We ran into this article in the New York Times asking "Why don't we hang out more?", inspired by the book "Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time" by Sheila Liming.
It speaks to the scientifically proven benefits of being with friends in low pressure settings.
-"It’s well-documented that friendships improve our physical and mental health and are vital for well-being."
-"there’s evidence to suggest that face-to-face contact can strengthen emotional closeness."
-"There are different forms of hanging out, Dr. Ayers said. If you like a more face-to-face, conversational hangout, you can spend time in each other’s homes or sit on a park bench together."
At loop we do not leave the house without bringing along one or more loop needlepoint projects. We love the meditative and relaxing experience of needlepointing to unwind at home, but needlepoint is just as much of a community activity and we love the impromptu hang out opportunities that arise when we encounter our friends who stitch out in the world. We have been developing our Party Kit product here at loop to encourage hosting stitching events with friends. We have no doubt that needlepoint is the best party gift and the best activity for an event, but we also really love our improvised and unstructured stitch sessions just as much. Having a communal activity gives us all something to focus on together while at the same time we can catch up on life, news, and anything else that comes to mind. And sometimes not worrying about the table setting, decor, and snacks of a party takes the pressure off and lets us concentrate on each other and perhaps our loop projects.