Heh, so there are a bunch of us!
At one time I too dreaded parties. One day I just say to hell with it, and now I don't care what people think of me as I don't go to parties of any kind.
What I did do when I "had" to go to a party, was trying to have fun. Freak the hell out of other guests, that's fun
What do you prefer? Stay at home and learn something interesting? Read a good book? Play a good videogame? Get a good night's rest? or Smell cigars, see drunk silly people (sometimes fun I'll admit), staying up late, and be bored to death?
I'd love if people did parties where you actually did something productive and fun, like share experiences about a specific subject, play interesting games, discuss an interesting subject over a board game, watch and discuss a movie... even dance if you like that. But staying up late along with the other stuff related to "normal" parties? No.
I'd throw a party like this if I knew people who wouldn't look me weird for thinking like this way...