Forget Bunco: 3 New Ways to Gather Friends Each Month

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Years ago, you and a dozen friends started getting together once a month to roll dice, nosh on appetizers and chat. By now you may be growing tired of the games but you still value the friendships. You want to continue the monthly visits. What should you do next?

Wine Tasting

This is not a new idea, but the revival of a classic. You can pick holiday-based themes such as “wines that go with Easter dinner” or choose one varietal each month. The best supplier of wine Chicago will offer a huge selection — organic, kosher, sparkling and rare wines — as well as a wide price range. Provide an assortment of hors d’oeuvres that complement the evening’s wine, but take advantage of a nearby bakery or deli rather than making everything from scratch. You should get to enjoy the evening as much as your guests do, so take all the shortcuts you can.

Movie Club

Remember that book club you joined once? You and half the others had to drop it because you never had time to actually read the book. The beauty of a movie club is that you can have the same kinds of discussions as with a book club, because your inspiration is still a complete creative work. You will talk about characters, situations and literary themes — only this time the discussions will be much livelier because all the participants will have finished the story. Prepare a handful of questions and a bucket of popcorn, then let the fun begin.

Volunteer Night

You feel good when you do good. Devote one evening a month to work for a charitable organization. Support the same charity for a year or choose a different one each month. Discuss options ahead of time, so that group members will not be asked to dedicate time to a political, religious or social cause that goes against their beliefs. Be respectful and find common ground. With all of you working together, you can improve your community, make some memories and have a lot of fun.