[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by Columbine

Right! What makes a 'party' over here can be very different to what makes a 'party' in Japan. In the UK, 飲み会 is very common, but we don't really have a word for it. I still wouldn't call it a 'party'! Nonetheless, at a British のみかいthe drinks are served differently. In Japan, it's put in the middle of the table, right? So you can serve each other. In the UK, you're served as individuals (if there's a waiter/waitress) or you go to the bar and buy individual drinks there. The only time you might serve others is if you buy a bottle of wine, or get a jug of water for the table, then you should offer it first to the people on your left and right before pouring for yourself.

I should not have used the word “party” in the post.
I will explain what 飲み会 is to begin with.

This is probably because we have less late-night public transport, so people like to control their own alcohol consumption and if someone else pours for you, it seems like a waste if you have to leave it. Out of interest, in Japan what do you do if your glass is empty but you don't want any more?

We almost always leave many glasses with drink when we finish 飲み会.
It is a waist, but we don’t mind. I think this is our culture. Keeping other people’s glass full is more important than reducing a waste here.

A 'party' is an event with a ~reason~. It's someone's birthday, or anniversary, marriage, post-exam celebration. The main reason I think of a party as having a host and guests is that a lot of parties are held in people's houses.

Rich people hold parties in their houses, but most people don’t here.
We sometimes drink with friends in our house, but I don't think it’s a party.

And here's the difference; the host is definitely supposed to serve the drinks, at least at first. Only at events where the guests bring their own drinks is it normal for people to serve themselves and each other. Even if the food is a buffet or バイキング style service, the host will usually still pour the drinks.
At least in the UK, this probably is an extension of tea-party etiquette, where the hostess always pours.

Wow. You have a lot of parties…

If it's a very big party (50+ people) sometimes you hire someone to serve the drinks! But more often you go to a pub or somewhere similar where it's done for you anyway.

I’ve never held any such big parties. It must be a wedding party here.

Ah, OK, it think that was my mistake! 'By myself' in japanese can be 一人で　or 自分で、but you're right, this time it should be 自分で！

8/ cultural differences are really complicated!

Thanks a lot!