Friendship Dates; Leave The Planning To Us
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Carving out time for your friends.
As one of a group of seven friends - some of whom I have now known for more than 16 years (showing my age here) it's imperative to carve out time for these relationships.
Witnessing the evolution of our group has been one of the most rewarding parts of long-term friendships - being there for friends when they hit milestones in their lives, from new jobs, building businesses, and purchasing houses, to growing families.
Reflecting on how we socialised as a group from the age of 15 to now in our early 30s, it's a safe observation to say we have worked to switch the social script. (We do however live in a party city so we still do enjoy a French Martini and dance until 4 am). But those hangovers last a little longer than they used to.
We all have responsibilities and it can oftentimes be difficult to get the timings right with a group of seven. Whether it's due to 6 am feeds, 10k marathons or let's face it, we just enjoy a Sunday without the headache. Catchups outside of the WhatsApp group are imperative - so, here are my top 10 friendship date ideas. Some of which we schedule in regularly and other ideas are on our hit list for 2024.
Coffee
Starting with a simple coffee. Perfect for those short on time. Popping out for a latte In a cute cafe for an hour or two is a great little treat and perfect for a quiet gab whilst also supporting your local small cafe chain.
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2. Dinner
Grabbing a nice dinner also falls into that keeping it simple realm. Choose your favourite places or a chance to try out something new. Keep it cheap, quick and cheerful with sushi or plan something a little fancier.
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3. Potluck
A Pinterest favourite. A potluck is a great way of hosting whilst spreading the cost and having a bit of fun. We recently tried this out as a group and let's just say we had leftovers to last a week.
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4. Movies
Not one I have done for a while but love nonetheless. Great idea for any size group and can be done on a budget. The release of the Barbie Movie was a great example of friendship dates at the movies.
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5. Painting & Prosseco
I have seen this event floating around my city and It piques my interest every time. Usually with a small ticket cost these types of events are great if you want to try out something a little different. Check out your local area for these types of pop-ups.
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6. Pottery Class
Keeping on theme with the creative classes; pottery has been huge in 2023. Either seek out a local class or host a pottery class at home. Sculpd has a great at-home pottery kit for under £40.00.
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7. Floristry
A new type of class on my radar that I will certainly be seeking out in 2024. Growing in popularity, it's a great way to socialise whilst being creative. Not to mention supporting a local florist and having something beautiful to bring home.
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8. Walks & Hikes
I’m no stranger to a nice stroll around our local park when the weather plays nice. It's a great way to get out, catch up and get your steps. Take it one step further and plan a hike. It's certainly something we will be doing when the warm weather returns.
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9. Fitness Classes
Speaking of health, a fitness class is another great way of fitting in a few hours of socialising when you have a busy schedule. Use your gym guest pass or plan a yoga/pilates class. A great way to try out new classes whilst ticking off your movement goal.
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10. Work Day
Now, this last one is subject to the type of work you do but one to try if you have the flexibility. Busy schedules can be unavoidable but working out of the office or house is a great way to be productive and catch - up. Get your laptops and a few rounds of coffee, it will be 5 pm before you know it.
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