Coeur d'Alene, ID

I peeked out the window at work and saw the sun setting around 4pm… winter was here. After I had completed my day at work, I walked to my car only to be greeted by wind gusts so piercing I thought I was about to summit the top of a mountain… again, winter was here. Although I do love the winter I knew it was now time to find indoor activities. I drove home and walked to my house as the rain poured down on me but I had a plan for tonight and I was not going to let some rain and wind get me down. The plan was “girls night in”.

My friends and I usually get together about every month and organize some sort of gathering for just the girls. Whether it be a large group of us, or just two of us, it always turns out to be a delightful event. Depending on who is hosting the event, they are in charge of the attendee list. Some of us like to keep it small, but those of us who choose a larger group have to put a little more organization into it. For the larger group gatherings, Evite is a useful tool, an electronic invitation service. Evite is handy as it tracks who is attending, who might show up and the “no funners” as we call them (yes I’m aware funners is a made up word ). It gives you a pretty good judge on a head count for your party and it is free, so you can not beat that!

For girls night two things are required: games and a beverage. Games change from group to group as well as the beverages but the entertainment is just the same, always fun. Some groups choose interactive games while others choose board games. I am always a fan of Trivia Pursuit or Clue and if it’s warm enough outside, croquet is always a hit too.

Beverages are usually selected by the hostess along with who brings what to make those beverages. Our group will usually stick to a theme if it near a holiday, i.e. St Patties Day: green beer, Cinco De Mayo: margaritas, or Oktoberfest: a seasonal fall beer. If a holiday is not near, a classic martini will suit us just fine. We have an ex-bartender in our group, so if there is any question about which concoction we should go with we always take her advice. If you do not have a bartender in your group for about $10 you can pick up a copy of Mr Boston: Official Bartender’s & Party Guide. This has a great selection of beverages along with the recipes to fit anyone’s fancy. This is the little red book you’ll find behind any bar incase you throw the bartender for a loop. If you are looking for beverage ideas with a little less kick, hot cocoa with marshmallows is always tasty in the winter or a classic lemonade or ice tea in the summer can suit anyone’s taste.

If you would like to organize your own girl’s night in make sure you give your guests about two weeks notice. I know it seems like a lot of time, but our group has some pretty busy schedules and we have found two weeks is enough time to plan. Depending on your group size it will dictate your mode of communication to them. Whichever you choose, word of mouth, phone calls or emails let your guests know the day, time, where to show up and if they need to bring anything, such as the games, snacks or drinks. So let the games begin and the festive fun start while we enjoy those cold winter nights!