For a lot of people, especially Millennials like myself, the holidays seem to skip right from Halloween to Christmas with Thanksgiving just being a reason to have a break from school or a day off of work. And then there are those who love Thanksgiving but aren’t able to spend a month’s worth of rent money on a plane ticket to fly and see the family. For all of these people, there’s a new holiday gathering dubbed “Friendsgiving.”
A Friendsgiving is exactly what it sounds like. All of your closest friends come over and you celebrate Thanksgiving together before heading off to see the family that you’re forced to see. I fell in love with Friendsgiving in college when, not having the funds to fly myself back home three out of four years on campus, Friendsgiving replaced my traditional family Thanksgiving celebration. Now that I’ve graduated and moved even further away from my parents (sorry mom and dad) Friendsgiving is really the only way I can celebrate the holiday.
If you’re like me and you aren’t able to see the folks for the holiday, or just want another excuse to get the gang together, here’s a guide to the perfect Friendsgiving.
Throwback to Actual Invitations
Kick it old school and give out real invitations instead of trying to coordinate things over text. Yes, it takes a little more time to do, but with a real invitation your friends are less likely to forget any details or clutter up that group chat with questions.
(Source – A Bar Cart in Brooklyn)
Dish Out the Food
When Thanksgiving is at mom and dad’s house, they typically take care of all the food. At a Friendsgiving, things are always potluck. Us youngin’s don’t have time (or money) to be making all that food, so assign each of your friends a dish to bring. Nobody wants to be the person that lets down the whole group because they forgot to bring the pumpkin pie, so this system ensures that everyone brings their dish. The host, however, is always in charge of the turkey. Making that delicious bird is not a simple process so you might want to read up on it before hand.
P.S. – if your buddy Tyler is always late, assign him to bring a dessert. Give your more punctual friends the apps and drinks, since nobody wants to wait around for that stuff!
(Source – Go Banking Rates)
Clean and Decorate
This sounds like common sense, but you’re going to want to get a jumpstart on cleaning long before the big day. Clean your house/apartment/dorm and add some fun Thanksgiving décor to your pad. You don’t have to be a Joanna Gaines to give your décor a little extra flare. It could just be a lawn table set up on a fun little fall colored area rug like the Mohawk Home Strata Solar Metropolitan or place a Happy Thanksgiving door mat at the front door. If you’re feeling froggy, go ahead and throw some streamers on the wall and hang some pictures of the crew. Maybe it’s even time to put up a popular photo wall.
Game Time
What’s better than good friends and delicious food? Adding games to the mix! Plan some fun activities that the group can do together. From Jenga to a hilarious card game like ‘What Do You Meme?”, having a little friendly competition makes every get together even more fun. Not to mention, after a few drinks you won’t feel so guilty about that second… or third slice of pie.
(Source – Amazon)
Prepare the Drinks
The big day has arrived. You have the turkey in the oven, the house is clean and you’re adding the final touches to your decor. Now it’s time to kick back, relax and enjoy your favorite holiday drink.
Whether you opt for apple cider, hot cocoa (with ALL the toppings of course) or a festive cranberry Moscow mule, designate one area as the drink station, stocked with everything your guests might need—glasses, napkins, straws, ice, toppings, etc. If you want to add some extra fall flair to the party, style a bar cart using copper mugs for the perfect pop of color.
(Source – Pizzazzerie)
Have Fun
You’ve finished the planning, prep and trying not to burn the turkey, so now you’ve earned a little relaxation time. After all, Friendsgiving is a day to share with your closest pals, enjoying some good food and good fun. Have a great day and enjoy your friends! Plus, the best part is – you get to do it all again next year. Happy Friendsgiving!
(Source – Buzzfeed)
Are you having a Friendsgiving this year? Let us know in the comments!
