Five Parties You Can Throw at Home When You Need a Night In With Just Your Favourite People
Catch up with your mates, avoid the crowds and put your pennies towards something more worthwhile — it's a win-win-win.
In partnership with 
Obviously, here at Concrete Playground, we're big advocates of getting out and making the city your own personal, well, playground. But sometimes a night with your best pals away from the hustle and bustle is called for, and there aren't many more altruistic reasons to stay home than raising some dosh for cancer research, prevention and support.
So, we've teamed up with Cancer Council NSW to spread the word on its Girls' Night In campaign, which is running across February and March this year in line with Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and International Women's Day (Sunday, March 8). Sign up to host a Girls' Night In, round up all your mates (regardless of their gender), and give what you would have spent on a big night out to a worthy cause. Here are a few ideas for taking it a step above Netflix-and-spill.
SHOP YOUR MATE'S STASH
There's never a bad time for a good wardrobe clean out, so turn your lounge room into a marketplace for an epic clothes swap. And you don't even need to limit it to clothes — get everyone to bring all their unwanted shoes, accessories, books, kitchenware and weird knick-knacks, too. One (wo)man's crap is another (wo)man's treasure. If everyone pops price tags on the goods, with proceeds going to Cancer Council, you could walk away from it all with the shoes you've been coveting for months and the warm and fuzzy feeling of giving to a good cause.
HOST AN OSCARS VIEWING PARTY
Cinema's night of nights is almost upon us, with the 92nd Academy Awards airing on Monday, February 10. The theme of the evening lends itself to some easy and delicious snack options, so fire up the popcorn maker and roll out the red carpet. There's a way to turn anything into an opportunity to raise more cash, so pop a big bowl on the coffee table and make sure everyone brings their coin jars. Get everyone to choose a celebrity and chip in a dollar when they're on screen — or a fiver if they win a gold statue. And whenever someone gets political during a speech, that's another dollar. The possibilities are endless.
THROW A GOOD OL' FASHIONED POTLUCK PARTY
The 'bring a plate' tradition is pretty well known in Aussie party etiquette. But the parameters are usually pretty loose — it could range from a salad to a box of chocolates. But to really get into a party spirit, try setting a theme to your next potluck party. With Lunar New Year festivities continuing into February, you could host a festive celebration featuring fortune cookies, red and gold decorations (symbolising power, happiness and prosperity) and traditional red money envelopes for Cancer Council donations. Other themes could be getting everyone to bringing a traditional dish from their family's culture, their favourite meal from when they were a kid or a dish they've been wanting to attempt for ages (inspired by watching endless hours of Bon Appetit tutorials on Youtube).
GET COMPETITIVE WITH A GAMES NIGHT
Movies have made us believe that games nights are for nerds and out-of-touch parents trying to bond with their teenagers over Monopoly. Dare to play a rousing game of Exploding Kittens, battle it out at Trivial Pursuit, stretch your mind over Scattergories or Bananagrams, and practice your blank stare with a passionate round of poker or two. Better yet, take a leaf out of the Friends script and make your own trivia game about your friends and family. You can even partake in the healthiest form of gambling there is — the charity kind.
THROW AN ALL-OUT MARDI GRAS PARTY
Mardi Gras is, without a doubt, the most fabulous time of the year. With the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival set to kick off on February 14, and the parade rolling through Darlinghurst on Saturday, February 29, there's no better time to cover your house in glitter, crank this Pride Classics playlist and have a boogie with your chosen family — even if it's just as a pre-party before heading to the parade. Or, if crowds aren't your thing, invite everyone over for a screening party, and queue up films like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (obviously), Pride (starring everyone's favourite 'hot priest' Andrew Scott), The Birdcage and Paris Is Burning.
Gather your crew together for a Girls' Night In and donate what you would've spent on a night out to Cancer Council to help those affected by cancer. To register as a Girls' Night In party host, visit the website.
