25 Alcohol-Free Things To Do With Friends This Summer

Send a personalized card with audio or video. Moonpig lets you create unique cards with cute templates, photos, videos, audio clips, and your own handwritten copy! They’ll even mail them for you – saving you a trip to the post office.

Choose from a selection of more than 20K cards to share with your bestie no matter what is going on in her life – engagements, birthdays, babies, new job, or just because you want to say hello, make her laugh, and show how much you care for her. Moonpig cards cost less than a regular card, and you can find free e-cards as well! Want to send a birthday gift too? You can add a gift card from a bunch of popular retailers like Sephora, Nordstrom and Uber Eats to your card.

Celebrate The Milestones

Staying present in your friends’ lives, even as they change direction, can help keep you connected. Reach out to share your latest news, and congratulate them on the engagements, promotions, weddings, and other milestones. The B+C staff took a moment to share their favorite Moonpig Cards with their favorite friends. Have a reason to celebrate with a group? You can have friends and family sign by creating a Group Card.

Scroll down to get a free card yourself with B+C’s promo discount code for new customers and find more tips to help you stay close.

Schedule Virtual Coffee Dates

Find a regular time that works for both of you to share your stories over a morning cup. Maybe it’s during your morning walk for coffee, or after work on your commute home. Chatting by phone vs. via social media can help you get into deeper details about your life and theirs. Hearing a real LOL can really make your day too. With Moonpig’s cards, you can add multiple photos so you can share a glimpse into your life lately.

Host A Virtual Happy Hour

Virtual happy hours sort of came to a halt once the world opened up, but they’re a great way to stay in touch with long-distance friends. Have fun with it with new cocktail recipes that you can share beforehand, and then shake and stir while you chat!

Make Them A Playlist

Music is a great way to connect and relive the best of times. Look for songs that remind you of your bestie, from the cities you’ve shared to the concerts you’ve danced to all night together to your car karaoke favorites.

Take An Online Class Together

Whatever you have going on in your lives, finding the time to get creative and healthy together, even if it’s a one-day workshop around something you have in common, will strengthen those bonds that brought you together in the first place. This could be a great gift too – a fitness class, a cooking class, a business class to build your bestie empire, whatever it is it will remind you why you’re friends and why you’re always there to lift each other up.

Send Surprise Care Packages

If your friend could use a little self care postpartum or just needs a little TLC during this time, send over a care package of her favorite things and little mementos of your time together. Add a Moonpig card too, where you can add an audio or video message via QR code that says you’re thinking about them and wish you could be closer.

Take An Annual Trip Together

Annual trips with your besties are so good for the soul. Find a central location where you can all meet without the expense being too much for one person. Gather to celebrate a birthday or other milestone or just because. It’s a great way to feel connected to people you care about most and remind yourself what truly matters in life.

Start A Remote Book Or Recipe Club

Share your favorite books or recipes (or both!) each month and host a virtual monthly book club or dinner club to catch up and talk through some of your highlights of the experiences.

Host A Virtual Trivia Night

Get the squad back together for a silly trivia night based on a theme, such as ‘90s movies, women’s sports, or random trivia about our love lives.

Send Them A Just Because Card

Even sharing the smallest details can help you stay connected and boost your mood. Surprise your friend with a note that you’re just thinking about them. And supersize it! Moonpig has Extra Large Cards too. Nothing feels so good as to know your friend went out of their way to just say hello, in the most thoughtful way possible.

Here’s how Moonpig works:

1. Click on a card that you love. You have a choice: e-card, standard card by mail, or a large card to really wow them. You can also choose a Group card or Create Your Own Card with Moonpig templates, fonts, and graphics.
2. Click on Personalize to add your personalized text (take a photo of your handwriting to replicate in the card), photos, stickers, video, and audio, which are shared via QR code.
3. Choose a gift card from your dad’s favorite retailer if you’d like to sweeten the deal.
4. And voilà! Moonpig will ship off your card to the lucky recipient. Easy peasy.

Shop Friend Favorites!

New customers! Head to Moonpig for your free card using code BRITCOFREE!

Lead image: Moonpig Happy Birthday Bestie card

The FIRO framework looks at three different types of interpersonal needs:

• Inclusion, our need to belong. How much do you need to be part of a group? How much do you want to be included by other people in their groups, and how much do you want to include others in your group?
• Control, our need for influence. How much to you need to have clear direction and structure in your relationships, both on a one-to-one level and in groups
• Affection, our need for intimacy. How important is it for you to have close personal relationships with other people at a one-to-one level?

The FIRO looks at two different aspects for each of these areas. First, how much of that need is expressed to others, how much of that behavior we initiate to others. For Inclusion, for example, how much do we try to include other people in our activities – your FIRO Expressed Inclusion score. It also looks at how much we want from others.

• For Inclusion: How much do we need other people to include us in their group and involve us in their activities? Wanted Inclusion.
• For Control: The extent to which we try to influence and control others, and how much we want to be in an environment that provides us with structure and clarity. Expressed Control and Wanted Control.
• For Affection: How much we try to be warm and friendly to others, and how much we want others to be warm and friendly to us. Expressed and Wanted Affection.

That gives scores; Expressed and Wanted Inclusion,Expressed and Wanted Control,Expressed and Wanted Affection. And we can have a high, medium, or low score for each of these six areas.

So how can this explain why someone might be misunderstood? Well, this can happen when someone’s expressed and wanted scores are different. Let’s look at an example. Joe has high Expressed Inclusion, but low Wanted Inclusion. He wants to involve lots of people in his activities but doesn’t want them to include him in their activities. He’s likely seen by others as outgoing and sociable, but he also has a real need for privacy.

Because people see his high Expressed Inclusion, his friends are likely to invite or include him more than he wants to be, and he’ll refuse some of those invitations – which might leave them feeling hurt or otherwise harm the friendship. But knowing his FIRO profile will give Joe the language to describe his behavior and keep the friendship alive.

Of course, our interpersonal needs involve other people too. Let’s look at Joe alongside his friend Joan. Joe has high Expressed Inclusion and low Wanted Inclusion. Joan has low Expressed Inclusion and high Wanted Inclusion. This might make for a good relationship. Joe wants to include Joan (high Expressed Inclusion), and she wants to be included (high Wanted Inclusion). Joan doesn’t much want to include other people in her activities (low Expressed Inclusion), and that’s fine with Joe, who doesn’t much want to be included (low Wanted Inclusion).

However, things might be a little different on Affection. Joe has high Expressed Affection and high Wanted Affection. Joan is low on both. Joe wants to be warm and friendly with Joan, to get a connection, but Joan, with low Wanted Affection, doesn’t want that. And Joe is looking for warm and friendly behavior from Joan, which she probably doesn’t want to express. This may be an area where understanding their FIRO results helps them to understand why their relationship may sometimes be strained, and gives them the knowledge they need to make that relationship work.

So take a moment to think about your relationships, your friendships. Are there places where your best friend doesn’t seem to understand you, or you them? Are there times when they don’t quite seem to give you what you need, or vice versa? Maybe understanding your interpersonal needs, or knowing your FIRO profile, could help.

What's happening astrologically during the week of November 10 to 17, 2024?

Pluto and Mars are still engaged in a disruptive and transformative opposition, which will continue well into 2025. Stay grounded, practice self-care, tend to your inner equanimity, and avoid volatile arguments or situations you can’t control. Use this energy to propel yourself toward a personal goal or transformation. Break a bad habit or start a new, positive discipline.

What does it mean when Mars is in the sign of Leo?

Mars, the planet of action, is still in the sign of Leo. Courage, leadership, and taking actions for the benefit of others are ways to express ourselves when Mars is in Leo. Heart energy is essential to Leo. Operating from a pure, altruistic heart is the highest expression for Leo. The heart chakra links our lower and higher selves, creating balance and enabling us to act from a center of right use of will — in other words, expressing our will for the benefit of all. Leo energy becomes unbalanced when it’s overly egoistic. Love is one of the main lessons in this human form: learning about love, expressing it, receiving it, and spreading it to the world around us.

What does Venus in Capricorn mean for me?

Fittingly, Venus, the planet of love, shifts from the freewheeling sign of Sagittarius to the more serious and contemplative sign of Capricorn from November 11 to December 8. With Venus in Capricorn, we have the chance to express love in a more thoughtful, responsible, and earnest way. Our emotions take on an introspective tone, and we may find ourselves accepting responsibility for our actions with a maturity that brings deeper fulfillment than we may have approached when Venus was in Sagittarius. Venus in Capricorn is anything but superficial; true love is profound and deeply satisfying.

When does Saturn turn direct?

Saturn turns direct on November 15, bringing us out of the retrograde phase, which may have prompted reflection on our responsibilities and plans to manifest our dreams. Saturn will remain in Pisces until May 26, giving us time to take deliberate action. This slow buildup can be used to attend to details that bring us into alignment with our life path. Saturn in Pisces represents the manifestation of our dreams. Aim high but stay true to your essence. This is not about chasing daydreams but about a serious and responsible approach to bettering our lives and connecting with our highest purpose.

We round out the week with an exciting opposition between the Sun and Uranus. This electric energy might manifest as irritability or rebellion. Stay flexible and use this energy positively. The urge for freedom may inspire bold self-expression or a sudden solution to a problem that has been vexing you. Keep an open mind for anything unusual and be ready to seize an opportunity that might appear and disappear quickly.

I look to the dark sky and the planets to help navigate the world around us. If you’d like to know more about how these and other transits affect your life, please contact me for a personalized reading!

Read Your Sun and Rising Signs For Your Weekly Horoscope For November 10

Aries (March 21-April 20)

For the next few months, you might struggle to get things done. It’s not that you lack goals or dreams, but it may be challenging to muster the energy to act on them. Don’t be too hard on yourself. This is a valuable time to slow down, pay attention to your dreams, and tap into the spiritual side of life. Use music, art, and poetry to soothe your soul. Writing down what you’re feeling and dreaming would be beneficial. If you have a draft that needs editing, now is a good time to settle into that project. Take it slowly, and don’t expect too much progress too quickly.

Taurus (April 21-May 21)

Cultivate community and collaborate with others to achieve mutually beneficial goals. Even if group dynamics are challenging, recognize the lessons in patience and understanding. Ensure you align with your group and work together for the common good. The overall theme is working with others and taking responsibility for your role. Establish a solid routine and structure, and share responsibilities with people you admire and respect. Lasting change cannot be made hastily or without organization. Take your time and stay focused.

Gemini (May 22-June 21)

Work and career are highlighted for the next few months. Create structure, and stick to an organized framework to achieve your goals. Take responsibility, and maintain integrity, honesty, and high standards in everything you do. You may have an opportunity to step into a leadership role. Forces might be working against you, but if you stay committed, brave, and tenacious, you'll reach your goals. As always, use your words wisely and don’t shy away from speaking the truth. Reflect on what success means to you, and seek advice from trusted friends and colleagues to align your outer achievements with your inner values.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

You may find yourself dreaming of learning and expanding your consciousness through travel. You might feel a longing for adventure that involves metaphysical growth and learning. This isn’t the type of travel where you relax on a beach reading romance novels; it’s about gaining lasting insights into the universe and your place in it. Pay attention to inspiring insights that may spark profound growth over the coming months.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

You're entering a period of profound personal growth. Face your fears and identify what holds you back. Recognize any patterns that prevent you from experiencing life deeply. Move with intention and purpose. This pivotal point could serve as inspiration for you throughout your life. While you might face difficult realizations, approaching them with a desire for growth could yield brilliant, uplifting results. The key is honesty and hard work, but it won’t feel overwhelming if your attitude is flexible and resolute.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Strive for reciprocity in your relationships. Balancing responsibilities and creating harmony with your partners may require fine-tuning. This opportunity isn’t confined to intimate relationships—all relationships can recalibrate for greater fairness. Your relationship with yourself also comes into focus. Observe your default reactions to life’s challenges to identify what needs attention to achieve balance.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Manage your energy and organize your life at work and home to avoid burnout. If your superiors demand too much, set up a meeting to establish boundaries while maintaining high standards. Make your mental and physical health a priority. Commit to therapy, regular exercise, and a balanced diet. The lessons learned here will support you in handling greater responsibilities in the future. You're laying the foundation for success.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Connect with your true inner self. Life experiences can create layers that mask our true essence. Use the coming months to uncover these layers and reveal your core nature. Approach this process with compassion and honesty, possibly with a therapist's help. Through creative expression, heartfelt honesty, and examining past conditioning, you may discover the beauty beneath life’s accumulated layers. This deep understanding of yourself and your role in others' lives could be the reward for your diligent efforts.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

You have an opportunity to clear emotional clutter. Home and security are in focus for the next few months. Address any feelings of scarcity or unresolved childhood patterns related to safety. You may be negotiating a home purchase, moving, or addressing maintenance issues that affect your stability. Understanding your relationship with home and nurturing is part of your growth cycle. Create a comforting framework for what “home” means to you.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

With Venus entering Capricorn, it’s time to get serious about love and what you value. Create a structure around your artistic expression—take a class or learn from a mentor. Poetry might inspire you, and you could benefit from practicing it to express your love for those around you. Finances may play a role, but don’t hesitate to invest in something that beautifies your home or wardrobe. Show appreciation to friends and family through small, tangible acts of kindness.

Aquarius (January 20-February 19)

Security remains a theme this week. Reflect on what you value, and get disciplined about finances. Set a structure for savings, necessities, and charity. By sticking to this plan for the coming months, you’ll make real progress toward a financial goal. Ensure your goals align with your core values. Material worth is only part of the story—consider what brings joy and fulfillment beyond money.

Pisces (February 20-March 21)

This is a time to let go of what no longer serves you. Therapy could help reveal what to release. Engage in an honest appraisal of your life, shedding outworn attitudes or blockages that prevent you from facing reality. Use creativity or music to support this introspective journey. Have a support system of people who encourage this process and provide a stable foundation. This release may feel like an earthquake, but it marks the beginning of growth and change.