Birthday party plans, planners, and ideas abound everywhere you look. But what type of Birthday party will truly set you apart from the typical “blow out the candles” milestone or themed party????

Gather the girls and celebrate a Girls’ Night In Birthday!! No better excuse exists to give yourself a party or host one for a BFF!

Science has proven that the nurturing female bonds are beneficial to our health. To preserve our sanity, we need to have connection time with our girlfriends on a frequent basis. What better way than to plan a Girls’ Night In? With a variety of fun cocktails, good food, and girly music, connecting has never been more enticing!

SO many ways exist to do this celebration! First, decide what type of ‘Girls’ Night In’ Birthday night you want to have! 

Will all the girls stay over? We want to relax here and not think about driving, so why not?

Let’s have a PJ party with chick flicks. These are the movies that guys usually avoid, like The Vow and Before Sunset. We can also watch reruns of Sex and the City.

For the moms, you can do a kid’s clothing or book exchange.

Are your friends into home parties? Tupperware, Cabi clothing, or Pampered Chef can be a fun reason to shop. You can buy things you don’t really need. A great way to bond over cocktails without any judgment exists!

My favorite idea for atmosphere is to have a theme surrounding a cocktail. My current favorite is the delicious Raspberry Twist cocktail! This drink and the décor is my color of choice, pink of course! And you know wine AND champagne is a must on the menu!

Girly décor is easy. Bring out the floral serving platter your mom gave you, your grandmother’s floral china and those antique etched glasses. Or better yet, drink out of your Lolita® Glassware! This is fun and easy, especially if your friends bring their favorite Lolita® wine glass from home!

I love adding flowers and candles. Fluffy pink boas from your party store are fun for each girlfriend!! What a hoot!

The focus of this party should be your kitchen table for the food. Spread out your favorite tablecloth and put flowers in the middle. Set your serving pieces for each dish out prior to the party.

At party time, fill the dishes. Have a special area in your kitchen for the bar. Have a cold appetizer waiting outside if it’s nice out.

Use fun paper napkins. I love pink with a chartreuse green color palette for this Birthday party! For the cocktail, have your crystal out and ready to go…

Your food should be ready to serve the minute your girls arrive! Anything you can do ahead of time is great so YOU, the hostess, can relax with your friends!!

If you are doing party favors, come up with something girly, like your Lolita glasses with favors below. You could even do a naughty or nice grab bag and go crazy!! Here is a suggestion list for the party favors:

• Lip gloss
• Mints
• False Magnetic Eyelashes
• Boa
• Fake bubble gum cigarettes
• Push up candy lipstick
• Barbie clothes/shoes
• Colored hair clip
• Hangover relief sticker or vitamin

My favorite idea, besides one of my glasses? Mini bottles of alcohol placed in a cheap container make a great party favor. You can mix this with some of the ideas above! Here is a way to make them yourself.

Each party should have a signature cocktail. Right now I’m loving a raspberry twist cocktail. It's oh-so refreshing and girly pink!

Raspberry Twist

• 5 oz Raspberry Flavored Vodka
• .25 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. lemon-lime soda

Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with raspberries and lemon wheel.

If you are going fancy and/or healthy, see my friend @phoebelapine, who does beautiful and girly appetizers. And some a little more decadent!

Here are a few ideas I really like:

• Pink Radish and Avocado Crostini
• Pesto Shrimp “Lollipops”
• Beet Salad with Ricotta Salata and Pistachios
• Lemon Mousse with Strawberries and Basil
• Store bought cupcakes or a birthday cake with candle (who doesn’t like store bought vanilla icing?)

And, it’s all about fun and games right? Play the “Never Have I Ever…” game! Go around the room with your friends and have them complete the sentence. A hysterical way to bond!! Have fun and get a little wacky…when else can you be this free to be “just girls”?

And a little dancing never hurts, with tunes from your past that evoke the girlfriend in you! To cap it off for an evening or a PJ Party the next morning, be sure to give them their party favors!