4 Ways to Fill Your Cup with a Fabulous Ladies Night

Jennifer Landis - 22 Apr 19

As we all know, motherhood is the most rewarding journey. We get to bring life into the world, and then we get to watch our babies grow into children, teenagers and eventually, adults.

Still, there will always come a time or two in which we feel like we could use a break. But not just any night off will suffice — we need some good, old-fashioned time with our girlfriends to have grown-up conversations, drink a glass of wine and maybe even enjoy some snacks without a little hand reaching up and stealing all of them from our plates.

Studies have shown it’s crucial for moms to have friends as we navigate the beautiful, yet sometimes stressful, path of motherhood. For example, a UCLA study found women who can lean on their friends for support don’t ignite their fight-or-flight instinct when facing demanding mom-related situations.

So, celebrate your lady friends with a fab night in. Leave your partner, parents or babysitter in charge of our brood as you put together and enjoy your party. Here are four ideas to get the planning started.

Choose the Vibe

Not every ladies’ night calls for you all to get gussied up, slip on a pair of heels and head out for a night on the town — although, if that’s the vibe you’re going for, then, by all means, dust off the stilettos. Most in-house parties will call for a more casual dress code, though. In fact, some party planners take it a step further by calling for all their invitees to show up in pajamas or onesies to make the drinking, snacking and pampering even cozier. If that’s what you’re envisioning, be sure to share that plan with guests. Then, start outlining the rest of the details around the casual vibe you’ve begun to cultivate.

Find an Activity

Moms’ night out doesn’t have to take place at a Tupperware party anymore. Instead, you and your ladies can gather ’round the table as the tarot card reader you’ve hired divulges the future to all of you. Of course, that’s just one option for in-house entertainment for your next ladies’ night — you can also hire a manicurist, mobile spa professional or even a hairstylist to give you all blowouts. The possibilities are endless.

A DIY project is another possibility to consider. You and your girls can whip up a batch of homemade bath bombs and save them for another evening when you need a break and don’t have a moms’ night scheduled. DIY face masks always work for ladies’ night, too. Or, you could get your hands dirty as you all work together to bake and decorate a cake you’ll eat as soon as it’s cool enough to ice and slice.

Finally, you and yours might prefer something even less hands-on. Movie nights make the perfect entertainment for a small shindig — you can also choose the show beforehand and use it to inspire the attire, food, drinks, etc. if you’re feeling thoroughly motivated.

Feed Them Well

As the host, you’ve also got to organize the food-and-drink setup for your ladies’ night. You can make this job much easier on yourself by announcing a potluck, where everyone arrives with something to share. Going the shared-dish route will give everyone plenty to eat, of course, and it can be an excellent way to make sure everyone with dietary restrictions has something they can eat — after all, the gluten-intolerant gal is probably not going to bring a wheat-based pizza.

Of course, you can take your planning a step further by whipping up the menu on your own. Again, there are countless creative options for such a spread. You can go classic with a countertop full of dips and plunge-ready snacks, such as veggies, crackers, fruit and more. Or maybe there’s a theme to your party that requires a specific menu. If you’re gathering to rewatch the old seasons of Jersey Shore — it’s OK, we all do it — you could set up a bruschetta bar and serve gelato for dessert, since all the cast members are so proud of their Italian heritage.

Literally, Fill Your Cup

Finally, a girls’ night wouldn’t be complete without at least one drink of choice. Although the decision is yours, we suggest skipping the boxed wine for something a bit more memorable. For instance, you could choose a signature cocktail to serve during the party. That will make planning easier, since you only have to buy the necessary ingredients for your beverage of choice. Or, you could grab a few go-to liquors and mixers to complete the bar. Think through a list of two-ingredient cocktails, such as screwdrivers, martinis or whiskey gingers. Choose your favorites, get the ingredients and set up the bar. Voila!

Cheers to Ladies’ Night

See? It’s not that hard to put together a good party and, once it’s happening, you’ll be so glad you did. Connecting with your friends will keep you sane in the midst of your motherhood journey, so don’t slouch — set up that ladies’ night and invite everyone over. It’s time to drink a cocktail and have a good laugh with the girlfriends who keep you on your feet.

Jennifer Landis

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