I know what you’re thinking: “Sitting on the couch watching movies is already a movie night, and I’ve been doing that for weeks.” While technically true, there’s a lot more you can do to create a perfect movie night that will have you feeling like you just left the movie theater. Here are some suggestions:
Make some “fancy popcorn.” Forget simply sticking that bag of popcorn in the microwave and then eating it straight. You can elevate your popcorn game by playing with flavors. The first step is to buy some regular, unflavored popcorn, as well as some other goodies for throwing on top.
A crowd favorite? Melty chocolate with slightly salty popcorn. You can throw some M&Ms in there, or some cookie dough if you really want to make it special, and sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt. The possibilities are endless. You can go sweet, salty or a mix of both.
Set the scene. While movie theaters don’t have candles, lighting some and turning off the lights will give you a warm, relaxing glow in which to enjoy the movie. It especially adds to the spook factor if scary movies are your thing. You’ll also want some blankets so you can get extra cozy.
Making it fun for the kids. If you’ve got children, you can really up the experience by promoting the fun days in advance. Have your kids do some simple chores a few days before so they can earn “movie theater” money. You can print some fake money, give them a few singles or have a fun arts and crafts night to make the cash.
Then put together a “candy store,” where you have the classic favorites like Twizzlers, M&Ms, Skittles, etc. all labeled with how much they cost. Your kids will have a blast picking out the candy and “paying for it.” You can also put together a “Showings” board that provides a few movie titles they can choose from.
The key? Have fun! Obviously, you all know you aren’t actually going to the movies, but it will be a night you will always remember despite the difficult times.
