Are you spending this Thanksgiving with friends rather than family? Or do you have a tradition of throwing a “Friendsgiving” the weekend after Thanksgiving? So many people love to celebrate with friends – Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, after all. And, our friends are some of the most important people in our lives. So, why not celebrate together? If you’re thinking this is the year to add Friendsgiving to your list of dinner parties, here are a few tips for throwing a fun one.
5 Tips for a Fun Friendsgiving
#1. Keep the party economically friendly by going potluck style. “Friendsgiving lends itself well to a potluck-style dinner. If the host is accepting contributions, select one that can be made cheaply. Think heaps of mashed potatoes, pans of roasted root vegetables or bowls of stuffing, all of which can be thrown together for cheap.” (via U.S. News)
#2. Friendsgiving is a great opportunity to break away from traditional Thanksgiving rituals. Without having a table full of family, your friends are typically much more open for something that doesn’t even necessarily include turkey. Make it your own by thinking outside the box when it comes to traditional foods, beverages and activities. It’s your chance to get creative and put the focus on being with your friends.
#3. Keep the invite list to a reasonable size. What you don’t want is to feel stressed about Friendsgiving – it’s supposed to be fun! Over-inviting can leave you feeling totally overwhelmed and those familiar feelings of holiday stress can quickly come creeping in. Leave that all aside by only inviting as many people as feels comfortable to you – and if a potluck or buffet is the solution, then go for it! This is your Friendsgiving and it’s time to have fun.
#4. Have a fun signature cocktail. Having one cocktail doesn’t only add a fun flair to the party, but it keeps things easy when it comes to mixing up the drinks. Even if you choose something you can’t mix up ahead of time – that’s OK. Set up your cocktail station and assign one friend as the bartender. Get him or her shaking up those drinks so that you can focus on entertaining and getting that dinner to the table.
#5. Enjoy yourself! Remember Friendsgiving is supposed to be fun and shouldn’t carry all the weight and stress that family holidays often have. This is a time to focus on how much you love your friends, the joy they bring to your life and that you all love to spend time with one another. So, let your hair down, enjoy the meal together, cheers friendship – new and old, and simply have a blast.
Do you ever celebrate Friendsgiving? What are your tips for making it fun and memorable?
