Today’s fun activity as part of the 9 Fun Ways to Create a Happy Home series, is a simple one, but it’s all about clearing your schedule and making time for fun. This one is an often overlooked happiness booster, but can really change your mood from meh, to happy in no time.
What you’ll need:
- A Movie I recommend a comedy or a movie from your childhood that you all loved (Now and Then, The Lion King, Blank Check, The Goonies, The Breakfast Club to name a few)
- Popcorn or your favourite sweets
- Friends or family to watch with you
- A comfy place for everyone to sit
- Optional: Pizza If you’re providing dinner too
- Optional: Pyjamas If you wanted to go old school slumber party
Pick an evening and put your computers, phones and other distractions aside and take the time to have an evening of laughter with your friends or family and just take the time to relax. Start it early and maybe have a few movies lined up for your guests to choose from. Or let them know the order of the night.
Make sure the snacks and drinks (possibly of the non-alcoholic variety) are flowing and take the time out to just relax and laugh at the way things were or your collective favourite parts of the movie. Order in some pizza if you get hungry and not worry about the busy world outside. It might seem a little silly, but a night of catching up and just letting your worries go for just a little while can make a world of difference.
I’m sure you’ve all run these things before, but if you haven’t, here’s a possible run down of events:
7:30pm: Your friends arrive. You chat in the kitchen waiting for the late comers snacking on the potato chips
8pm: Move to the living room where you have comfy couches and cushions for everyone and bring the snacks in with you (Your friend Dannielle is more than happy to help you eat the Cheezels ;) )
8:30pm: After some deliberation and discussion Now and Then is chosen as your first movie of the night. The chatter about whatever happened to… and how adorable Christina Ricci was begins and you reminisce and laugh through the whole movie. The snacks are devoured.
10pm: You grab more snacks and order the pizzas. The 90s *cough* classic *cough* Blank Check is chosen and you laugh at how old all the technology is and wish that had been you. The pizza arrives in the middle and you are all fueled up for movie number 3.
11:30pm: You say goodnight to your friends that aren’t staying the night and send them home with some snacks for the road and settle back on the couch for The Goonies. Everyone has their own Goonies story so you’re distracted and it takes longer than normal to watch but you relish in the time with them.
1:30am: You’re all having a wonderful time so you set up camp in the living area, old school, and drift off to sleep after talking for what seems like an eternity.
The next morning: You offer coffee, pancakes and toast for your guests and wish them farewell as they head off back to their homes and lives. One night free of all the worries and full of the happiness again.
Of course it might not go quite like this, but wouldn’t it be fun to just forget the world for an evening and just get lost in the world of good friends and old movies that make you smile. I think it’s a sure fire way to bring some happiness back into your home (and make some happy memories at the same time).
There’s nothing quite like being with the people who bring out the best in you, and a movie night is a fun and not so expensive way to do it.
Do you have movie night catch ups with friends? Or do you treat your family to a movie night? I’d love to hear, tell me in the comments!
If you do try this, I’d love to see a photo or hear about how it went! Tweet me your pics at: @danniellecresp or instagram me at: @dannielle with the hashtag: #9funwaystocreateahappyhome