If you’re going to invite your friends over, then it makes sense to put a unique spin on every occasion. Now that the cost of living crisis is really starting to bite, having an evening in might make a palatable alternative to going out. With the right theme, your house parties can be made just as memorable as any evening out – and perhaps, even more so.
So, what activities might you plan for those social gatherings?
Murder mystery
If you have a flair for theatre and improvisation, then hosting a murder mystery party might be hugely rewarding. You can make it as elaborate or as straightforward as you like, provided that you have enough colourful characters to hand, and that your resident detective has the dramatic flair required to reveal the secrets.
Come dine with me
We’re all familiar with the popular television show, Come Dine With Me. You can arrange your own version, over the course of a single week, if you can find a few other willing hosts. If you want to make it interesting, you can even throw in a little bit of money. The most popular chef gets to keep the pot.
To get the most from this, you’ll want to upgrade your kitchen with the right equipment. Saucepans and other cookware are invaluable – as are sharpened knives!
Movie nights
If you’re lucky enough to have access to a respectable home cinema system, then you might gather a few friends to enjoy a much-loved cinema classic. It’s best to go in one of two directions, here: either pick a film that everyone’s comfortable talking over, or make sure that your guests are going to keep quiet throughout. Mixing the two rarely works well!
Whatever film you choose, make sure that it’s going to be enjoyed. Either give everyone a say or let them know in advance what you’ve chosen. Don’t go for anything longer than three hours unless you know you’re onto a winner.
Games night
Games are a reliably great way to occupy your time with friends. The kind your choose depends on the kind of evening you’d like to have. A long, sit-down session with a hopelessly complicated board game will tend to appeal to guests of a certain sort. If you’d prefer to keep things high-energy, then you might go for something a little more physical, like charades.
Quiz night
If you’ve never put together your own quiz, then you owe it to yourself to give it a try just once. You can design the questions so that they’re particular to the group to whom you’re catering. The more facts and stories involving your friends and family, the better.
Or, if you don’t want to go down that route, you might pick topical questions about celebrities, the goings on in Westminster, or the weather. If all else fails, you can always bring out a box of Trivial Pursuit.
Collaborative post. Photo by Rendy Novantino on Unsplash