February is typically known for Valentine’s Day: the month of love. Probably because everyone is cooped up together all winter and needs to be reminded that they love (and like) each other.
We don’t have big V-Day traditions other than a few treats for the kids, but February is known for its birthdays in our family. No, not just because it’s mine (wink wink). Jessica’s is exactly a week after mine and her son Wyatt’s is right in between ours!
For our birthdays in 2018, we’re sharing 8 Friends Night In ideas to help you celebrate with the people you are family with or those you choose to be family with.
- You know we’re all about games here, so why not go for a monthly or weekly game night? Board games, card games, it doesn’t matter. We recently played Codenames with our friends and it’s turned into a fun-filled battle of the sexes.
- Obviously you can stream just about any show or movie. Why not have a themed watch party though. Dress up as your favorite characters from The Office or host a Friends trivia game? Make the actual show secondary to interacting with your friends.
- Speaking of The Office, you could host a Finer Things Club meeting. Grab a book you all enjoy, put on that bow tie or that silk scarf and enjoy all the frivolities of high society.
- Speaking of frivolities of high society, plan a large dinner party. Invite over your family and friends and eat at one BIG table (or a bunch of regular tables crammed end to end). You probably also have some friends, or friends of friends, that would be willing to act as servers.
- If you can’t get excited about a regular meal, do dinner theater! There are plenty of who-dun-it’s online or make up your own. We did one from the 20’s with flapper dresses and mobsters. We sent each other letters, texts and video messages the entire week leading up to the dinner party, which were all clues to figure out who “killed” Uncle Chip.
- Did you know that Uncle Chip does a pretty good impression of Bob Dylan? We know that because we do karaoke at home from time to time. No need to go out and embarrass yourself (or your friends if you’re really good). There’s a YouTube karaoke video for just about every song out there.
- If you’re not into actually singing, go with a lip-sync battle. (Trust me, you do not want to hear some people sing *points finger at self*.) Have rounds where 2 people go head-to-head and everyone else judges by applause. If you prefer not to compete, just do a lip-sync talent show. For Ma’s 80th birthday, we grouped up by the decades in which we were born and did compilations of songs from that decade. For example, all of the kids born in the 1980s did “Old Time Rock and Roll”, “Footloose”, and “Thriller” together with choreographed dances.
- Of course, you can always gather around something you all have in common: cooking, knitting, sports, craft beer, whatever. The point is to be together and have fun. Have conversations. Laugh. Connect.
February may be the shortest month, but we think it’s one of the best months for being together. Make sure you get some Vitamin D while the sun starts peeking out, but when the cold forces you back indoors, take these ideas and use them to create memories.
And don’t forget to share it with us @makesolidroots!