What is HouseParty.com?

HouseParty.com is a free online community where people are connected through parties. As a registered member of House Party you have the opportunity to host a House Party for your friends and family while checking out some kind of new product. If you're selected as a host for a particular House Party, you can use our website to invite your friends and family over for your House Party, share your pictures and videos, and explore thousands of parties being held in homes across the country. Each host for any event receives a Party Package that contains items to help enhance the party for you and your guests – and YES, the Party Package is completely FREE!  To see some of the fun that we have had over the years, check out the listing of our past parties!

What is my Dashboard?

Your Dashboard is your home base in the House Party world. It shows you a summary of parties you're hosting, parties you're a guest of, as well as the status of host applications you've completed.

Each time you sign in to the Web site, you'll arrive on your Dashboard. From there, you can choose where you'd like to go.

From your Dashboard, you can easily edit your personal details, upload/change your profile photo, and manage your contact preference (choose how much email you'd like to receive during your House Party experience.)

To learn more about your Dashboard with regard to Host Selection, click on "Host Selection" to the right.

I forgot my screen name and password. How can I find them?

For security purposes, we do not have access to your password; however, you can go to the login screen and click on "Forgot Password," enter your email address (which needs to correspond to the email address you used to register with House Party), and a new password will be emailed to you immediately. This email will contain both your screen name and a new password. You will then be able log on to your party page. DO NOT COPY AND PASTE YOUR NEW PASSWORD - but rather type it it!  Copying and pasting can add extra characters which will complicate the log in process.

After you have successfully logged in, go into "Profile," and change your password to something relevant to you.

How do I enable JavaScript?

houseparty.com takes advantage of JavaScript, therefore it is necessary for the full experience of the site. In order to view the site correctly you will need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser, to do so please follow the directions below:

Internet Explorer (6.0)

1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Internet Options'
3. Click on the 'Security' tab
4. Click on 'Custom Level'
5. Scroll down until you see section labled 'Scripting'
6. Under 'Active Scripting', select 'Enable' and click OK

Netscape Navigator (4.8)

1. Select 'Edit' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Preferences'
3. Choose 'Advanced'
4. Choose 'Scripts & Plugins'
5. Select the 'Enable JavaScript' checkbox and click OK

Mozilla Firefox (1.0)

1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Options'
3. Choose 'Web Features' from the left navigation
4. Select the checkbox next to 'Enable JavaScript' and click OK

Mozilla Firefox (1.5)

1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Options'
3. Choose 'Content' from the top navigation
4. Select the checkbox next to 'Enable JavaScript' and click OK

Apple Safari (1.0)

1. Select 'Safari' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Preferences'
3. Choose 'Security'
4. Select the checkbox next to 'Enable JavaScript'

How do I clear my cache?

Internet Explorer (6.0)

1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Internet Options'
3. Click on 'Delete Files.'
4. Check 'Delete offline content.'
5. Click OK

Internet Explorer (7.0)

1. Select 'Tools' from the top menu
2. Choose 'Delete Browsing History.'
3. Under ‘Temporary Internet Files,’ click “Delete Files.’
4. Check 'Delete offline content.'
5. Under 'Are you sure you want to delete all temporary internet files?' click 'Yes'

Mozilla Firefox (1.5)

1. 1. Drop down 'Firefox' menu and choose 'Preferences.'
2. Choose Privacy Option
3. Click the 'Cache' tab.
4. Click 'Clear Cache.'

Apple Safari (1.0)

1. Drop down 'Safari' menu and choose 'Empty Cache.'

What is the 'Explore' button on the houseparty.com Home Page?

When you click on 'Explore' you will be able to view thousands of parties being held in homes across the country. You can explore via 'featured parties,' 'featured media,' or 'featured events.'

You do not have to register or login in order to Explore houseparty.com.

House Party RSS Feeds

RSS Feeds are a great way to stay in the loop with House Party activities.

Add an RSS feed to your favorite "RSS Reader/Aggregator" to get updated when new content is posted.

The "Upcoming Events" feed will notify you of brand new events as they're updated on houseparty.com -- never be late to the party again!

The "Party Talk" feeds will let you keep up with the conversation for any event.

Just keep an eye out for the RSS Feed Icon across the site and click it to view or add the feed to your RSS Reader.

Looking for an RSS Reader? Most modern browsers have a built-in RSS Reader, though here are a few other worthy readers: Google Reader, Feed Gator

Why am I being asked all these questions about what I own, etc.?

To make sure that you are good fit to enjoy the entire House Party experience and to help us understand what other types of House Parties our users might enjoy.

I really want to be a host! Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of being chosen?

All hosts will be chosen based on their responses to the online screener (aka the application).  The best way to get selected is to answer the questions completely and honestly.

I'm getting stuck on a screener page. What do I do?

There are a few reasons you might be getting stuck. First of all, if you haven't completely filled out the form, you will get error messages at the top of the page prompting you to go back to the incomplete questions. The incomplete questions would be highlighted in red.

Occasionally, people find their way to our screener using a link that has been forwarded to them by a friend. If the link bypasses our houseparty.com page, you will not have registered (created a screen name and password) and you would have been unable to complete your application. If that is the case, you will need to begin from www.houseparty.com, click on the party for which you'd like to apply, and click on "let's get started" to begin.

Finally, you might try leaving the website, clear your cache, refresh your browser, and try again. Occasionally, applicants have been stuck for reasons we have been unable to duplicate and a fresh start has simply solved the glitch.

How does House Party select its hosts?

In order for you to be considered in the host selection process, you need to fill out the online application (which asks you questions about your knowledge of the sponsor brand, how you typically throw parties, whether you are an internet user and have a digital camera, etc). After completing the application, you will need to respond to the confirmation email by clicking on the link within it (to make sure our means of communicating with you works). From the group of applicants who confirm their email address and complete the application, we choose a pool of hosts who fit House Party's and the sponsor's host criteria.

If you did not receive a confirmation email but believe you have completed a screener, do not hesitate to contact us at help@houseparty.com, and we will be happy to confirm the status of your application.

I received a confirmation email. Does that mean I've been chosen to be a host?

No.

Every host who registers with House Party (creates a user name and password) receives a confirmation email confirming their user name and password. That confirmation email should not be confused as host notification.

What if I don't see my email notification by the target date?

Some email systems may block our email. Be sure to check your "spam" mailbox, and follow your mail provider's instructions on how to ensure the delivery of desired mail.

Additionally, check your Dashboard, this will tell you of your status.

How do I know if I'm chosen?

You will receive an email notifying you that you have been chosen to be a host finalist for a party.  Typically, only a certain number of host finalists will make it into an event and become official hosts. The email will contain a link connecting you to the House Party website which will guide you through the process of setting up your party. You will need the user name and password that you created when you began your application to log in to the House Party website. (Please be aware that some email systems may block our email. Be sure to follow your mail provider's instructions on how to ensure the delivery of desired mail.)

Keep track of your host applications on your Dashboard. You can sign in to the House Party  Web site at any time after you complete your host application. Use the username and password you chose when filling out the application.

Will I receive an email if I am NOT chosen to be a host?

Yes.

You will receive an email letting you know you have not been chosen to host. If you are ever curious about or confused by your status, feel free to contact us at House Party Customer Care to confirm your status or check your Dashboard. We are happy to help!

I want to apply to host a party, but I'm not sure if I can host on the designated party date?

We hope that all who sign up to host a party carefully consider the party date when they complete the application and follow through with the party, especially since the number of households and number of available party packages are limited. When one agrees to host a party, that person is taking the opportunity away from another applicant who also wants to host.

If you have doubts about whether you will be able to host a party on the assigned date, then perhaps you might consider holding off on completing the application and wait for another opportunity to host a party.

Can my HOUSE PARTY be outside or somewhere other than my home?

Yes.

As long as you are able to show the product so that your guests can see it, you can have the party outside, or wherever you like. People are doing lots of interesting things – and no matter where the party is held, we encourage people to take as many digital videos and photos as they like!

Does it matter what day I hold my HOUSE PARTY?

Yes.

HOUSE PARTY is designed to create a nation-wide Party Day. On the scheduled date, people from all across the country will be joining in the same party on the same day. It's a cool thing to be a part of, and your party is an important part of it!

Does it matter what time I hold my HOUSE PARTY?

No.

The timing of your party is entirely up to you. Pick a time that works best for your family and your guests.

I have been chosen to host, but I can no longer host on the party date. Can I reschedule?

Yes.

If sickness or a family emergency makes it impossible to keep your party on the scheduled date, don't worry; we still want you to participate in the party, share the experience with your friends, and use your Party page to share your thoughts, pictures and video. You can reschedule your HOUSE PARTY, but be aware that shceduling your party for a date prior to the official party date may result in your not receiving your package in time for the party.  Be sure to do it as soon as possible and submit your media right away: we want your hosts' and guests' voices to be heard!

Just go to "Party Details" on your party page, and change the party time and date to that of your choice. When you send invitations, they should reflect your new party date.

We hope that, regardless of the date you host your party, you will still upload lots of pictures and video, check your website often, blog with your guests, and enjoy all the great free stuff in your host package or virtual gift bag.

What if I cannot reschedule?

If you know well in advance that you will not be able to host a House Party, even though you have the option to reschedule, let us know. If we know far enough in advance, we can stop the shipment of your package and offer another lucky person the opportunity to host.  Please email help@houseparty.com.

What is in my Party package?

It varies from party to party.

The contents of your party package will be listed on the National Party Page FAQ (a FAQ page dedicated to the event).

I have a lot of guests coming. May I request extra items in my Party Package?

No.

Because of the length of time it takes to obtain party pack items, pack and the boxes and ship them, it would be impossible to accommodate the varying numbers of guests and last minute RSVP's to some parties.

Consequently, the the party package for each given House Party event will be identical for all hosts.

If you have more guests coming than goodie bags (if provided) or items in your box, we suggest the following strategies which have proven quite successful.

• Raffle off goodie bags or individual items
  
• Use Goodie bags or individual items as prizes for games
• Eliminate goodie bags entirely and put all the items in one big grab bag for give aways or prizes
• If cups and plates are provided and you do not have enough, simply buy extras which coordinate with the free ones in your package.

Will I be reimbursed for the money I spend on my Party?

No.

As a House Party host, you will receive your host party package and free access to your custom Party Page. But as a host or guest, you are responsible for any thing – food, decorations, party favors, etc. -- you choose to provide for your fellow partygoers.

How do the Party Favors work?

This is where you will find various high resolution graphics for use in making party favors.

1. On your Party Page, click on ‘Party Favors.’
2. Click on ‘Download,’ which will take you to another screen which will give you a choice of graphics to download.
3. Select which graphic you would like (if there is more than one option).
4. For T-Shirt Transfers: Click ‘Download’ again (which will download the image in reverse).
5. For other uses such as cake screen, magnet, or flyers etc (which will download image as is and not backwards):
1. Right click the image
2. Click 'Save as.'

Keep checking back to the Party Favors section to see newly added graphics to make cool party favors

What are Event Mailing Lists?

For each event, the members of the Nation-wide community of partygoers (hosts and guests) are sent infrequent emails specific to the event. These are very important emails that may announce: the availability of a special offer on the party site (or on a sponsor's website), an exclusive contest for members of a particular event only, notifications about the delivery of Party Packs, and much more. House Party does not abuse this mailing list and exercises restraint, reserving it for event critical updates only.

If you are a registered host or guest of a current or past event, then you are automatically included on the mailing list specific to that event. That means, for each event you participate in, you are included on each of the mailing lists for it. Some partygoers are on the House Party Newsletter Mailing List, as well as a handful of other event specific mailing lists.

On which mailing lists am I included as a Host or Guest?

As an active member of a sponsored event, you are possibly subscribed to two mailing lists (depending whether or not you opted-in to our newsletter during registration).

• The General House Party Newsletter
• A selection of Event Mailing Lists, depending on which party events you are involved in, or have participated in in the past

What is the The General House Party Newsletter?

This is how we keep our community of partygoers (and interested non-partygoers who have joined our mailing list) informed about upcoming events that are available for hosting. Soon these newsletters will include valuable party planning tips and advice, as well as information about changes and upgrades to the party planning tools on our site.

Basically, this is a way to see whats coming next from the House Party team.

How do I unsubscribe from House Party emails?

If you are a registered partygoer:

1. Simply Log In to houseparty.com, click on Profile tab from main menu.
2. Then choose "Contact Preferences” from the sub menu. You'll see a page that includes every email type from House Party.
3. Disable all email types you would no longer like to receive.

From within a House Party email:

In the footer of emails you receive from House Party, you'll see links to unsubscribe. Follow the directions there.
To unsubscribe from all House Party emails:

1. Go to the URL http://www.houseparty.com/unsubscribe
2. Enter your email into the field provided to remove that email address from our all House Party mailing lists altogether.

Please note: If you have registered with houseparty.com using multiple email addresses and/or multiple user names, you will need to complete this process for each user name and the associated address.

How do I manage my House Party Emails?

If you are a previous host, guest or virtual partygoer:

1. If you are a registered partygoer, simply Log In to houseparty.comClick on 'Profile' tab from main menu.
2. Choose "Contact Preferences”  from the sub menu. You'll see a page that details each list your email address for the username/password you just logged in with.
3. Check the boxes off for the communications you would like to receive.
4. Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page to confirm your preferences.

If you have not previously been a host, guest, or virtual partygoer of an event: you can re-subscribe (or subscribe for the first time) on the form at the following URL: http://houseparty.com/events

Can I unsubscribe from invitations to parties?

What is the “Contact Preferences” page?

The “Contact Preferences” page, under 'Profile,' allows registered partygoers the ability to monitor the House Party Mailing Lists they are subscribed (or unsubscribed) to.

How can I make sure I receive emails from House Party?

Since your ISP probably uses some type of spam filter we ask that you add us to your trusted list of senders, contacts or address book. All also known as whitelisting.

If you do not see an email from House Party in your inbox, due to the overzealous filtering by ISPs my email may have mistakenly been sent to your spam folder. Please open your spam folder look for it there, open it and mark it as "not spam".

Click the link to your ISP or email client to Whitelist Upcoming Events, from: House Party.

ISPs AOL, AOL Web Mail, Yahoo, Hotmail Live, Windows Live and MSN, Gmail, Earthlink, AT&T, Comcast

Email Clients: Outlook 2003 (or higher), Mozilla Thunderbird, Blackberrys,

Spam Filters: Norton AntiSpam, McAfee Spamkiller, Barracuda Networks, Trend Micro PC-Cillin, Cloudmark SpamNet, CA Anti Spam, Mailblocks, MailShield, MailWasher, Oddpost, SpamAssassin, SpamFighter, ChoiceMail, SpamButcher, Spameater Pro, Spam Inspector, Spam Interceptor, SpamPal, Spam Sleuth, Other providers

If you use Spam Arrest or other challenge response spam filter please whitelist House Party.

AOL back to top

To make sure email gets delivered to your AOL inbox, you must add the email address or corporate domain of the sender to your Address Book or Custom Sender List.

1. Click the "Spam Controls" link on the lower right side of your inbox screen.
2. When the "Mail & Spam Controls" box appears, click the "Custom sender list" link.
3. Choose the "allow email from info@houseparty.com" option.
4. Add the domain or email address you would like to receive mail from, then click "Add"
5. Click "Save"

AOL Web Mail back to top

If using AOL web mail replying to an email from House Party will also work.

Email from that domain will now be delivered straight to your Inbox.

Yahoo! Mail back to top

If you’re not receiving email you are expecting, there are two things you can do:

1. Use the "Not Spam" button in your Bulk folder.
2. Create a filter to automatically send email from certain domains to your Inbox. This is the only way to really ensure delivery.

Report as "Not Spam"

1. Check your Yahoo! Bulk folder
2. If you see the email from House Party, highlight it and click "Not Spam"
3. This does not guarantee that your mail will be delivered in the future, but it does help.

Create a Filter

1. Click "Options" in the top right navigation bar
2. Select "Mail Options" from the list that drops down
3. Choose "Filters" located on the left side of the page
4. Click the "Add" button on the Filters page
5. Choose the field you want to match in the incoming message. For example, "header" or "to".
6. Choose the criterion by which you want a match to be made, such as "contains"
7. Enter the text string to compare. For example: from House Party
8. Choose the destination folder to which you would like the message delivered. For example: Inbox

Hotmail Live, Windows Live and MSN back to top

In the new Hotmail you must "Mark sender as safe" to enable hyperlinks even in text emails and images in HTML emails.

Entering the email contact in the address book or contacts no longer whitelists the sender.

To ensure messages from specific email addresses are not sent to your Junk Email folder, you can do one of two things:

1. Check the "Junk" folder if you do not see the Upcoming Events in your inbox
2. Click the "Mark as safe" link
3. Add info@houseparty.com to your Safe List

Mark Sender as Safe

1. Click "Show content" to view the body of the email if it contains images and HTML
2. Click "Mark as safe"
3. House Party will now be added to your list of "Safe senders"

Manually Add to Safe List

1. Click "Options" in the upper right corner of your Hotmail screen
2. In the Body of the page under "Junk e-mail" click the link "Safe and blocked senders"
3. Click the link "Safe senders"
4. Enter the email address "info@houseparty.com"
5. Click "Add to list"

Gmail back to top

To make sure email gets delivered to your inbox, you must add the email address info@houseparty.com to your contacts list.

1. Click the drop down arrow next to "Reply" in the upper right side of your inbox screen.
2. Click the "Add House Party to Contacts List" from the list that appears.
3. You will now see House Party appear under the link "Contacts" on the left side of the page.
4. Click the link "Contacts" and the in the "Search Contacts" form field.
5. Now you can select to move House Party to a contact list of choice and edit any details.

Outlook 2003 (or higher) back to top

Because of the various email platforms that can work with Outlook, it is tricky to tell you how to receive all email to your Outlook inbox. We can tell you, however, how to make sure you can see all the emails you receive as they were intended to be seen - with images. If a company is not in your address book or "Safe Sender" list, your HTML images will not display.

To have HTML display correctly, users can:

• Change their automatic download settings
• Add sender to your address book
• Add your email or domain to their approved sender list

To change settings:

1. Right click on a non-displaying image in an HTML email
2. Choose "Change automatic download settings" option
3. When the popup comes up, uncheck the first box in the list that says "don’t download pictures or other HTML content automatically
4. Click "OK"

To add sender to address book:

1. Open the email
2. Right click on the from address
3. Choose "Add to contacts" option

To add domain to safe sender list:

1. Right click on a non-displaying image in an HTML email
2. Choose "Add the domain to the safe sender list" option

Earthlink back to top

If you are not receiving email at Earthlink, there are two actions you can take.

1. Check "Suspect Email" folder
2. Add   to your address book

With Earthlink, if you have SpamBlocker turned on, suspect messages are automatically send to your Suspect Email folder if the domain is not in your address book.

Suspect Email Folder

1. While in the "Suspect Email" folder, if you see House Party...
2. Select the "Move to Inbox and Add Contact" option from the pull down menu.
3. This will add info@houseparty.com to your Address Book for future email delivery assurance.

Address Book Inclusion

1. Open the email.
2. Click "Add to Address Book" in the email header.
3. Use the "Address Book Editor" to verify the sender's contact details and click "save."
4. Fill in info@houseparty.com as the email address of the sender.
5. Any mail sent with the same domain (right of the @ sign) will now be delivered to your Inbox.

AT&T back to top

1. Open the email message from the sender you want to add to your address book.
2. Click on the "Save Address" link (below) next to the "From Address.
3. Check the "Add to Contacts" box (below) and click "Save.

Comcast back to top

1. Click on the [Save Address]   link at the top of this message (it's next to From Address).
2. For the field titled First Name, please enter House Party
3. Then click Save Entry and you're all done.

BlackBerrys back to top

1. Scroll up to the message header
2. Get to the field where their name is listed, click the Berry button and then click Show Address
3. Select and copy that info@houseparty.com to the clipboard
4. Go into Address Book and find the user
5. Select Save
6. Click to edit it, and then click the Berry button to add another email address
7. Paste it in and click Save

Mozilla Thunderbird back to top

1. Click the Address Book button
2. Make sure the Personal Address Book is highlighted
3. Click the New Card button. This will launch a New Card window that has 3 tabs: Contact, Address and Other
4. Under the Contact tab, copy and paste the "From" address, info@houseparty.com into the email dialogue box
5. Click OK

Norton AntiSpam back to top

1. Start up Norton AntiSpam
2. Click the Status & Settings tab
3. Click AntiSpam
4. Click Configure
5. Click Allowed List tab
6. Click Add button
7. In the 'Email Address' box, enter info@houseparty.com
8. Click OK
9. Click OK

Trend Micro back to top

If you received an email message that was incorrectly moved to the Spam Mail folder by the Anti-Spam Toolbar you can prevent this from occurring in the future.

The Anti-Spam Toolbar detects spam by looking for certain keywords in the email's subject or body and matching it with the anti-spam pattern file. Occasionally, it may detect what you consider legitimate email as spam.

To prevent this from occurring you can do either of the following:

• Add the sender to the list of Approved Senders
• Decrease the Spam Email Filter Strength

Note: You can also select the email and click Not Spam to report it to Trend Micro. However, this feature serves only as a reference when we develop our spam database, and it may not have an effect on how the toolbar detects spam.

Add the sender to the list of Approved Senders

1. Open Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express.
2. Click the Spam Mail folder then select the legitimate email detected as spam.
3. Click Approve Sender on the toolbar.
4. Click Yes when the confirmation message appears.

Decrease the Spam Email Filter Strength

1. Open Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express.
2. Click Trend Micro Anti-Spam then click Settings.
3. On the Spam Filter tab, move the slider bar to select a lower filter strength.
4. Click OK to save your settings.

McAfee Spamkiller back to top

1. Select Friends from the McAfee SpamKiller sidebar.
2. Click Add a friend.
3. Make sure All users at a domain is selected under Friend type:
4. Type the domain name you want to whitelist under Address:
5. To whitelist all our newsletters, type  
6. Optionally, enter a House Party to help you recognize the domain under Name:
7. Click OK.
8. Click OK.

Barracuda Networks back to top

The Barracuda Spam Firewall is a popular spam filtering solution. Barracuda uses several algorithms and processes to determine whether emails are spam. Occasionally, it will mark a legitimate message as spam. There are two methods to whitelist email senders so that the firewall will not quarantine future email.

Whitelist Quarantined Senders

1. Open your email client. Barracuda should send you a summary each day listing quarantined items. Choose the most recent Barracuda email message.
2. Locate the email from House Party and the sender email address info@houseparty.com that you do not want quarantined in the future. Click on the word "Whitelist," which is in green print to the right of the email title. This will open your list in a web browser.
3. Click the box to the left of the email that you would like to whitelist. At the top of the page, click "Whitelist." Barracuda will not block or quarantine the sender whose email address appears on the whitelist.

Whitelist Senders and Domains

1. Open your web browser. Navigate to your company's Barracuda firewall homepage.
2. Click on the "Block/Accept" tab.
3. Choose "Sender Domain Block/Accept." Enter the domain name from info@houseparty.com to whitelist. For example, you can enter aol.com to allow all AOL addresses. You may enter a comment to remind you why you allowed this domain. Click "Add."
4. Click your mouse on the "Email Sender Block/Accept" tab. Enter the email address of an individual sender that you want to whitelist, such as "info@houseparty.com" Include a comment. Click "Add." In the future, Barracuda will not block emails from this sender.

Cloudmark SpamNet back to top

1. Select Cloudmark | Options... from the Cloudmark SpamNet toolbar in Outlook.
2. Click Advanced.
3. Go to the Whitelist tab.
4. Click the Add button.
5. Type: info@houseparty.com
6. Click OK.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Yes.
9. Click OK.

Mailblocks back to top

1. Click the Addresses tab.
2. Click New.
3. Type: info@houseparty.com
4. Make sure 'Accept Mail From This Address' is selected under Receiving Options.
5. Uncheck 'Display in People Picker' under Other options.
6. Click Submit.
7. Click OK.

MailShield back to top

1. Click Friends from the toolbar.
2. Click Add.
3. Type: info@houseparty.com
4. Click OK.

MailWasher back to top

1. Click Tools, then Blacklist & Friends.
2. Click Add... on the right, the Friends list side.
3. Make sure Plain email address is selected.
4. Type: info@houseparty.com
5. Click OK.
6. Click OK.

Oddpost back to top

1. Check your 'Probably Spam' folder.
2. If you see that Upcoming Events was incorrectly filtered out
3. Select it
4. Click the 'Move to Inbox and Mark as Not Spam' button.

SpamAssassin back to top

1. Add the following entry to your user_prefs file, which is found in the .spamassassin subdirectory on your web/mail server
2. whitelist_from info@houseparty.com
3. Save the user_prefs file or move the updated copy to your .spamassassin subdirectory.

SPAMfighter back to top

Highlight the email from House Party with the email address info@houseparty.com to Whitelist.

Click "More" in the SPAMfighter Toolbar and select "Whitelist".

Here you can choose if you want to Whitelist the email address info@houseparty.com or the whole domain.

To be sure that all emails from people in your Outlook contacts get through to you, you can import and Whitelist them.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click "More" in the SPAMfighter toolbar.
2. Then "Options"
3. Then "Filter settings"
4. Then "Blacklists & Whitelists"
5. Then "Whitelist email address"
6. Then "Import".
7. Select your 'Address Book' and click on "Check all"
8. Click "Add"
9. Click "Apply"

If you get a pop-up box offering you to upgrade to SPAMfighter Pro it is because you have exceeded the limit of 100 addresses. You can fix this by buying SPAMfighter Pro or by deleting some of the addresses in your Black/White list. If you want delete addresses, please go to:

1. Click More" in the SPAMfighter toolbar.
2. Then "Options"
3. Then "Filter settings"
4. Then "Blacklists & Whitelists"

ChoiceMail back to top

1. Open ChoiceMail
2. Click on the Senders tab
3. Choose "Approve another Sender"
4. Type in the sender email address info@houseparty.com
5. Click on OK

SpamButcher back to top

1. Click the Configure button.
2. Go to the Known Senders tab.
3. Click Add under 'Known Good Senders and Recipients'.
4. Type: info@houseparty.com
5. Click OK.
6. Click OK.

Spameater Pro back to top

1. Click Filters from the sidebar.
2. Click the Approved Senders tab.
3. Click Add Filter.
4. Type: info@houseparty.com under Address.
5. Choose 'Full Email Address' under Address Type.
6. Select Email Domain.
7. Click OK.

Spam Inspector back to top

1. Select Spam Inspector
2. Then 'Manage Friends List' from either the Spam Inspector toolbar or from the Outlook menu.
3. Make sure Email is selected under 'Add a New Friend'.
4. Type: info@houseparty.com
5. Click the >> button.
6. Click Close.

Spam Interceptor back to top

1. Follow the Trusted link under > Authentication Lists.
2. Enter the email address: info@houseparty.com
3. Click Add.

SpamPal back to top

1. Click on the SpamPal system tray icon with the right mouse button.
2. Click 'Add to Whitelist' from the menu.
3. Type: info@houseparty.com
4. Click Add.

Spam Sleuth back to top

1. Select File, then Configure.
2. Go to the Friends category.
3. Make sure Active is checked.
4. Type: info@houseparty.com on a line by itself in the entry field.
5. Click OK.

Other Spam Filters Not List Above.... back to top

If House Party is being filtered, try adding info@houseparty.com to your Address Book or Contact list.

If messages continue to be sent to your junk folder contact your ISP or spam filter application support and ask how to whitelist info@houseparty.com.

How Does Host Selection Work?

The Host Selection Process is a living, moving thing, which means that sometimes dates can move and notification times can change.  Host finalists of a given party are not all selected at the exact time.  In fact, in some instances the host selection process can span for up to 3 or 4 days.  You will be notified of your status by email.  Additionally, you can check your host status by logging into your House Party account and checking out the “My Dashboad” page.

On your Dashboard, the first thing you will see are your pending applications – this will be important for you to know where you stand with a given event.  Next to event that you applied for, there will either be a Green Dot, a Yellow Dot, or a Red Dot.  So, what do these “dots” mean?

GREEN:  This means that you are a host finalist for an event.  You have to sign in and set up your party before the host spots fill up.  You should be prompted to do so once you log in with the same House Party login information that you used to apply to the party with, and you need to complete all of the steps before you are finally confirmed.*

YELLOW:  This means that your application is still under review.  PLEASE NOTE: Your application can still be under review even while some hosts have already been accepted.  There will be a date listed which will tell you when you will be notified of your status. Again, do not be alarmed if this date changes.
               
RED:  This means that you were not selected as a host for the party.

*If you believe that you may have more than one House Party account, please contact help@houseparty.com.  It is House Party policy that each individual holds only one account.

I can't log in to set up my party. What do I do?

First of all, before you attempt to log in again, you should refresh your browser and clear your cache through Internet Explorer in order to clear previous unsuccessful attempts to log in from your computer's memory.

If you are having problems with your user name and password, for your security, we don't have access to your password; however, using your email address, you will be able to use the "forgot password" option on the login screen. We will immediately email you a new password which will indicate your user name and new password. This will allow you to set up your party. After you've completed your set-up, you can go into "Profile" and change your password to one you'll remember.

If you remember your password, use that with your user name to login. You should click on the link in your welcome email which should walk you through your party set up. You may also bypass the email and go directly to http://www.houseparty.com/start, and click on "Let's get started." Your screen name and password should allow you to log in and get your party set-up rolling.

What is a party mantra?

Who will see the address where my party will be held?

How do I change my headshot?

1. Go to your Party Page (log in first)
2. Click on the profile tab
3. Choose "edit" (beneath your headshot)
4. Click 'Browse.' Select an image from your files.
5. Click 'Upload.' You should receive a message reading, 'Success: Your information has been saved.'
6. Click 'save' and you're all set.

You may need to refresh your browser and logout and back in to houseparty.com again in order for your website to reflect the change, but as soon as you’ve submitted your new image, it’s in our system and appears to all of your guests.

How do I upload my media?

1. Go to your Party Page (log in first)
2. Select ‘My Media’ tab or click ‘Upload photos and video,’from the list of options under the greeting that begins “Hi, user name…Here are some of the things you can do now…’(on the left of your party page)
3. Select the desired party album. If your media doesn’t relate to a specific party, upload to your default album.
4. Click ‘+add items to this album.’
5. Click ‘Browse’ to select the file you want to upload.
6. Add captions and tags, and choose ‘add item to list.’
7. If you want to add more files, repeat the above process.
8. When you’ve completed your list, click ‘Upload.’
9. To view your uploaded media, click ‘View & edit.’ (please note that video files will appear upon conversion & it could take up to an hour)

How do I view my media?

If you've just uploaded an image:

1. Click on the "view & edit" tab under the upload box.

From elsewhere on the site:

1. Go to your Party Page (after logging in)
2. Choose the 'My Media' tab.
3. Click 'view and edit'

I received a success message when I uploaded my images, but I still cannot view them. What can I do?

1. Refresh your browser and/or log out and back on to your party page.
2. If you are uploading in large batches, try uploading individually or in smaller batches. (if one image file in a batch is corrupted, it may interfere with the  group upload).
3. Check the size and dimensions of your photo (This can be done by right clicking on your image and then clicking on "Properties").
   
• All images must be smaller than 100MB.
  
• If your pixel dimensions are extremely high, you may need to shrink them. (If your photos are larger than 1200x800 pixels, for instance, they will upload to our site, but may not necessarily be viewable on the web).
  
• You can resize your photos at: http://www.shrinkpictures.com/
• After you have resized your photos, you should be able to upoad your photos, and they will be immediately be viewable on your party page.

Can I change or delete a picture once it's been uploaded?

To edit photos:

If you've just uploaded an image:

1. Click on the "view & edit" tab under the upload box.
2. Click ‘edit’ underneath your media player, your edit tools will appear on the right side of your image. (please note that you can only edit images and not video).
3. Edit your image as you please.
4. Click ‘save’ and ‘yes.’
5. You will receive a green success message above the left of your picture if the changes went through.

From elsewhere on the site:

1. Go to your Party Page (after logging in)
2. Choose the 'My Media' tab.
3. Click 'view and edit'
4. Click ‘edit’ underneath your media player and your edit tools will appear on the right side of your image. (please note that you can only edit images and not video)
5. Edit your image as you please.
6. Click ‘save’ and ‘yes.’
7. You will receive a green success message above the left of your picture if the changes went through.

It may be necessary to refresh your browser and possibly leave houseparty.com and return for you to see the changes reflected on your own computer; however, don't worry, the changes are immediately visible to your guests and others on the site.

To delete media:

1. Go to your Party Page (after logging in)
2. Choose the 'My Media' tab.
3. Click 'view and edit'
4. Click on the photo or video you want to delete
5. Roll cursor over photo and garbage can icon will appear at the top right.
6. Click ‘delete this’ and ‘yes.’

It may be necessary to refresh your browser and possibly leave houseparty.com and return for you to see the changes reflected on your own computer; however, don't worry, the changes are immediately visible to your guests and others on the site.

Can I add or edit a photo Caption?

Yes.

1. Go to your Party Page.
2. Choose the ‘My Media’ tab.
3. Click ‘view & edit.’
4. Click the text next to ‘Caption.’
5. Type new caption.
6. Click ‘Update.’

It may be necessary to refresh your browser and possibly leave houseparty.com and return for you to see the changes reflected on your own computer; however, don't worry, the changes are immediately visible to your guests and others on the site.

What if I see a slide with a line through it on My Media page after I've uploaded a video?

How do I resize my photos so I can upload them to the site?

Using the Guest Manager tool

After you've set up your party, you should check your party page regularly to monitor who's RSVP'd to your party, invite new guests, resend invitations, send messages to your invited guests and much more.

The message box at the top of the page gives you important info about the status of your guests.

To add a new guest:

1. Click 'Add Guest' button on right side of guest list
2. Enter a name for your guest. It can be a nickname, or a full first and Last name. It's up to you
3. Enter an email address. If you don't have an email address for a guest, leave it blank. You can add it later, or print an invitation for this guest.
4. The 'Automatically email invite' is checked by default, this will make sure the new guest will get an email invitation after you finish adding them. You can uncheck this box, but you will then need to click SEND INVITE later from your guest list.

** If you have a lot of guests to invite, you can do it in a batch. Click the link that says 'Have a lot of Guests? Add Multiple Guests'

To add multiple guests

1. After clicking 'Add Multiple Guests' link, you will see a new screen with a large input field
2. Enter each guest on his/her own line
3. Each guest can have a first name, last name, and email, or any combination thereof. If you include a name AND an email, please make sure there is a comma between the last name and the email. i.e. John Smith, jonjon@houseparty.com
4. When finished entering your guests, click 'ADD GUESTS'
5. All guests added in this manner that have email addresses associated with them will automatically receive an emailed invitation to your party. All others will need either a printed invitation, or a word-of-mouth invitation with their unique Guest RSVP Code.
6. You will see all newly added guests in your guest list. Those that did not receive an invite via email will have a red flashing PRINT INVITE button next to their entry in the list.

How do I know if my email invitations went through?

Why should my guests register for houseparty.com?

Well, if they don't register, then they won't be able to post photos and video to your party page, nor post messages on your party blog. Oh, and they won't be able to upload their own profile photo, so your guest list on your party page will look a bit weak. Besides that, the biggest reason is that registered houseparty.com partygoers have a greater chance to participate in sweepstakes and contests. You know how the saying goes: You've got to be in it, to win it!" So thank your guests for RSVPing to your party, and tell them why it's best for you AND them if they register. And don't forget to remind them that registration is FREE, and they can leave anytime they want.

Additionally, as a registered partygoer, they'll be the first to find out about upcoming events that they can host themselves, and invite YOU as a guest! How cool would that be. Give love, get love back. Awwww.

Can I see my invitation before it is sent to my guests?

During Party setup:

1. Click on "Preview my Invitation" during your party set up and you will be able to view and edit your invite.
2. Once you're completely satisfied with the invitation, just click on "Start my Party" and your invites will be sent via email.

On your My Party page:

1. click 'Guest Manager' from beneath the MY PARTY tab at the top of the page
2. look for 'Edit Invitation' button in the sidebar
3. You'll see what your invitation looks like, and can edit the message on this page
4. When you've finished editing your invite message, click SAVE, then click 'Back to Guest Manager'

My invitations aren't sending. What should I do?

First of all, refresh your browser and clear your cache to clear unsuccessful attempts to send invites from your hard drive.

Try sending invitations again and make sure that you put commas between email addresses. If you still encounter problems, try sending one at a time. Let me know if you continue to encounter problems with your invitations and we will explore the problem further. If you need to contact me again, it would be helpful to know what type of internet provider you are using and your browser.

My guests are not receiving sent invites. How do I help them?

If your guest appears on your guest list by his email address, then the invitation was successfully sent. If a guest is not receiving your invitation, he should first check his spam filter. The invitation might have been diverted there.

Also, some of your guests might have ISP's (such as schools or businesses) that have very stringent firewalls which do not accept emails containing links. As your invitation includes a link for them to RSVP, such ISP's may prevent your invitations from going through. To avoid this you might try sending to home email accounts.

Invitations sent to a child's or a teen's email account may also not accept invitations with links. In this case, you might want to send the invitation to a parent's email address.

If for some reason you suspect that your guests are not receiving the House Party invitations, you can use your own email account to send an email blast out to your guests (this makes sure it's not flagged as SPAM) with the URL for your party page (found in the grey box on your page). All your guest will have to do is click the RSVP link, enter their email, RSVP status, and number of additional people they're bringing and they're all set. As long as they enter the same email address as the one you originally invited them with, we will be able to connect them to your party.

If you've only invited a few guests, you can simply call them up, or email them with your own email account, providing them with your party's URL, which is available on your party page in the grey box below your profile photo.

What is the Guest Code and how do I use it?

Each guest you add to your guest list is issued a Guest RSVP Code. Guests for which you've included an email address will automatically receive their guest code embedded in the URL provided in the email invitation. By clicking RSVP in the email, they'll be taken right to your party page to RSVP.

For guests that have no email address associated with them, these people need a printed invitation, which includes their RSVP Code and instructions using it to RSVP to your party. Learn about printing invitations

If you'd rather not print invitations for them, you can call them, IM (instant message) them or tell them in person. But you'll need to provide them with the Guest RSVP Code that is assigned to them in your Guest Manager so they can enter it in at www.houseparty.com/rsvp

How do I print invitations?

1. Logon to your Party Page at houseparty.com/login
2. Click on 'Guest Manager'
3. There is a button next to each guest you've added to your guest list.. look for red buttons that say either 'PRINT INVITE' or 'REPRINT INVITE'
4. Click on the button for each guest who you'd like hand or mail a printed invitation to
5. You'll see your invitation on a new screen. Use your browser's PRINT button or use key commands ( Ctrl + Alt + P for Windows, Apple + P for Mac)
6. Click the 'Back to Guest Manager' button

If there is a guest offer that is online only, do my guests need to register in order to take advantage of the offer?

Yes.

Online invites: Your guests will need to register with House Party in order to access their online guest offer (if applicable). If you have invited them via email, they will need to respond to your email, RSVP, and create a user name and password with House Party.

Printed invites: If you have invited guests via printed invitation (generated through our site), they can go to www.houseparty.com/rsvp, type in their individual guest code and set up a user name and password. They will then have access to your party page and any offers included.

Non-House Party invites: If you choose to invite guests using your own invitations, we suggest that you also include printed invitations (printed one-at-a-time to generate individual guest codes), so that your guests can use their guest codes to RSVP, register, and be able to have access to online guest offers (if applicable), and participate in all the online House Party fun!

What if I want my guests (with no computer or email) to show up on my guest list?

For all guests you'd like to invite that do not have an email address, you can add them to your guest list, entering their name only. After you've added these guests, you'll need to print an invitation for each. Look for the red pulsing PRINT INVITE button next to each recipient's name in your guest list. Then follow the directions above.

If they do not intend to use the website, that's OK. You're the host, you can RSVP for them.

1. Simply Login to houseparty.com/login.
2. Choose 'Guest Manager' from the navigation below the MY PARTY tab at the top of the screen
3. Find the guest(s) you'd like to RSVP for and either do one of the following:
   Choice a) click 'edit' at the right of their row, and change RSVP using dropdown menu on next screen
   Choice b) click on the RSVP status indicator next to the guest name, and a drop down menu will appear for you to update that guest's status.

Why aren't my guests identified by their full names when they RSVP or blog?

I have friends and family who live far away or cannot attend. Should I invite them anyway?

Absolutely!

Since so much of your party takes place online, invite out of town family and friends and encourage them to visit your party through your Party Page. If they register with House Party when they RSVP to your invitation, they will be able to blog with you and your guests, view your fun photos and video, upload their own media, take advantage of generous guest offers (when offered) and enjoy the party—even from afar. That’s what House Party is all about!

What if my invited guests have not responded?

1. Get on the phone! Call your guests up and ask them what's up? Ask if they're having trouble RSVPing. Ask them if they received the email invitation. If they have not received your email, learn about what you can do.
2. RESEND your invitations by clicking the RESEND INVITE buttons next to each name
3. If for some reason you suspect that your guests are not receiving the House Party invitations, you can use your own email account to send an email blast out to your guests (this makes sure it's not flagged as SPAM) with the URL for your party page (found in the grey box on your page)
   All your guest will have to do is click the RSVP link, enter their email, RSVP status, and number of additional people they're bringing and they're all set. As long as they enter the same email address as the one you originally invited them with, we will be able to connect them to your party.

How do guests RSVP to a party?

Guests can RSVP in a number of ways. The most common way is by clicking the RSVP button in the email invitation sent you them by a party host. This takes them directly to the hosts party page, on which they can enter their RSVP status and additional guests if any.

A second way to RSVP is by visiting the URL of a hosts party page. A host will often call or email their guests, providing them with the web address (URL) for their party. All guest will have to do is click the RSVP link in the welcome box, enter their email, RSVP status, and number of additional people they're bringing and they're all set. As long as they enter the same email address as the one the party host originally invited them with, we will be able to connect them to the correct party. If you are not able to RSVP in this manner, try entering other emails you may have since your host may have used an alternate one.

Guests can also simply click the link provided in their email invites, or go to the URL www.houseparty.com/rsvp/[invite_code], where "[invite_code]" is replaced with the code they received.

You can also pass along an invitation by word-of-mouth, whether it's over the phone, or even via Instant Messaging. You'll need an RSVP code for each guest that you want to invite via word-of-mouth. Here's how to do it:

1. Go to your Guest Manager screen
2. Click 'Add Guest'
3. Enter in a first and last name, leaving the email field blank
4. Click 'ADD GUEST' button below form
5. Find that newly added guest in the list. In their row will be a unique code that you must pass along to them, along with the URL to RSVP to your party online. They'll need to go to houseparty.com/rsvp and enter this code.
6. After they enter their unique code, they will be associated as a guest of your party. Pretty cool, huh?

You can also provide the RSVP code for a guest you've invited with a print invite, but who has not RSVPd. You can call them up, and pass them their code and the RSVP link above.

Bottom line is, we'd love for everyone to be able to take advantage of the fun and special offers available through the website.

I'm being asked to register after I RSVP

You are being asked to register because according to the site your email does not have an account associated with it

If you already have a houseparty.com account, it's most likely that the host invited you using an email address other than the one you used to register. You will need to either ask the host to invite you using your primary House Party email address, or you can simply re-register with houseparty.com and use two accounts.

Serving alcohol.

1. Designate a bartender who can serve your guests and keep an eye on how much everyone is drinking. The Federal Dietary Guidelines define moderate drinking as no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
2. Remember: alcohol is alcohol. It is important to understand that a standard serving of beer (12 ounces), wine (five ounces) and spirits (a cocktail with 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits) each contains the same amount of alcohol.
3. Make sure that you provide food to complement your cocktails. Consider food pairings to enhance the flavors of your chosen cocktails: fresh seafood and breads accentuate vodka cocktails, spiced and smoked meats and cheeses complement Bourbon and Scotch whiskies, and fruit enhances rum and tequila flavors.
4. Make available non-alcohol beverages for your guests. Create festive non-alcoholic punch for those guests who choose not to drink alcohol.
5. Make sure your guests have a safe way home either through designated drivers or a taxi. Have local taxi service numbers available for your guests.