How Do You Make Family Movie Night PERFECT? (SECRET: Family + Popcorn!)

Family movie night is a great tradition that allows family members to spend time together, taking part in a fun activity. It’s especially popular around the holiday season, so if you’re planning to host a movie night with your family, we have a couple of tips to make it absolutely PERFECT. With a little planning (and some Popcorn), you can ensure a memorable movie night at home.  

Here at FreshJax we love the movies and we love spending time with the family. But we also know that getting the whole family TO the movies can be a real challenge, especially with little ones. So we thought it might help to share some of our favorite tips and tricks to help everyone enjoy a quiet night in. 

One of the best things about having a family movie night at home is the element of coziness you can add to it. You can skip having to bundle up in coats, drive to the theater, and be tempted by snacks that just don't stack up to what you can make at home. Even the best popcorn from the theater just doesn't compare to fresh, home-made popcorn seasoned and salted to perfection. Little extra tip: we love to use coconut oil instead of "butter" as a healthier alternative.

Plus, if you skip the theater trip, you don’t have to deal with the guy on his phone who has somehow forgotten he’s not the only person at the theater.

All of the potential things that can bum you out are gone with a home movie night. Get into your pajamas, bring out extra cushions and blankets, set the thermostat, and make sure everyone has gone to the bathroom before you settle in for the night. Without the movie theater armrests in the way, you and your family are free to snuggle up as comfortably as you want.

To get your movie night started off on the right track, let everyone get involved in picking a movie, but try to do so ahead of schedule. Maybe choose a movie or two to watch together the morning of the movie night. This way, you won’t spend too long scrolling through your options.

If you find that there are too many titles to sift through with the entire family, narrow down the options to about six movies. This way, the choices are somewhat limited and everyone will have the opportunity to weigh in on what they want to watch.

Be sure to keep your options appropriate for everyone who is attending the family movie night. This doesn’t simply refer to the movie’s rating, as other elements might make certain titles a bad idea for certain individuals. For example, if you have a photosensitive family member, look up the titles you plan to watch to determine whether the film contains flashing lights. Additionally, if certain themes are difficult for some family members, regardless of the acceptable film rating, you might want to take a little more time choosing a movie.

Try to consider the movie’s duration, age recommendation, and relevance to your family when choosing titles. And always remember to designate which parent is in charge of covering the kids eyes during the scary parts!

(Warning: We let Grandpa write this section and he is staunchly against both horsing around and tomfoolery while the movie is playing)

To make movie night as enjoyable as possible, cover a couple of movie night etiquette points with your family before you begin.

• Whisper if you need to say something.
• No talking during the movie unless it’s an emergency.
• Take bathroom breaks before you sit down.
• Allow mess-free snacks and drinks with lids for younger children.
• Have everyone put their devices away.
• Remind everyone that once they sit down, they shouldn’t get up and move around a lot.

It’s also worth mentioning that, to make sure everyone has access to the snacks, they should be kept in an easy-to-reach place for everyone. Try arranging a platter of snacks on the coffee table and then give your family members plates or bowls that they can use to collect their own snack trays. This way, you won’t miss important plot points because someone has said, “pass the popcorn” too loudly, and you won’t have to adjust your view because family members are reaching over you.

Also, If everyone has their own bowl, they can each use their favorite popcorn seasonings without getting Dad's Sriracha in Ella's Maple Cinnamon.

Snacks are an important part of family movie night, so whether you plan to eat dinner beforehand and eat lightly during the movie, or you plan to make use of an array of snacks, be sure to bring food that your family likes.

Popcorn is a movie night classic, and when you’re making it at home, you’re totally free to enhance it in any way you want. For example, rather than microwaving a bag of plain popcorn, you might want to kick it up a notch with popcorn seasoning. Sriracha popcorn can be a fun change for family members who like spicy snacks. For family members who aren’t into spicy popcorn, there are a bunch of savory (and even sweet) popcorn seasonings to try. You can hardly go wrong with cheddar popcorn dust, so long as none of your family members are lactose intolerant (there are even vegan cheddar-like options to get around this).

In addition to popcorn, you could include other popular movie night snacks, such as chips, candies that don’t melt (gummies, licorice, etc.), cheese cubes, crackers, pretzels, and even healthy items like dried fruit and veggie crisps. We never like to miss an opportunity to teach the kids that eating healthy can be just as tasty.

Taking family movie night outside might be a fun option if your living situation allows it. For example, if it’s extremely cold outside or you live close enough to your neighbors that an outdoor movie might cause a disturbance, you can skip the outdoor movie idea.

However, if weather conditions allow it and you have enough space between yourself and your closest neighbor, movie night outside with a projector might be a good way to shake up your movie night.

If outside isn’t an option, you can still make your regular movie-watching setting more interesting. Try making a pillow and blanket fort to lay in, bust out a tent, or set ambient lighting. Turn on your fireplace if you have one, and if not, the internet is full of background soundtracks you can use to create the illusion of a roaring fire in the background.

When it comes to having a perfect movie night, planning is important. However, try not to let planning take away your enjoyment of the event. Most of the time, your family movie night is going to proceed just fine, because you’ll be spending time with the people you love most. Even if the movie doesn’t end up being great, you can always turn the night into a commentary and snack session.