Nothing breaks up the monotony of a working week like a mid-week girls’ catch up.
Aside from checking in and supporting each other’s latest life drama, it has been scientifically proven that spending time with your girlfriends stimulates serotonin (the brain chemical that produces feelings of happiness). And hey, who are we to argue with science?
While a dinner in – either home-cooked or a takeaway – is nice, it’s also fun to occasionally change things up and make your mid-week meet-up more of an event. So with that in mind, we’ve collated 8 fun ideas that can liven up your girls get together.
1. Wine tasting
Okay, so being wine lovers doesn’t necessarily make us all wine connoisseurs – as much as we’d like to believe that to be true. But it’s always good to be in-the-know (or at least be able to fake it) and a wine tasting evening is a great way to learn a bit more about your favourite tipple and discover a few new wines in the process. Set up tasting stations with some information about each wine and don’t forget to provide a scrumptious cheeseboard to match.
2. Movie night
Whether you go the chick flick route (How to Be Single, we’re looking at you!), want to re-watch one of the classics or are just trying to get through as many episodes of your latest Netflix series obsession, a screening evening should (probably) always have these components: comfy seats (arrange sofas, beanbags and cushions for your guests and provide blankets for additional cosiness), popcorn, Tim Tams or other sweet treats and wine.
3. Cocktail making
Get those cocktail shakers at the ready. This is one night that requires some degree of physical exertion – but the payoff at the end (delicious cocktails) will be well worth it! The new cocktail-inspired Arnott’s Tim Tam flavours are begging to be sampled with their namesake drink. Pick the recipe you will be making in advance and make sure you have all the ingredients – ask one of your friends to bring the spirit, another to provide the mixers and someone else to cater the Tim Tam biscuits.
4. Game night
Poker night isn’t just for the boys! Get the girls together and place your bets. If you wanted to take Game Night to another level, be inspired by the guys and serve beer, chilli, corn bread and some yummy Tim Tams for a sweet treat. If Poker isn’t your bag, there are obviously plenty of other choices – Cards Against Humanity, Pictionary, Cluedo… take your pick.
5. Potluck dinner
Take the pressure off hosting AND cooking a group dinner by asking everyone to bring one dish to share! To avoid food clashes or repeats, be very specific with your instructions; assign guests with either a starter, main, side or dessert, and make sure they’re within your everyone’s cooking abilities and budgets, and be considerate of people’s food allergies or dietary. It also helps to pick a theme or cuisine so you don’t end up with an unwarranted spread of lasagne, lasagne and more lasagne. If you’re feeling super organised, you could visit foodtolove.co.nz, pick out a dish for each person and send them the link!
6. Clothing exchange
Hello, New York called and they want you to clothes swap à la Sex and the City… well, kind of. We don’t all have last season’s Manolo Blahniks to offer up but one woman’s vintage trash may be another friend’s treasure. Instruct each attendee to bring along the items from their wardrobe that they no longer covet or can’t fit. Maintain that clothes must be clean and still in good condition. Spend the evening taking turns at shopping and make sure you keep the numbers even – everyone goes home with the same amount of items that they donated. Anything left over can be donated to a charity such as Dress For Success or Women’s Refuge.
7. At-home spa
There’s nothing better than getting into your pyjamas after a long day, pulling on some comfy cashmere socks, tossing your hair in a bun and throwing a relaxing face mask on. Add some girlfriends and some gossip time into the mix and you’ve got yourself a perfect evening. Sheet masks and foil face masks are quick and easy to use. Or try this recipe for a homemade nourishing mask that will leave you all with instantly brighter skin:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons raw honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Apply a thick layer of the mask to your clean face.
- Leave the mask to sink in for 10 minutes.
- Nibble on a Pina Colada Tim Tam while you wait for your mask to do its magic. Biscuits are good for skin, right? Right.
- Rinse off the mask with cool water and pat your face dry with a soft towel.
8. Yoga evening
If you’re feeling particularly zen (or not zen enough!) then a yoga evening could be the perfect way to get centred – without the cost of going to a yoga class. And – bonus – you can enjoy a cheeky vino afterwards! To set up, move your living room furniture to one end of the room and ask your mates to bring their own yoga mats. There are a million and one YouTube tutorials and DVDs to choose from – try to pick one that will cater to all skill levels.
* This article was brought to you by the new limited edition cocktail-inspired flavours from Arnott’s Tim Tam – Virgin Pina Colada, Virgin Espresso Martini, Virgin Strawberry Champagne and Tim Tam Chocolicious Bites – Velvet Mudslide flavour. Available from retailers from Monday 29th February.
