Sleepovers

 I just love sleepovers. I didn’t go to a whole lot of them as a kid, but the ones I went to were a lot of fun. As you get older though, strange things happen at sleepovers. Thankfully, because of my inability to sleep, I was never the brunt of anyone’s jokes or pranks. Sometimes baaaaaaaaaaaaaad things happen to people who fall asleep first, even worse things to those who fall asleep first AND are heavy sleepers, but that’s a completely different topic.

 I like sleepovers because there’s nothing like a small group of giggling girls arriving with their sleeping bags in one hand and precious belongings in the other. Bursting with excitement the girls squeeze their pillows tightly as the hostess answers the door. They delightfully scream in unison and join the others already there. Usually birthday garlands are all over the place, and birthday gifts are placed nicely next to the birthday cake.

 All night long the little darlings are giggling and having a rambunctiously good time. It’s a night filled with lively games, pizza for dinner, and the traditional cake and ice cream for dessert, while everyone sings a robust chorus of “happy birthday!” to the birthday girl. The evening is wrapped up with more games and perhaps a movie or two. Slowly but surely, each girl nods off to sleep one by one by one…till they are all asleep (and, of course, and occasional Shhhh! from the parents down the hall as the ones who can’t sleep whisper and giggle to one another for the next few hours).

 Morning comes early, and the little girls wipe their tired eyes after being woken up. It will be time to go home soon. They make their way to the table, each munching on cereal or perhaps a powdered donut. It’s only a matter of time before parents start arriving to pick their daughters up. The party is now over, but hopefully everyone had a good time and memories to last for years to come.

 I just read one of the CUTEST ideas in sleepover history! It got me so excited that I’ve been inspired to do the same thing! The idea came from a Brownie Troop in New York who decided to have a sleepover, but at the same time support local shelters. Each girl was asked to wear her pajamas to the sleepover and at the same time bring an extra pair of brand new PJs for charity. The girls were able to assemble a small collection of new warm pajamas, robes, and slippers and bring them to the shelter! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea!

 Not only were the girls able to have a fun time at their own sleepover party, but help others too!