Make the long, cold days shorter—and sweeter—with these great ideas for get-togethers with family and friends. From classics with a twist to adventurous ideas, our members weighed in with their suggestions for memorable winter get-togethers—and then we threw in a few of our own.
The Classics (with a twist)
Movie night. Instead of just turning off the lights and sitting in front of the TV, create a beautiful ambience in which to enjoy your double feature. A great way to do this is by using candles. Renee B. in Venango, PA, says they "bake cookies, make hot chocolate, watch a movie, light candles..." When shopping for candles, choose
Glade® Scented Oil Candles; they quickly fill a whole room with fragrance and provide an elegant, relaxing setting.
Warm-up party. There’s nothing like coming in from the cold for a cup of hot chocolate. A fun twist is for one family to host a warm-up party afterward. "Have everyone in for hot cocoa or cider and snacks,while everyone's wraps get put in the dryer," shares Donna A. of Cincinnati, OH. "When everything is dry, send everyone home warmed inside." Even better, send each kid home with cookies in a
Ziploc® Brand Sandwich Bag.
Snow day for grown-ups. Why should kids be the only ones to enjoy a snow day? Gina R. of Washingtonville, NY, explains, "We have a grown-ups’ snow day on the first day of a bad snow. The children play downstairs in the family room and the adults have hot cocoa, wine with cheese and crackers, and awesome debate and conversation for about four hours. I can’t wait until it snows!" Just do a quick once-over on your windows with
Windex® Crystal Rain™ so people can have a clear, unfettered view of the snow outside (plus it’ll leave a refreshingly clean scent behind).
Pie bake-off. Invite a group of friends and, in advance, choose two "contestants"–each of whom will bake his or her favorite type of pie. The group can vote on which pie it likes best, and the winner can get a prize–maybe a selection of
Glade® Candles like Apple Cinnamon or
Glade® 2 in 1 Candles Fresh Berries and Wild Raspberry to remind them of the day.
The Adventurous
Spa day. There’s nothing like bonding over a little beauty—from head to toe. "My friends and I love to banish the winter blues by getting together for a feet and food party," says Mary P., in Burbank, CA. Have everyone bring a unique pedicure item and a food item according to the party's theme. "We all give each other pedicures—then when our toenails are drying, we eat." Before people come and bare their feet, get a clean, streak-free floor with
Pledge® Clean & Shine Multi Surface Floor Cleaner.
Regifting party. Melissa R. in Littleton, NH, has one of our favorite ideas. It revolves around the fact that one person's "trash" is another’s treasure: "Around late January, early February, we get our friends together for a regifting party. It's a great way to trade unwanted gifts from family!" It’s also an ideal way to avoid throwing unwanted items into your closet.
Get worldly. You can have only so many hamburgers in life. So try a day or evening get-together where you try different cuisines—
a potluck dinner of sorts but with a multinational twist. Patti S. of Scott Depot, WV, suggests an international dinner: "Everyone chooses a country and brings authentic dishes from that region. Everyone gets to enjoy foods they might not have tried before, and everyone has a friendship-filled evening."