With the soaring costs of movie tickets, it is no wonder why people are planning more and more movie nights at home with friends instead of going to the theaters.  Though your movies may not be new, you can certainly enjoy something different that you may not have seen before with friends and family in the comfort of your own home.  This can be done on the cheap by using movie-streaming websites such as Netflix, or reaching out to various resources, such as borrowing movies from friends.  Show your friends that you can be the perfect movie night host, and give them what they want with various ways to bring the movie theater home.  Here are some tips on how to prepare for the night to make sure your friends are kept full, comfy, and entertained:

Send Out Invites:  Email your friends information just like what would be on a movie theater ticket stub, such as what movie is playing, where (at your house/ a friend’s house), and at what time (whichever time you choose).  Be sure to ask your friends to arrive 15-30 minutes in advance to “reserve seating,” and to also catch up and get any chit-chat out of the way so that you do not feel the urge to talk during the movie.

Pick the Perfect Movie: Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime all offer a plethora of films to paying members, including plenty of great guilty pleasure TV shows that you can binge-watch with you friends.  Of course, if you don’t have an account with any of these movie streaming companies, you can always visit your local library and search through their collection of DVDs and Blu-Rays. Try picking up a lesser-known work by one of your favorite actors, or an oldie-but-goodie that your friends are sure to love.

Make Stovetop Popcorn: We aren’t talking about the microwave stuff here.  All you need for stovetop popcorn is a bit of canola oil, popcorn kernels, and some salt and butter to taste.  Take a large saucepan, and heat about 3 tablespoons of oil on medium.  To test to see if the oil is hot enough for the kernels, put 3 or 4 kernels in the pan, cover the pan, and wait for them to pop.  When they pop, add about 1/3 of a cup of kernels and immediately cover the pan.  As the kernels pop, gently shake the pan so that the other kernels that have not popped are spread out and get closer to the heat at the bottom of the pan.  When most of the kernels have popped, remove the pan from the heat, and add melted butter and/or salt.

Movie Night Candy:  Who doesn’t love Sno-Caps, Junior Mints, and other movie theater candy?  Stop by your local dollar store and pick up your friends’ favorite candies so that everyone has a box, or can share if they like.  If your movie night is also a date night, it is a great gesture to treat your loved one to their favorite sweet.

Home Theater Seating:  Make sure you have enough seating for your family or friends, and get cozy! Get extra pillows and blankets so that everyone can be comfortable, or so you can simply curl up with your loved ones on the couch.

Turn off Cellphones: Treat your home like a theater.  No one likes to get interrupted by phone calls or text and email alerts.  Silence your phone, and ask your friends to do the same.