Want a unique idea for your barkada year-end get-together? Throw a slumber party in your condo! Thank heavens for living in a condominium, you can spare yourself the hassles of holiday traffic. You can hold a Christmas party in the function hall or a family weekend picnic in the open lawn. Many properties offer urbanites the comforts of resort-style communities in the middle of bustling cities.
Why set a slumber party? Let us count the benefits. First, most event venues are likely to be booked this time of the year. You can try to line up in restaurants, but don't expect to get a table right away. Second, you've been spending a lot over the past weeks and it's likely that you'll keep swiping your credit/debit cards until you've drained your accounts. A slumber party will keep you from the verge of holiday season bankruptcy. Third, in a slumber party, you could talk and laugh as much as you want without bothering other people. Finally, this may be your only time to spend quality time with your friends. After the holidays, you'll be back to virtual hugs and short text messages.
Here's your checklist to plan an unforgettable year-end slumber party in our condo.
#1: Mark the calendar
Setting a date is probably the most difficult task in holding a slumber party or any gathering for that matter. Some might be free on a certain Saturday, but others wouldn't be. There's also that one friend who would propose a date then ask to postpone on the very last minute. Don't use up all your energy and patience on this task. Throw in a few proposed dates and let the gang vote.
#2: Who are the party organizers?
How to plan the best slumber party? You can either allow everyone to get involved or have a dedicated group of organizers. With everyone playing a role in the preparations, you can spread the tasks such as cooking and organizing activities. However, there could be a drawback. If the designated person fails to perform her/his task, the entire party organizing could fall apart. Remember the struggles of completing your group thesis in college?
#3: Send invites via mail
Today, people use social media to plan and advertise events. Invitations can be sent and confirmed via Facebook events. Keep your friends in suspense by simply sending them old-school party invitations. You can create a Facebook group to help the organizers, but leave out details to stir excitement. Also, do you notice that since it's easy to confirm attendance via social media, it's also easy to cancel participation. Gone are the days when people would always be in your party because it's easier to be there sending a telegram that they're “not in the mood” for socializing. Requesting an RSVP impliedly demands attendance from your friends.
#4: Make sure you have enough mattresses
Check if you have enough mattresses and pillows for your guests. Sure, you plan to stay awake and play board games until morning, but you would sleep at some point during your party. You're not little children in a pajama party. You're adults whose energy is quite limited. You can turn your condo living room into a sleeping area with large pillows, quilts, and blankets strewn on the floor. Your friends may also bring their own camping sleeping beds.
#5: Clean your house before the big day
Do a spring cleaning of your condo at least a day before your slumber party. Scrub the tiles in the bathroom, mop the floor, and wipe off dust on kitchen cabinets. Get help from your friends. The pre-event clean-up can also be a chance go over your checklist and do last minute errands.
#6: Choose a theme for your party
If you haven't been in a sleepover, this is not simply having dinner, watching a movie, and going to bed. It's a party, though hosted at home. Like any other get-togethers, a slumber party is so much better with a theme. You can have a no-tech event, except for Netflix, of course. Think of your childhood without tablets or smartphones, and the only entertainment you had on a weekend evening was horror flicks and scrabble. This old-fashioned fun will encourage personal interactions.
You can also have a costume party inspired by your favorite TV heroes. Dress up as the Stranger Things squad or a Studio Ghibli character. You can then screen amazing films throughout the night. Have an Asian cinema night in your condo.
#7: Liven up the party area
The decorations for your slumber party would depend on your event theme. If you don't choose a specific theme, you can give life to your condo living room by selecting a color scheme and use it as a guide in buying décor, plates and cups, and other party supplies. You can also have balloons on the floor, streamers on walls, and fresh flowers everywhere. Throw in bedroom essentials such as mattresses, large pillows and blankets, and place glow-in-the-dark star stickers on your ceiling to turn your cinema area into an indoor observatory.
#8: Serve healthy, non-greasy finger foods
Start the evening with a light dinner. A heavy carbs-rich meal can make you drowsy as early as 8 a.m. You wouldn't want everyone ready for bed right after dinner. You can have red sauce pasta, lettuce salad, and lime juice. Savor on this simple entree in the Sky Lounge, with the breathtaking skyline for your backdrop. Then, serve finger foods during your slumber party. Ditch greasy and salty fastfoods, and prepare healthy treats such as pesto crostini, fruit cubes, egg pies, carrots and cucumber sticks with cream dip,. You can also have potato wedges, vegetable rice paper rolls, and pineapple pizza muffins.
#9: Minimize the alcohol
Will you be serving alcohol? If you want your slumber party to last, you should opt for fruity cocktails instead of hard liquor. You can also have a wine-pairing party. Prepare a buffet of appetizers and a selection of wines. Sauvignon Blanc is perfect with goat cheese while champagne is a beautiful match with smoked salmon. Other treats that you can pair with wine include chocolate truffles, tomato and zucchini, herb sprigs, and cured meats.
#10: Observe condo rules
Don't forget to inform your friends about rules and regulations imposed in your condo community. You wouldn't want to inconvenience your neighbors. Keep your noise at a minimum. No shouting at all costs. Know the designated smoking areas and don't loiter in the corridor at 2 a.m.
Condo living in the Philippines offers urban residents various leisure options, saving them from crowded places during the holidays. You can host a swimming party or a BBQ Sunday in the open-grill area. You can also reserve the clubhouse for your family reunion. Have an intimate gathering in your condo community this season.