Women today lead busy lives. We’re holding down jobs while still running the household. We might even be in the complicated circumstance of being a single parent who is raising a child but still having to make sure the money is coming in to pay bills and rent, buy food and clothes, and run a car.
With work and looking after children taking up so much of our time, when we get a free evening, we should make the most of it. You could wind with a bath, a book, and a nice glass of chardonnay.
… Or you could invite your BFFs round for a good old girl’s evening. If you’re going down the “besties round for the win” route, here are a few ideas.
Spa-themed night
A spa-themed night is your chance to have the best of both worlds: relaxing while still spending time with some of your favourite people. If you’re looking in the mirror and wondering whether the bags under your eyes would carry two week’s shopping or just one, it’s the perfect excuse to call your friends round and indulge in some pampering.
Dressing gowns or pyjamas? Your night. Your call. It’s facials, manicures, pedicures. You could even ask your pals to each bring a different mask, and then you can all try them out.
Game night
There’s nothing like a games night when it comes to nights in with friends. You can go old-school and have a board game marathon — maybe even play some classic games, such as Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit.
Alternatively, you could go for a themed game night. Poker night and bingo nights are popular potential options.
If you happen to be hosting the night around Christmas time, you can even host a Christmas bingo-themed night. Make sure you learn the Christmas bingo calls and brace yourself for some daft forfeits. Don’t be a party pooper, now!
Movie night
Remember those gold old days when you’d order in a pizza, hopefully delivered by some hot delivery boy. You’d then devour the pizza, warm up some popcorn before settling down in front of a rom-com or something cheesy.
Well, why not relive those days? “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is always an option. It doesn’t get much more “girls’ night in” than that, but if you’ve seen it one too many million times, “Pretty Woman”, “10 Things I Hate About You”, or “Dirty Dancing” will always hit the spot.
Fondue night
Who needs a fondue fountain? All you need is a crockpot, a good recipe, chocolate, fruit, and a decent appetite. Or you can go savoury, of course, and replace the chocolate with cheese. If chocolate is your thing and you’re sticking to it, you can spice the proceedings up with some toasted marshmallows. Delicious.
This is also an excellent way to form friendships as well or just bond that little bit closer with your friends.
Cocktail-making night 
An at home cocktail night can provide the fun of a girls night out at a fraction of the cost.
Cocktails with the girls on nights out are immensely enjoyable, but the cost of all those pitchers soon mounts up, or even just of the individual cocktails themselves. Why not save yourself the expense and host your own cocktail night? A few simple recipes are enough.
Before the girls arrive, prepare all the fruit and other cocktail-making ingredients so you and your friends can quickly mix them together. Clean all the glasses and any other equipment you’ll use to serve the drinks.
Remember, these are your friends, so don’t skimp on the alcohol: buy some good-quality spirits to pour into the cocktails. Make sure they’re fresh spirits, too, rather than digging some dusty old bottles of Morgan’s Spiced Rum from out of the back of a cupboard somewhere.
Retro night
No decade was quite like the 1980s. The fashions were appalling. The music and films were cheesy. Basically, no one had any taste, yet it was possibly the most fun decade there’s ever been (although some might argue the 1960s was). Why not travel back there?
Bring out that Walkman, headband, and leg warmers, and make it a night to remember. It doesn’t have to be the 1980s, though. You can choose any past decade and go with a hairstyle, clothes, music, and movies from that decade.
You could even select a decade from your childhood or teenager years, ask your friends to bring some old photos and remember the good times together when life was so much easier.
Tarot or psychic reading night
If you fancy something that little bit different, you could invite a fortune teller round to tell you all your fortune. Find a reputable tarot card reader or psychic, split the cost between you and your friends, and book a professional.
You can all sip on some tasty cocktails while your expert provides you with insight into what the future holds. Dim the lights, light the candles, and hear what they have to say. You may believe it, you may not, but you’ll still enjoy the evening.
The above ideas are all excellent ways to entertain your friends if you have a girl’s night in. If you feel the pressure of entertaining a little too much, however, you don’t have to carry all the weight on your shoulders. Hire a pro to provide a belly dancing class, yoga class or other interesting discipline, and make your evening a success that way instead.
