The Hosting Paradox: Women Worry About the Perfect Home, Guests Want to Feel Welcome

New research reveals a disconnect between what women prioritize when they're hosting a gathering versus what they prioritize when they're attending a gathering.

TAMPA, FL, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- New data from the Women’s Relational Health Institute explores the gathering trends among American women. One key finding in the survey, titled “Hosting and Gathering for American Women: Trends and Barriers in 2026”, is what researchers are calling “hosting paradox”, which highlights a gap between what women feel they need to provide as a host versus what they expect as a guest.

The survey finds that 55% of women say their home is too small or not presentable enough to host, but 80% of women say that as a guest, a welcoming experience matters more than a beautiful home.

“Our research finds that American women prioritize the overall size and presentation of their home when hosting, and if it feels inadequate, they’ll avoid gathering with their friends,” says Danielle Bayard Jackson, founder of the Women’s Relational Health Institute “but it turns out that what guests care about most is good conversation, a welcoming environment, and a space to be themselves. I hope that this allows them to release the pressure to impress and muster the courage to be vulnerable enough to host more authentically.”

Other key findings from the “Hosting and Gathering for American Women: Trends and Barriers Survey”

Nearly 1 in 5 women have not hosted in the past year. 18% of women have hosted zero gatherings, and nearly 10% of women have not attended a single gathering in the last year.

Cost and energy are the top barriers to hosting. 43% name the cost of hosting and 42% name the energy it takes to plan. Cost is the single biggest barrier for most women (19%).

Hosting is a shared job, and women want help. 57% say help from others would make them more likely to host: bringing food, setting-up and cleaning-up, assistance with planning.

Small circles and less hosting. 39% of women have two or fewer close friends, and 51% of women aged 18–29 do, and this is impacting hosting.
Guests want comfort over curation. 52% say a relaxed, low-pressure atmosphere matters most when they attend a gathering, the top answer. A highly curated experience was the most-chosen item for "matters least" (61%).

As people prepare for an increased number of gathering at the end of the year, the survey reveals the importance of offering support to hosts, releasing the pressure of perfection, and to take inventory of the individual and societal factors that deplete women’s energy, which decreases their motivation to gather their friends.

For the full report, visit www.womensrelationalhealthinstitute.com.

Survey details: 1,000 women recruited through Prolific and surveyed online October 9-10, 2026. Ages 18-84 (median age 41). This survey was prepared by Dr. Roxanne Felig on behalf of the Women’s Relational Health Institute.

Danielle Jackson
TELL Public Relations
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram