Last year, my tween had approximately 37 sleepovers with her BFFs. They stayed up until the early hours of the morning gossiping, making YouTube videos, singing, eating ice cream and making messes around the house. During the days between sleepovers, she plotted and planned her next one.
I remembered those days fondly — I, too, had been obsessed with slumber parties, until they seemed to drift away when I entered college and boys replaced the delicious late-night girl talk.
Until a few months ago, when my friend asked me to come over for wine.
“You could stay over,” she said, casually.
“Like a sleepover?”
“Yes. We could watch movies, talk and have wine. Bring the kids.”
Her husband was out of town, and mine was pleased to have our house to himself. My kids were delighted to sleep in a new house with my friend’s children.
So, I did it: my first sleepover in 20 years, aka an adult pajama party. And it was just as good as a teen sleepover.
We gossiped about boys (does this ever end?), we commiserated about our children, we drank wine without worrying about driving home, we did face masks, we painted our toenails, we stayed up past our bedtimes — well, until we crashed at midnight as if we’d turn into pumpkins — and shared her king-size bed. We knew our kids would entertain each other in the morning.
We grilled some experts to find out how to up the ante on our future adult sleepovers, because there’s no way we’re stopping at just one. Feel free to snag some ideas for your own slumber party.
Prioritize comfort
We aren’t kids anymore. Translation: We’re not comfy sleeping on the floor and sharing a bathroom. “This may mean renting or buying a blow-up mattress or two so not everyone has to sleep on the ground in sleeping bags, and it may mean setting up a bathroom time schedule at night and in the morning if people have to share the bathroom so everyone feels comfortable knowing they have their own time slot,” says Stacy Caprio, a life coach.
Prepare a hangover breakfast
Nothing ruins the fun more than a hangover. But Hangover Helper by Lauren Shockey offers 50 tried-and-true recipes inspired by traditions around the world to help with the headaches, full-body sweats and nausea following a night of fun. These include the Green Tea and Rice Soup recipe, Italian Midnight Spaghetti recipe and more.
Set a theme
Encourage your guest(s) to dress in costume and get ready to have the time of their lives, says Susan Harris, owner of Rooted Mama Health, a lifestyle blog. Some of her fave themes: ’70s, country and disco. Expand the theme to include movies, food and drinks.
Play games
It’s a sleepover, after all. Some of our favorites include Adult Loaded Questions and Cards Against Humanity.
Elevate the traditional sleepover spa
Remember the homemade hair masks, the nail polish and all the spa evenings spent with friends? Now that you actually have a paycheck — or a little spending money — you can really have fun with this. You’re an adult, so move on to the Frank Body Caffeinated Hair Mask (we’re sure your hair can use caffeine just as much as your body can) or the Arvazallia Hydrating Argan Oil Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner. Try the bioClarity Glow Getter Hydrating Masque or the Image Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Masque (we promise that even after a night of drinking, you’ll look better in the a.m.). And don’t forget to hand out Onyx and Rose CBD bath bombs or Love Beauty and Planet body lotions as party favors. Spa evenings never get old. Neither do we.
Shana Novak (Prop Stylist:Elizabeth Serwin)
