Great Night In

There’s nothing better than a fun night in with friends and family. And while you don’t need an excuse to have people round (once you’ve the fire lit and blazing, and the kettle on) sometimes it doesn’t hurt to have an extra special reason why everyone should head over to yours. Here are a few suggestions for inexpensive, cultural or just downright unusual nights in:

1. Photo sharing night

Has your granny ever ridden a camel? Did you have front teeth when you made your Communion? How wide are those flares? Everybody loves old photos, so why not gather your friends round the hearth for a night of nosey nostalgia. All you need are a couple of old albums and a high threshold for embarrassment.

2. Games night

Are you a master of Monopoly? A hide and seek hero? Or a Ludo loser? A games night can be fun for everyone and can be easy to tailor for the age groups involved. In fact, nights getting over-competitive in warm, fire lit rooms are exactly what childhood memories are made of. Just remember to bring the dice.

3. Movie Club/Book club

Chick flick or Chick lit? Blockbuster or bestseller? A book club or movie club is a great excuse to have friends over for a night of entertainment and heated debate. And it’s a great way to arrange a recurring get-together too – maybe suggest changing venues each week to keep things fresh. Or just stick with whoever’s house has the best fireplace – it’s where the best conversations start, after all.

4. Girls night in

No Tupperware here, just the girls, the gossip and maybe a little pampering. A girls night in is a great excuse for catching up and relaxing, and feeling like a princess doesn’t hurt. Make sure the fire’s blazing so the room is warm enough to treat like your personal spa. Or you can organise a make-up, clothing or jewellery exchange so you get rid of the stuff you don’t want, and pick up a few new things – for free!

5. The Big Match

Are you an armchair pundit? A tabletop tactician? No matter what the sport, be it football, rugby or boxing, having some friends over to watch it with you only adds to the experience. Especially when you “make it interesting”. Especially when you win.

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Tips for having people round for a great night in

Do something you enjoy

Seems obvious, but don’t try to do something just because someone recommended it, or because others might enjoy it — if you are unenthusiastic about your own event, how can you expect others to get into it? Find something you really like to do and the night will never be a chore.

Remind everyone

Remind everyone when your event is coming up, and remind them again the day before. And the day of. You literally cannot remind people enough! Find gentle ways to jog their memories and you’ll guarantee full attendance.

Stock up on snacks

Everybody likes an excuse to gorge on crisps and popcorn, so be the well-prepared host by having plenty of snacks and drinks on hand. And for most of these occasions, old favourites like Skips and Monster Munch will go down better than fancy hors d’oeuvres, so don’t mess with the classics.

The cosy factor

Stock up on peat briquettes or Firelogs, and make sure you’ve plenty of firelighters handy: nothing helps conversation along like the crackle of a real fire. Just be prepared for secrets to be shared and scandals to be unearthed!

Be prepared for all your preparations to come to nothing.

Don’t stick too rigidly to what you have planned – often the best nights are the ones that start off as one thing but evolve into something else. If everyone’s having a good time, it doesn’t really matter if you actually end up discussing the book you’re reading, or the movie you’ve just seen – remember all that stuff is really just the excuse for people to come round; the fireside chat is what really matters.