We Replaced Our Gift Exchange With A Girls’ Night Out—And I Couldn’t Recommend It More

Oh, I do love to shop—really, truly I do. So when it comes to buying Christmas gifts I’m all over it: scouting out deals, comparing flyers, unearthing great online shopping sites, and more.

That's why when my best friend suggested that as a group of girls we enjoy a dinner together and a night out afterward instead of exchanging, say, another sparkly decor accessory or makeup palette, at first I paused. Then I realized that as much as I’m disappointed to not shop for gifts for the girls, the idea of a night out together is perfect.

And so that’s exactly what we did in lieu of exchanging Christmas gifts. The day began with a Thai cooking class, which took place in the owner’s home—an intimate setting for an intimate group of friends. We weren’t the only trio of friends there; other women had come in twos and threes, and together the 10 of us crowded around the owner’s island and sniffed makrut lime leaves, sampled spicy peanut sauce and rolled salad rolls. After that, we dug into the lunch we’d helped make with a glass of wine, all the while giggling over the kinds of things that old friends giggle about.

After that, we stopped at an outlet mall to shop for boots and purses, before heading to dinner. And at the end of the day, we came away souls refreshed at the time spent together. We caught up on some long-overdue gossip and created a new round of inside jokes. We were just about hysterical with laughter in trying to take decent pictures of ourselves. And we discussed new milestones in our lives—a new job, a new baby, and a recent trip.

And all of that is what helps keep our friendships fresh and connected. Sure, we would have enjoyed  breaking in a sparkly set of wine glasses. But those are items that get tucked into our shelves or cupboards, waiting to be used and probably not evoking memories of a specific time shared together. No, instead, we all share a new set of stories and came away with an even stronger connection.