A Cuddle Party Is Not an Orgy, But It's Intimate
and Profitable
By Steve Gillman - September 18, 2014
 At "cuddle parties"
people pay to enter someone's home and snuggle up with a bunch
of strangers in pajamas. Now maybe that isn't worth $30 or $50
to you, but what if you were the one collecting the money? You
can make good money as a cuddle party facilitator.
(Flickr photo by John Johnson)
In a previous post we looked at being a professional cuddler and charging
$60 per hour to spoon with strangers. But that's a one-on-one
experience. For some people, one snuggle partner is not enough.
They want to hug and cuddle with a room full of strangers.
Of course someone has to arrange this little gathering, and
keep it under control. Pajamas must stay on, after all, and hands
have to be watched. That's where you come in, if you decide to
host cuddle parties.
But let's back up a bit. What exactly is a cuddle party? No,
it's not an orgy. As CuddleParty.com explains:
A Cuddle Party is a playful social event designed for adults
to explore communication, boundaries and affection. You can come
to a Cuddle Party to meet new people, to enjoy amazing conversations,
to touch, to be touched, to have fun, to practice asking for
what you want, to practice saying "no" to what you
don't want - all in a setting structured to be a safe place for
exploration and enjoyment.
Of course there are rules. Pajamas stay on, nobody has to cuddle
if they feel uncomfortable, alcohol and drugs are not permitted,
and "You must ask permission and receive a verbal YES before
you touch anyone."
The Cuddle
Party FAQs will give you a better idea of what to expect.
Perhaps the saddest question there is "What if no one wants
to cuddle with me?" (Answer: see the facilitator for support.)
Attendees are young and old, male and female, married and
single. And then there are the "Varsity Cuddlers,"
who "dive right to the middle of the puppy pile, are comfortable
and relaxed from the start."
Now that we've cleared that up, I'm sure some of you are wondering...
Where's the Next Party?
There are cuddle parties all over the United States and Canada.
Just click one of the cities on the "Upcoming Parties"
on CuddleParty.com.
There are regular parties in Calgary, Alberta for $26.62 including
tax. In New York City the going rate is about $30. In Santa Rosa,
California the latest party had an entry fee of $50 for men and
$30 for women.
There are cuddle parties in Washington State, Texas, Alabama,
South Dakota, Illinois and the province of Ontario. But the big
question is: Will there be one in your home?
How to Get Certified and Host a Party
To get
certified as a cuddle party facilitator you start with "Foundations
of Facilitation" training in Richardson Texas. This step
takes several days. It costs $595 for this is hands-on training.
Then you can complete the certification process online for
an additional $995. That requires about ten sessions over several
months, and three "review" parties where your guests
will evaluate you.
Once you get that certification you can start hosting regular
events and have them listed on the Cuddle Party website.
Time to Party for Profit
How much do you charge? That's up to you. $30 is a common
charge for events listed on CuddleParty.com. Some facilitators
aim for a gender balance, and that goal appears to be achieved
by charging higher fees for men.
In a 2009 CNBC
story on CuddleParty.com, staff member Len Daley said they
had already trained 50 facilitators in the U.S. Canada, Australia,
and Denmark. They expected to have 500 trained by 2014.
Technically, the organization is run as a non-profit, but
as a facilitator you're free to run your parties as profit-making
businesses. CuddleParty.com will help you find customers and
make reservations and doesn't charge a commission. There is,
however, a $195 annual fee to remain professionally affiliated
with the website.
At $30 each, if ten people show up for your first party you'll
have covered your annual fee and still have a profit of about
$100. After that you might make several hundred dollars from
each event.
Of course, you do not need to be certified or associate with
CuddleParty.com. This business hasn't been around long enough
to be regulated, so you could go out on your own and skip the
expensive training. But then how will you know if you're cuddling
properly?
Your Turn: Would you consider hosting cuddle parties to make
some extra income?
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