This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bucknell chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Now that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, it’s time to think about how you can maximize your time with friends, family and turkey over the next week! To ensure that you have the most food-filled holiday ever, HC Bucknell gives you the ultimate Friendsgiving feast guide for before, after and during the holidays!
1. The Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner
- Who to invite: Friends from high school who you haven’t seen since summer (or since last Thanksgiving)! Potluck dinners are laidback and social, which is why they are the perfect way to rekindle old friendships!
- What to cook: ABT (Anything But Turkey). This is the perfect time to use your creative cooking skills to wow friends who you haven’t seen in a while! Plan on cooking an entrée that can feed a lot of people. Try out this delicious recipe for chicken parm that your friends will rave about until next Thanksgiving!
- When to throw it: A day or two before Turkey Day. Take the time to train your stomach for the real Thanksgiving feast you’ll be enjoying on Thursday!
- How to decorate: Think fall festive! Decorate the dining table with paper autumn leaves and light candles to set a cozy atmosphere. Feeling super decorative? Try crafting Martha Stewart’s handmade cornucopia for a beautiful centerpiece that you can use again on Thanksgiving!
2. The Post-Black Friday Leftovers Luncheon
- Who to invite: your close group of girlfriends from high school (and Bucknell, if they live nearby).
- What to cook: Now is the time to purge your refrigerator of all those leftover rolls, cranberry sauce cans, gravy boats and mashed potato plates from yesterday’s extravaganza. Your mom will love that you’ll be getting rid of the leftovers, and you’ll be able to enjoy Thanksgiving for the second day in a row! Here’s an easy recipe to combine all of your Turkey leftovers into an incredible sandwich!
- When to host it: After a morning of frantic mall hopping, invite your guests over to unwind, compare bargains and eat!
- How to decorate: Keep it relaxed. Throw yesterday’s cornucopia on the table and keep up your mom’s Thanksgiving decorations! Or, if you’re really feeling the turkey hangover, grab a few throw pillows and eat picnic style on your living room floor.
3. Friendsgiving at Bucknell (with a holiday twist)
- Who to invite: This is the perfect time to catch up with friends from your freshman hall, sorority, clubs on campus and classes! To maximize mingling, you and your roommates should invite as many friends as you can fit into your living space!
- What to cook: Use this opportunity to have an impromptu holiday cookie bakeoff. Have each guest bring a tray of baked goods like cookies, pies and cupcakes. Then, have your guests judge who has the best recipe! The winner gets to take home the leftover cookies (and has bragging rights, of course). Stuck on what to bake? Try out any of these timeless holiday cookies!
- When to throw it: Who says Friendsgiving has to be in November? Invite your friends over the weekend before finals. It’ll be a great way to catch up, reminisce about the semester, and unwind before a stressful week.
- How to decorate: Keep your dining atmosphere fresh and festive! Stick snowflakes to your window, set up a miniature Christams tree and have either holiday music or a Christmas movie playing (or both).
Whether you’re at home or at Bucknell this Thanksgiving season, take the time to appreciate your friends – they are family, too!