Here are 4 more ways to make every gathering count.
Gather round - it's time to get toasty
There’s something about a fire that makes everyone slow down. The screens go away, the conversations get better, and somehow the night goes three hours longer than anyone planned. A by the fire gathering is one of the easiest and most magical ways to bring your people together – and with a few simple fundraising twists, it might just be the most memorable thing you do all year.
The marshmallow tribunal
Did someone burn their marshmallow? Pay up. Convinced that burnt is actually the superior marshmallow experience and prepared to die on that hill? Also pay up – for the audacity alone. Set a donation amount per toasting round and let the great marshmallow debate do the fundraising for you.
The blanket tax
Forgot to bring a blanket? That'll cost you a donation to borrow one. Consider it a lesson in preparation – and in generosity.
The wrong answer jar
Pull out The Longest Table conversation starters from your Host Kit and put your guests to the test. Think you know your true or false? Get it wrong and it goes in the wrong answer jar — all funds straight to your fundraising page.
Want to keep the game going? Make up your own true or false with a personal twist – the more your guests think they know you, the more expensive it gets. Questions get harder and more expensive – as the night goes on.
everyone's invited – yes even the ones who can't cook
A potluck lunch is democracy at its finest. The table ends up full of everyone’s best recipes, a few ambitious experiments, and at least one dish that raises questions nobody is brave enough to ask. No single person carries the load, everyone gets to show off a little, and somehow, it’s the best spread of the year.
The beauty of a potluck fundraiser is that the food does the work for you. Here’s how to make every dish count:
Gold coin per taste
Guests pay a gold coin donation for every dish they try. Sounds small – but when there are twelve dishes on the table nobody can stop going back for seconds, it adds up faster than you’d think.
Can’t cook? No problem
For the guests who genuinely cannot cook – and they know who they are – offer the option to donate instead of bringing a dish. No judgement. Truly. We’re just glad you’re here.
The recipe card swap
Ask every guest to bring a printed recipe card with their dish. Guests donate to take one home. It’s a nice little keepsake from the day, and suddenly your potluck has its own community cookbook.
The chip tax
We all know there’s one. The friend who shows up with a bag of chips and absolutely zero remorse. They donate double. It’s only fair. And deep down, they know it.
put the kettle on – it's time to spill the tea
High tea is having a moment. And honestly, it deserves it. There’s something wonderfully indulgent about an afternoon of finger sandwiches, fresh scones, and a pot of something lovely – and when it’s all in the name of cancer research, it tastes even better.
Dress it up at home with your finest china or book somewhere special and make a proper afternoon of it. Either way, your guests are arriving ready to feel fancy – and generous.
A word of warning though. Standards will be high. Etiquette will be enforced. And there will be consequences.
Spill the tea
And we mean that literally. Anyone who spills their cup donates to your fundraising page. Keep it graceful out there.
The pinky up fine
Caught holding your cup with your pinky elevated? That'll cost you. This is high tea, not a Wednesday. Standards must be maintained.
The great scone debate
Jam first or cream first? This is not a casual question. It is a deeply held belief, a matter of personal identity, and the source of more conflict than it has any right to be. Pick your side, defend it with everything you have – and if your side loses the popular vote, you donate. The winning side gets bragging rights and the last scone.
rain, hail or shine – the picnic is happening
There is no better way to spend a sunny afternoon than a picnic. Blanket on the grass, grazing board in the middle, absolutely nobody in a hurry to be anywhere else. Pack your basket, find a good sport, and let the sunshine do the heavy lifting.
And if the weather has other ideas? No problem, the picnic is still happening. It’s just moving inside.
Because here’s the thing – a living room picnic is arguably better. No ants, no rogue gusts of wind taking out the napkins. No arguing about whether that cloud looks a bit threatening. Just blankets on the floor, good food, and great company.
The floor is lava – for chairs
Picnic blankets on the living room floor are mandatory. No exceptions. No chairs. No sneaking off to the couch when you think nobody's watching. Caught sitting on a chair? You donate. This is a picnic and we will not be compromising on the experience.
The mystery basket
Every guest brings one unlabelled contribution to the spread. No hints. No context. Just a dish, a container, or a very suspicious looking parcel. Guests donate to guess what's inside before the big reveal. The more mysterious the better.
Your people are already in your corner. All you need to do is give them a reason to get together – and a way to turn that catch up into something that really counts. Pick your gathering, share your page, and let the good times do the rest.
