Help - party etiquette advice!

[cesca]

At the risk of sounding like a tightwad...I have been invited to a shopping party this evening (body shop, yum) and of course I assumed I should take a bottle of wine. However it occurred to me on the way home (as I realised that irritatingly I'd have to go and get cash out to do this, always an inconvenience) that maybe I'm not supposed to, to this kind of party? I will be driving and not drinking. So would taking a bottle be over the top?! I think I should take one to thank the hostesses but they also get free stuff for throwing the party. What do you all think please? Many thanks!

[kerrylee]

I'd take a wine to give to organiser.

[vbm]

Dear lady
Good etiquette dictates that wine taken to a party is a gift to the host/hostess and is never actually opened at the party (for no other reason than because it would not necessarily go with the food provided which would cause extremem embarrasment to all).

However from your comment one is lead to assume that your 'host' is already to be rewarded for throwing such a 'party' (perhaps the 'party' is in fact a commercial venture?) in which case it would in fact be innappropriate to take any such 'gift'.

[cesca]

Thanks vbm - I took a bottle and noone else did. Twas only a fiver bottle o red though.

[caustic]

Well you were the polite one then, I would have taken a bottle too! You eventually get back what you give in this world!

[cesca]

That's what I thought! I was brought up properly, my mum wouldn't have approved if I'd gone empty handed!

[vbm]

My pleasure Cesca. and you (and your mother) were quite right to err on the side of being generous.

A pearl amongst swine I suspect!

: )