The Ultimate Guide to a Girlfriend Slumber Party

Remember the days of junior high and high school? There was always some cute guy to gossip about, a scary movie to be watched, a few rounds of truth or dare to be played. Slumber parties became an outlet for girls to get together and form life-long bonds of friendship and sometimes conspiracy, depending on the truths revealed and dares performed. They were light-hearted, fun and fraught with teenage angst and excitement.

Then, we moved on to college, and, if we were lucky enough to get along with our roommates, almost any night could turn into a slumber party. Gossip, movies and truth or dare often survived the transition to college, too, only to be joined by alcohol-infused confessions during “I Never” and maybe a boy or two.

Sadly, college graduation seems to bring with it the extinction of the slumber party until we have children of our own old enough to continue the tradition, and I think it’s about time we cry foul. Instead, I say, “Save the Slumber Party!”

In fact, for one of my birthdays, I did just that. I kicked my significant other out of the house and invited my eight best girlfriends over to spend the night. Instead of birthday cake, we built a sundae bar. Instead of hot cocoa, we drank coffee spiked with Bailey’s Irish Cream or Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur. Everyone brought pillows, sleeping bags and air mattresses. I made french toast casserole for everyone for breakfast the next morning.

And, not surprisingly, it was one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had. When you get together with a bunch of your best girls, there’s no end to amount of fun to be had. And it definitely wasn’t our last.

Here are four ways we can reclaim the joy of a girlfriend slumber party:

1. Do like I did and have a party at home. Confer with your friends and decide whose house would be best, or send your significant other away for the night and invite them all over to your place. There are an incredible number of things you can do during your bonding time:

• Each person brings their favorite nail polish and spa tools for a home manicure or pedicure.
• Each person brings their favorite chick flick, then take a vote to see which ones/how many are viewed.
• Try a late night or morning coffee/hot chocolate bar: possible items to have on hand include regular and decaf, various creamers/milks, various types of sweeteners, Bailey’s, Kahlua, Irish whiskey, schnapps, etc.
• Take a page from David Tutera and try a champagne shot bar: a few people bring bottles of champagne and a few bring different kinds of liqueurs or schnapps (apple, peach, chambord, amaretto, etc.). First pour a shot of the liqueur or schnapps into your flute, then finish off with the champagne.
• Indulge in an ice cream sundae bar: half of the people bring a half gallon of ice cream, the other half bring two different kinds of toppings.
• Truth or dare – get a hold of a copy of Madonna’s documentary of the same name for viewing and then play a few rounds of your own.
• Each person brings their favorite game… turning ordinary board games into drinking games is strictly optional (but can be lots of fun!)

2. If you want to have a girlfriend slumber party, but you’re not quite sure how to pull it off when there are kids and husbands to consider, why not take your slumber party on the road to some place local? There’s no reason why you have to stay at home when there are so many other options, such as:

• Check out a local casino – if they have a hotel, book a room or two to share and get into a little mischief. Start the night off with champagne cocktails and funny photos in the room, then head downstairs to cause some trouble in the restaurants, bars and nightclubs or at the slots or tables.
• If casinos aren’t really your thing, why not head downtown and book a room at any number of hotels there, then get out to enjoy a nice dinner, drinks and some dancing out on the town. In an urban area, there’s usually something for everyone, no matter what your tastes.
• If you really need to relax, consider an overnight spa trip. A full menu of massages, skin care treatments, and salon options provide mix and match opportunities to satisfy everyone’s needs to just unwind and recharge.

3. If you’re looking to take a little more time to enjoy yourselves, consider a long weekend getaway. Depending on your budget, time, and location, you can hop on a plane for a short flight or grab a map and scope out locations within a 3-4 hour drive. The short road trip can add an extra element of fun with the windows rolled down and music blaring.
4. Should all else fail because of timing or logistics, a simple girls night out could be just what you need to de-stress and have some fun. Dinner, drinks, dancing, a movie, a concert, roller skating, mini golf, bowling… the opportunities are endless!