That Last A Lifetime (NAPSA)—Parents know how important female friendships are to teens and how much fun girlsonly evenings can be. All-female get-togethers allow girls to be themselves, forge strong relationships and create unforgettable memories. “Sharing secrets and popcorn isn’t just fun, it’s important,” said Carol Weston, respected teen expert and author of For Teens Only. “Having close friends gives girls selfesteem and much-needed support. Whengirlfriends get together for a sleepover, put on PJs, talk, give each other makeovers and watch movies, it creates a closeness and confidence now and builds trusting bondsfor the future.” To celebrate the importance of girl-gatherings and the launch of its limited edition i-Zone instant camera for teens—available through the holidays—Polaroid commissioned a nationwide survey that asked girls between the ages of 12 and 17 questions on the topic of girl-gatherings. According to the survey, 80 percent of teenage girls attend all-female gettogethers or slumber parties, with two-thirds attending girls-only gatherings at least once every three months. Sixty-three percent of girls surveyed said they view their female friendships as a very importantpartof their life. What do you need for a fun slumber party besides nice girls and warm sleeping bags? Weston suggests teen magazines, CDs, movies (perhaps with slumberparty theme), makeup, comfy PJs and an instant camera and film to capture all the memories. Following are some fun ideas that are likely to be a hit when planning the next girl gathering or slumberparty: af T A “girls’ night in” can be a pic- ture-perfect time for many teens. Dream Theme—Create a theme for the evening and plan activities around it. This can include what you wear, the snacks you eat and which videos you watch. Scrapbooks—Dedicate one page of the scrapbook to each friend at the slumber party and take funny instant pictures throughout the night. The photos can be stuck to the pages and fun facts, stats and doodles can be added that pertain to each girl. Face Up!—Hold a Silly Faces or Celebrity Look-A-Like contest. Document those funny faces or favorite-celebrity smile using instant photos—the best photos win. Girls may also want to give each other makeovers and take “before and after” photos. Munchies—Great parties have great food. Bake three different kinds of cookies together and let each girl go home with her own sweet assortment. With ideas like these, girls can create friendship-building experiences that last a lifetime. For more information, visit www.i-zone.com.
