What’s girlfriendly about St. Patrick’s Day? Well, given that it tends to be a drinking holiday here in the U.S., not much, specifically. However, there’s nothing wrong with knocking back a few Guinness with your gal pals and we encourage you to do just that! If you have no plans for March 17, why not phone up a few girlfriends and meet them for a drink or invite them over for a quiet-or-not evening? We’ve been scouring the web for some other ideas to make your St. Patrick’s themed girls night just a little more special:

Green drinks (but not green beer)

Here’s a nice little illustrated blog post on Irish Beers so you can find them at your local liquor mart. And here’s a fabulous list of Irish/green cocktails to try.

Munchies that (sham)rock

Try serving this spread of green (and vegetarian) appetizers from YumSugar. 

Craving that PMS blend of sweet and salty? Make a bunch of these pretzel-and-white-chocolate shamrocks for your girlfriends and watch them disappear! (Thanks to One Pretty Thing) for the tip!

Irish I knew what to do…

Set the theme with some background music. The powerful, beautiful music of Celtic Woman makes a great backdrop for your Irish-themed celebration. A New Journey is one of their latest releases. Or, visit IrishRadioChicago and download some podcasts. You’ll enjoy hearing our girlfriend Siobhainn spinning some Irish tunes and chatting “round the kitchen table” with the ladies. An authentic Irish American experience! 

Plant clover with your girlfriends and you can each take home a pot of green to remind you of your fabulous friends. What better way to find a four-leaf-clover than to grow your own? 

The Luck of the Irish is for everyone on St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrate your good fortune together! Have your girlfriends complete this sentence: “I’m lucky because…”

Finally, Don’t forget to toast your girlfriends with our Girlfriend Toast, perfect for any occasion!

A Toast to our Girlfriends

Here’s to our girlfriends

They keep us strong

They make us laugh the whole night long

They give us shoulders to cry on

And shoes to try on

They see our true selves

Even when we look like hell

So raise a glass to our female friends

May the fun we share never end! 

©2006 – 2009 GirlfriendCelebrations.com

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, girlfriends! We hope you find the pot of gold at the end of your personal rainbow. But wherever girlfriends gather, you’re sure to find the treasure of friendship. More tips on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with your girlfriends? Tell us how *you* do it and we’ll add it to our post!

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[Getaway Girl Casey Wohl is back with some great travel tips from sunny Orlando, Florida. Let her expert advice warm you up, and then start planning your next girlfriend getaway!] By Casey Wohl After graduating from Orlando-based Rollins College, my roommates (Sharon and Colleen) and I vowed to return to Orlando once a year for a weekend of girl time and college reminiscing. There’s plenty of adult fun to be had in this family-friendly city; it’s much more than just “the Mouse!” Here’s a glimpse at some of our Orlando favorites.

Where to Stay

Grand Bohemian Hotel (www.GrandBohemianHotel.com) An experience in art and music, the AAA Four Diamond Grand Bohemian Hotel provides guests with everything, from an art gallery to excellent dining to a fun and trendy lounge to a Starbucks to luxurious accommodations.  Located in the heart of Downtown Orlando, this is my favorite hotel in town! 

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Next month, April, is not only the time for spring showers, it’s also National Card and Letter Writing Month. We thought we’d help you celebrate with a lovely letter-writing tea party. This girlfriend celebration is a great opportunity to relax with your girlfriends while you practice the almost-lost art of letter writing. Whether it’s a simple thank-you note or a lengthy expression of gratitude, condolences, or love, letter writing is something we often mean to do but procrastinate into oblivion. So, here’s your chance to do something meaningful, together with your girlfriends, in a fun environment. We think you’ll enjoy it, and your girlfriends will be grateful that you suggested it! Photo by a.drian via flickr

As Samara O’Shea points out in this Huffington Post piece, there are many reasons to take the time to write a real, honest-to-goodness letter instead of dashing off an email or text. First of all, letters last. When they are heart-felt and well-received, we tend to keep them for years and years, which means they can even become remembrances for our children. Second, writing a letter takes more thought, time and effort than writing an email, or even picking up the phone, which ultimately makes them more meaningful. And, especially for our younger girlfriends, letter-writing practice is sorely needed. Have you noticed that fewer people seem to write thank-you notes these days? Yet this is a skill that can give our daughters an edge in their personal and professional pursuits. Why not let them have fun while learning an essential life skill? Convinced yet? Read on for all the how-to: Read the rest of this entry »

Some very fun Chicago girlfriends are hosting Sleepover 2.0 tonight at Chicago’s Hotel Sax: “Find out what happens when real women with various backgrounds get together for a sophisticated sleepover, complete with live panel discussions, top notch technology, audience participation, product giveaways and surprise guests.” The fun starts at 4 p.m. CST, and rolls all night long. Tune in to Sleepover2.0 for live streaming video that promises to be very interesting. The Girlfriends-In-Chief will be watching; will you? Although pillow fights haven’t been ruled out, that might be the tamest part of the evening. We can’t wait to see how this new twist on girls night turns out! 

Are you and your girlfriends having a tough time justifying those little indulgences that you used to take for granted? Well, our spa correspondent Melissa Mellott is back with some thoughts on how pampering yourself fits into a tough economic picture. And, she reviews the Lake Austin Spa in Austin, Texas. Sit back, relax, and enjoy! by Melissa Mellott  Lately, my girlfriends and I find ourselves constantly assessing and maximizing.  We assess our career situation and stability, our families, our options… and maximize our resources, money and networks. As women, we are brilliant multi-taskers, caretakers and maximizers, but it is exhausting!

In a time when we are more cautious about spending, why would I recommend spending money on pampering spa treatments? Even the consideration of treating ourselves leads women right back to the assessment of the idea, “I have worked so hard and it would be good for me, but can I afford it? Shouldn’t I be saving my money or using the money for groceries?”

As a spa health advocate, I believe spa treatments are necessary for maximizing your efforts and energy. At first, it may seem like you are “splurging,” but think of it as maximizing your health and managing your stress. 

I recently had the ultimate rejuvenating spa day at Lake Austin Spa in Austin, Texas and if I may say so, Lake Austin is truly one of my favorite spas (in my top three—and yes, even compared to the spas I’ve visited in Italy!)  Here’s why …

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Winter wardrobes are getting pretty stale right about now. We need to freshen up our style, girlfriends! How about dressing up your next girls night with a fashion theme? We know money’s tight, but fear not, recessionistas—here’s a roundup of fashionably frugal, sensibly stylish parties you can whip up for your next girls night in. And if you don’t have your next girls night on the calendar, use one of these ideas as your excuse. Spring *is* coming, and we all want to look our best. Right, ladies? photo by miss_rogue via flickr

Go “Unshopping”

Gather the girlfriends and hit the mall—not to buy, but for window shopping and trying on. Isaac Mizrahi, in his book How to Have Style, recommends the “just looking” trip. He says to focus on the things you don’t have in your closet, or styles you don’t usually wear – e.g. if you are afraid of accessories, try on loads of belts, scarves and jewelry. “If there is anything you feel you cannot live without,” Mizrahi says, “put it on hold. Go home. If when you wake up the next morning it’s the first thing that pops into your head, buy it.” With your gal pals in tow, you will get truthful opinions on what looks good. Remember to bring your digital camera so you can record some of your favorites (plus, the hat department might make for some fun girlfriend pictures!). Read the rest of this entry »