Turn Game Night Into A Monthly Ritual; Follow These 6 Handy Tips

A game night is one of those gatherings you can host monthly to bring together your close knit circle for an evening of conversation, camaraderie and competitive fun. Game nights can morph into delightful recurring social events and over time become a tradition for your group. You can play host to some really exciting mid-week evenings for that much required respite from work or simply plan a monthly Friday night event. Either way, game nights are wonderful for hosting regular get togethers and for spending some ‘quality time’ together.

Besides, game nights are casual evenings and are very easy to organise. All you need is simple finger food, a few beers and a coffee table on which you can arrange your chosen play. Without being too reminiscent of the etiquette laden bridge clubs of our grandmothers, these evenings can actually be very chilled out sessions removed from a formal do. 

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Read on for tips on how to turn your game night into a monthly event that friends would look forward to:

Pick Your Games

Charades, board games, trivia night, Pictionary and cards are only among the few games that you can choose from for an eventful evening of play. But pick games which are easy to follow and will be enjoyed by all your guests. While trivia night is good for a big group, scrabble or good old monopoly would work well for an intimate gathering. Decide on the game in advance and on the day of, have a back-up just in case players drop out or teams become uneven.

Create A Guest List

A guest list is paramount for game night because when you know the crowd you are inviting, you can plan games to suit their preferences. An intimate game night is best enjoyed among half a dozen of your circle but such evenings are perfect spaces for diverse friends to mingle too! A guest list would help you in narrowing down everything, from a theme for trivia questions to the difficulty level of Pictionary!

Serve Finger Food

When your friends immerse themselves in a cut-throat battle to victory, their stomach are bound to groan with hunger from all that excitement! Keep steady batches of finger foods like sliders, toasties, samosas, nachos, hummus and pita rolling in so that they can nosh on their food without interrupting the game.

BYOB!

If you are hosting game night during the week, BYOB is a sound rule! This way, guests can decide for themselves whether or not to bring over a bottle of the drink they’d like to sip on without the threat of a hangover the next working day. Have a bottle or two of wine at hand, just in case guests change their mind and ask for a glass of red with their charades.

Clear A Space 

All you need for game night is a space big enough to accommodate all guests, yet cozy enough for it to feel like a casual hang. For board games, clear your coffee table and lay out monopoly or Scotland Yard or even D & D on the flat top. For charades or other team games, you might want to rearrange your furniture so groups of players can face each other comfortably.

Comfy Lighting

Game night decor is only about exuding a warm glow and reducing harsh lights. The lighting should be inviting and in tune with the overall cheery and casual vibe. Yellow lights and fairy lights work fine but make sure these are bright enough to see the cards or the game board.

Wrapping Up…

A game night done well can become a tradition for your intimate social circle. When you are hosting game night, pay attention to your friends’ preferences and choose an assorted range of games before the evening begins.