Home & Garden, Lifestyle
Home Activities for Family and Friends to Get You Through the Cold Winter Season
It’s too dang cold outside. During the thick of winter, you’re better off staying inside where it’s nice and cozy. There are endless activities to do during warm summer months, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have just as much fun in the winter. Whether you’re looking for a nice date-night idea, a family gathering or an evening with friends, there’s always something fun to do. Best of all, you can use your trusty Rakuten App to get everything you need — and earn some sweet Cash Back in the process.
Game Night
A little friendly competition can make for a great night with family and friends. There’s no shortage of amazing board and card games to choose from. You’ll find ample choices whether you’re looking for something casual for the family or something a bit more intense for a dedicated group of friends. Here are some options.
Exploding Kittens
Exploding Kittens is a deceptively simple card game that revolves around picking up cards while trying to avoid the Exploding Kittens card. Despite the cute and quirky cat designs, the tension never lets up as the deck gets smaller. The kids will love it!
Poetry for Neanderthals
Poetry for Neanderthals has the same premise as Catchphrase, but with a twist: You can use only one-syllable words to help your team guess. If you break the rules, the other team can bop you on the head with an inflatable club. What’s not to love?
Poker Night
If you really want to make things interesting, all you need is a deck of cards and a poker set. Texas Hold ’em is a great social game. The mixture of competition and bluffing will make for a memorable night. You can even make it a weekly occurrence with people from the neighborhood.
Hunt A Killer Murder Mystery Box
A bit different from the usual board game, but just as engaging. Get a group of people together to help solve a murder. The Hunt A Killer boxes provide you with all the evidence, and it’s up to you and your guests to find the killer.
Loaded Questions
Loaded Questions is easy to play, but it will still have everyone busting out in laughter. Each person must answer the question on a card, and the judge will have to point to their favorite answer while also guessing who gave which answer. It’s similar to Cards Against Humanity, but you have to come up with your own answers.
Movie Night
Maybe after a long week, everyone just wants to come over and relax while enjoying each other’s company. That’s where movie nights come in. Everyone brings their own snacks and you can all watch something together. You can either watch an IMDB Top 100 or turn on something horrendous and cheesy to laugh at.
Hot Oil Popcorn Popper
No snack is more synonymous with movies than popcorn, which is ironic considering how loud popcorn can sound while chewing. Impress your guests with a popcorn machine that will make the snack taste just like a theater’s — only they won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to eat it.
Throw Blankets
Your guests are coming over on a cold winter night, so they’ll definitely appreciate a cozy and soft blanket to get under while you watch the movie. A blanket fort perhaps?
Wine
What’s a night of movies without some delicious wine? Whether it’s a tear-jerking drama or a laugh-out-loud comedy, it can all pair well with a nice glass of wine.
Malibu Lounge Beanbag Chair
So many guests, so little couch. Depending on the size of your get together, you may not have room to accommodate everyone on the sofa. Setting out some comfy beanbag chairs should do the trick. They’re also effective at getting kids to stay seated for the entirety of the film, which is no easy feat.
Dinners and Desserts
Everyone has to eat! Perhaps you could throw a lovely dinner party for your family or friends. You can make everything yourself or simplify things with a potluck. Desserts are also a great option — skip dinner and just do a giant cookie bake.
Snowflake Cookie Cutters
You could stick with regular chocolate chip cookies, or you could get more into the winter spirit with snowflake-shaped cookies. Gather your close family or friends to have an all-day cookie bake, and everyone will leave with a huge bag baked goodies.
Personalized Charcuterie Board
It’s not a dinner party without a lovely cheese-and-meat spread. You could even go the extra mile and get a charcuterie board personalized with your family’s name.
Cooler
No matter what activities you’re doing, if your guests are all bringing drinks, you won’t have room in the fridge you said you’d clean three weeks ago. That’s what coolers are for. Keep everyone’s drinks cold and close by with this large Coleman cooler.
5-Foot Folding Table
Chances are you won’t have enough room for everyone at the table, especially if everyone has kids. That’s where a trusty folding table comes in handy. It’s compact and easy to fold in and out. Now everyone will have room to enjoy their meal without resorting to eating on the couch.
No matter what you do in these cold winter months, just being around family and friends is all the comfort you need. We hope your next hosting party goes off without a hitch. Don’t forget to shop with Rakuten to earn Cash Back on every item listed above. Cha-ching!
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