How to host a Girls’ Night In.

It’s that time of the year again, when women across the country get together for a cause that based on current trends will affect one in three of us females by the age of 85: cancer.  Cancer Council’s Girls’ Night In raises much needed funds to help beat women’s cancers, and the money raised will help Cancer Council support vital cancer research, prevention programs and support services.  So gather up some gal pals for a great night in that will support an even better cause.

Here are our tips for creating a fun and memorable Cancer Council Girls’ Night In that will make your friends dig deep to help beat women’s cancers.

Register your event online.

First thing’s first: make your night count by going online and registering as a Cancer Council Girls’ Night In host. The process is really easy and only takes a few minutes, and means that you’ll be sent a free host kit full of event planning and fundraising ideas to make organising your event super simple, as will as giving you inspiration for how to pull off a fun night that your girlfriends will love.

Create a theme.

Whether it’s a classic dinner party, an 80’s flashback or a pyjama party, deciding on a theme for your evening will help you lock down an overall direction for your event. A great theme will guide your menu, activities, decorations — and of course, a killer playlist.

Make do like the pink ladies and get that pajama party started. Image: Paramount Pictures.

Cook up a storm.

Food and girls’ nights go together like Saturday mornings and sleep ins. This year, go healthy – inspire your guests with rice paper rolls and vegies with healthy dips. Ask everyone to pitch in and bring a share plate, but watch as their eyes widen when they see the spread you’ve laid out for them.

Plan some entertainment.

The best girls’ nights are ones where everyone can get in on some shared fun. Here are some suggestions to help get the party started:

1. Beauty treatments.

Girls’ nights are all about pampering yourselves. While manis and pedis are the classic go-to, why not take some inspo from your favourite beauty bloggers and run makeup tutorials. From contouring to strobing, smokey eyes to nail art, this is the perfect opportunity to sit around in robes and catch up with your girlfriends while you beautify yourselves.

"Manis and pedis are the classic go-to." Image: Metro-Goldywn-Mayer.

2. Pinterest DIY activities.

If your squad prefers craft to eyelash glue and spend more time trolling through DIY projects on Pinterest than food porn on Instagram, harness all this creative energy into a crafting evening. Whether you’re upcycling an old piece of furniture, decorating mason jars or making beautiful trinkets to fill them, there’s no better excuse to bring out your inner Picasso than for a good cause.

3. Games Night.

This one takes it back to the old school – a good old fashioned games night. Think Twister, giant Jenga and Taboo; all games that draw a crowd and keep the fun flowing for hours. If your friends have a wicked sense of humour, Cards Against Humanity is sure to keep you in stitches for the duration of the evening.

4. Karaoke.

Is your sister the next Beyonce? Your aunt Dolly Parton’s doppelgänger? Are you looking for a reason to FINALLY bring out your Frozen sing-a-long DVD? If you answered yes to any of the above, your Girls’ Night In should probably feature Karaoke. Gather up all the ladies in your life, pop Sing Star into the playstation and watch the magic unfold. Everyone will be fighting over the microphones faster than ‘Shake It Off’ gets stuck in your head.

All those years of singing in the shower are about to pay off. Image: Giphy.

5. Movie Night.

For a more relaxing take on the event, invite everyone over for a Movie Marathon of all your favourite chick flicks. Pretty Woman, My Best Friend’s Wedding and There’s Something About Mary should definitely be on your list. For TV fanatics, try to coincide your Girls’ Night In with the season finale of your favourite reality show -- the crowdsourced commentary will be its own entertainment.

Fundraising.

When planning your event, think about how you can integrate opportunities to raise funds and collect donations from your guests. One idea is to set an entry fee or ask guests to donate what they would have spent on a night out. You could also raise some extra money by holding a raffle. Take this opportunity to ask your friends to bring guests, so that way you’ll expand your social circle and raise more money.

Your free Girls’ Night In Host Kit (which you’ll receive after you’ve registered online as a host) has lots of great fundraising tips to inspire you further. Once your event is over, all you need to do is bank the funds you’ve raised so that Cancer Council can put the money to work to help beat women’s cancers.

What are your top tips for hosting a Girls' Night In?