Sometimes it feels like I'm isolated in not wanting to risk too many meet ups with my loved ones at the moment, certainly not in public areas. We've had a couple of lockdown small family celebrations (4 households maximum) socially distanced, no hugs, no selfies together. A far cry from the list of things below. Socialising is such an important part of my mental wellbeing, I love sharing ideas and adventures, celebrating and spending my time surrounded by people so although this is a small section, it's an important one for me.
401. Host a murder mystery party.
402. Have a sleepover with friends.
I'd argue a good sleepover is an essential part of female bonding. Snuggling down with friends, eating junk food and watching terrible movies. Talking about everything from a load of rubbish to deep philosophical views all within a few hours, laughing until tears fall down your cheeks and feeling terrible the next day having only gotten a few hours sleep from all the laughing. I've enjoyed sleepovers with friends since I was 10 years old when I had one for my birthday. Most of these taken 10 years later at age 20, still enjoying bonding time with my fellow ladies.
403. Attend a prom.
I was of the generation where proms in the UK started to become a thing done at the end of a secondary school year. So at age 16 I gussied up and attended my own school prom with my 5 buddies (followed strangely enough by a sleepover). 8 years later I attended my first prom as a teaching assistant, a night I'll always remember as it was the night Ben and I put the offer on our first house together (which we still live in). I know have the pleasure of going every year as a Science teacher, celebrating with my year 11's and looking arguably better than I did at the tender age of 16 (although I still love the red dress I chose).
404. Throw a dinner party for friends.
405. Host a gaming/LAN party.
406. Host a movie night in the back garden.
407. Have a homemade pizza party
408. Have a fondue night
409. Host a garden BBQ/party
There are any number of occasions I could have chosen from here as our garden is beautiful and spacious and simply just a nice space to get together with friends and family to have a party (which we did for our engagement and an anniversary party for my parents) or a BBQ. It's been a blessing over these strange times as we've recently been able to meet up with family to still celebrate those more special occasions even if we've not been able to hug each other.
410. Sing karaoke with friends.
We visited a friend for Karaoke night at her university campus back in 2013. It was a nerve-wracking but enjoyable experience and we didn't exactly start off with an easy song (we went for "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen).
411. Go to a party dressed up in fancy dress.
Over the years I've been to a number of fancy dress parties (I love dressing up) from a cowboy party and 60's party in my college years. I dressed as Queen Cleopatra for my friend's 18th birthday party. At university we had a party each year called "rumble in the jungle" which always took place around my birthday in March. I went as a leopard one year and an explorer another. The final picture was my cousin Katy's 30th birthday party as she loves Disney so we went as Belle and Prince Adam.
412. Go to a black tie/formal party.
My university held a Summer ball each year, which was a black tie event. A three course meal followed by an all night party - an event I loved all 3 of my years at the University of Nottingham.
413. Host a themed party.
414. Go to/host a toga party.
415. Throw someone a surprise party.
Mum and Dad's surprise anniversary party wasn't the only secret birthday party we held. We threw one to celebrate our friends' 25th birthdays as they were both feeling low and in need of a pick-me-up so we thought a surprise event to show them how much they meant to everyone was the perfect way to make sure they had a good memory for life.
416. Attend a foam party.
417. Attend a wedding abroad.
418. Show a friend around my hometown.
It's really exciting showing friends around your home, particularly if they live somewhere completely different. I had the pleasure of showing my hometown to my friend Mary, who lives in Georgia in the USA. Back in 2011, we took her to the illuminated carnival which originated in my hometown and really is quite a show. When she revisited with her husband in 2016 we took them on a nighttime tour of the town following on from a curry at my favourite local Indian restaurant.
419. Party in a private booth at a club.
This was definitely the best clubbing experience I've ever had. I generally really hate bars and clubs - I don't really drink (I've got a glass of champagne as we were celebrating my cousin's hen party, but generally I stick to soft drinks when out - I have emetophobia). One of the things I usually really hate about clubs is other drunken people getting too close so celebrating in a private booth was such a sweet relief. We had an entire upstairs section for VIPs only and our own private space above that. We could still see the rest of the club below us so we still got the atmosphere of celebrating with 100's of people without those people encroaching on personal space and most relieving of all, no males trying to take us home.