The Hostess With the Mostest Is Also the Busiest : Trends: Women who work full-time outside the home are now just as likely to entertain as frequently as homemakers, a survey finds. But men are still behind when it comes to the post-party cleanup.

Putting in eight hours a day at the office does not mean women cannot find the time to throw a party, a survey says, and with the upcoming holidays, more working women will be hostessing right along with full-time homemakers.

Women who work full-time outside the home are as likely to entertain at least as frequently as women who work at home, says “The Dixie Survey of Party Trends,” a study conducted on behalf of Dixie Products.

More full-time working women than homemakers (31% vs. 26%) said they were entertaining more today than five years ago, the survey said, and at least as many working women as homemakers said they currently entertain two to three times a month.

The survey, conducted by Research & Forecasts Inc., polled 1,007 individuals ages 18 to 80 on their attitudes and beliefs about parties, and found that people are looking for more intimate settings for their home entertaining.

Small gatherings, rather than large parties, are preferred by 81% of those polled, indicating that this trend makes it easier for both working women and full-time homemakers to entertain.

Of those polled, 46% reported they are entertaining more casually than they did five years ago, while 5% said their entertaining leans to more formal affairs.

Factors cited by those surveyed on the casualness of parties were the type of people invited (38%), the type of dress (37%) and the presence of children (30%).

Factors cited as important to a party’s success were good food and nice people (84%) and good conversation (78%).

However, along with all the good times a party can generate, an equal amount of stress comes along with the pressure of entertaining, the survey said.

The survey reported the top reasons for stress for the host or hostess were: having everything ready on time (36%); seeing that all the guests have a good time (33%); seeing there is adequate food and drink (26%); spending time personally with guests (20%); and cleaning up afterward (20%).

The survey also showed that many people feel they have less leisure time available, creating even further pressure to make the most of their entertaining.

Despite the fact that dual-career marriages and relationships are fairly commonplace, the survey showed that women still shoulder the primary responsibility for entertaining, the survey said.

Although 59% of the men polled said they help their wives cleaning up after a party, only 30% of the women reported their husbands pitch in. In fact, 38% of the women said they clean up by themselves, compared to 17% of the men.