re not playing bartender all night. Also have some generic wines & beers available in case some of your guests aren’t into hard liquor!

EASY SNACKS, EASY HOSTING

Let’s get one thing straight — I am not Ina Garten (although I aspire to be like her one day, Hamptons house & everything). But something I learned from her is to prep as much as you can in advance before hosting anything. I like to prep everything either the day before or early the same day, that way I’m not cooking while my guests are over. You want to have fun & enjoy your own party, right?!

FAVORITE DIPS

Guacamole | Crab Dip | Avocado Black Bean Salsa

THE MOTHERTIP: For dips with avocado, prepare everything else in the dip ahead of time. Then, cut up & add the avocado right before your guests arrive so it’s nice and fresh. The same can be said for baked dips — prep ahead of time, throw in the oven 15-20 minutes before your guests arrive.

For more tips on feeding a crowd, check out this Mother Minute.

Need some happy hour decor? You already know I have you covered!