Do grownups need to play with other grownups? Ever heard of a grown up play date? I say yes to both! Adults spend so many hours working, stressing about finances, health, education, and a million other worries. We get into bed and thoughts run through our heads: how will I pay the mortgage this month? What if I get laid off? Is my aging parent safe living alone or do I need to start thinking about assisted living? This is a far cry from the visions of sugar plums of our childhood!
I believe that we all need to make time to have fun. Not just going to a movie, having dinner at a nice restaurant, or renting a DVD! I mean we need to PLAY! We need to do something imaginative, childish and liberating. Here are my top suggestions for having a fun time playing with adult friends!
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| Telling fortunes |
1. Have a psychic party! Hire a psychic entertainer (find them on line or even in the yellow pages) to come to your home. Invite friends, decorate with hanging silver stars and candles. Serve finger sandwiches, fruit and light fare, punch and an amazing dessert. You can ask guests to chip on (be sure to state this on the invitations) to cover the cost of the psychic entertainer. Play new age music in the background and have the psychic tell fortunes with tarot cards, runes, palm reading etc. When I had a party I was lucky enough to find a psychic entertainer who also did belly dancing and gave us all a lesson. We laughed till we cried and had a fun filled, stress erasing evening!
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| Murder at Cunningham Castle |
2. Host a Murder Mystery Dinner. There are kits available that have everything you need from character descriptions to suggestions on menu and décor. Some are also available on line. Because I had 30 guests for mine, a friend and I wrote our own. Unless you have about 3 months and great organizational skills, you might want to use the kit! We sent invitations in envelopes stamped TOP SECRET. Inside was the character description, suggestion for costume, menu, and all information needed about date, time, and the background story of the mystery. Guests each had the responsibility to get certain information out at certain times during the evening. Some had specific things to do like “after the soup is served, go to the bathroom and scream bloody murder” or “take the key you find under the yellow lamp and put it in your pocket. Tell no one.” It was only in the end that it all came together. My first murder mystery party was about 8 years ago and people are still talking about it. It was a treasure hunt in an old Irish Castle. I’ve since had “Murder in Paradise” (guests were supposed to be at a tropical resort so we served tropical drinks, Hawaiian Chicken , tropical fruit salad, coconut rice and pina colada cake for dessert.) which was just as successful. Right now I’m working on a Cruise themed murder mystery. It’s as much fun to plan them as it is for the guests who attend!
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| Casino Night |
3. Casino Night! Set up a few laptops as slot machines. There “slots” programs on line that mimic Las Vegas style machines. You can buy a mini roulette wheel, blackjack table cloth and craps cloth on line very cheaply. Get lots of poker chips for payouts and have door prizes for the person with the most/ least chips at the end of the evening. Set up a “free buffet” for the gamblers. You’ll need help manning the tables and handing out chips for the slots, but guests can rotate through positions. Use casino themed decorations and paper goods and sprinkle some casino confetti on the buffet table (available in party stores or on line).
These are just a few ways for grownups to play and have the fun of a kid again. If the group thing is not for you, go to the beach and fly a kite, ride a rollercoaster, visit the state fair and get some cotton candy and elephant ears, ride in a hot air balloon, go for an airboat ride, bunji jump (at a safe and reputable place), or find something special that will free your spirit and bring out the child in you!
We’d love to hear your suggestions for a grown up play date! (G rated only , all others please direct to Jillian or Tony)
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| Natasha the Psychic Lady (407) 351- 7875 |
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| April Keough: Co-Director april@dropdeadcomedy.com 631-758-2564 Tony Walker: Co-Director DropDeadComedy@aol.com 516-783-3364 |
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| http://www.lasvegascasinoparty.com/ace_las_vegas_casino_party.html |
Think we need a bunco night!
ReplyDeleteBoth murder mysteries were AMAZING! How about another one Marion?
ReplyDeleteTime to relax & unwind is alway needed - yet so often ignored. Thanks for the reminder, Marion!
ReplyDelete