If you’re like me and have plans to stay in NYC with friends for Thanksgiving, you’re not alone. While many students are traveling back home for the holiday, a large percentage of the Columbia and Barnard community is staying in the city for the week, either because they are too far away from home to travel back or feel content to celebrate with friends in New York. While Thanksgiving may traditionally be associated with family, that’s no reason why you can’t have fun celebrating (or not celebrating) with friends. Regardless of whether or not you celebrate the traditional American Thanksgiving, here are some fun ideas for Friendsgiving festivities with friends:
1. Night out
Although we tend to think of a home-cooked meal when we envision a Thanksgiving feast, there’s no reason why it has to be that way for everyone. If you want to splurge and go out with friends on Thanksgiving Day, there are plenty of restaurants in the city that are open — and some of them even offer Thanksgiving specials. This way, you can dress cute and walk around the streets of the city drinking in the festive atmosphere and holiday decorations. Most importantly, eating a nice meal outside guarantees that the quality of your food will be top-notch, unlike (unfortunately) some home-cooked meals.
2. Game night
On the other hand, if you’re thinking about hosting an event at home, a game night with snacks might be the right call. The weather has gotten a lot colder recently, making a cozy, chill night-in appealing for everyone. Prepare your favorite board games, such as Monopoly, Cards Against Humanity, or Clue; or pull out a deck of cards to play poker, Blackjack, or Egyptian Ratscrew (my personal favorite). If you don’t have any board games with you, no need to worry — Charades is always a classic. Just make sure to stock up on snacks such as popcorn, cookies, and hot tea or hot chocolate for the ultimate holiday vibes.
3. Potluck
This idea is one of my personal favorites. I recently attended a Thanksgiving potluck and loved how it was quick and efficient but still provided a nice, home-cooked dinner. The preparation for the meal is so easy because everyone only has to cook (or buy) one dish, and we can immediately sit down to eat after arriving. I also loved seeing everyone’s take on different dishes. There’s such a diversity of food at a potluck, and the quantity of food is usually enough to feed an entire school. You really can’t go wrong with this idea if you can gather enough people to assign different dishes and desserts. Here are some recipes you might want to try out if you’re thinking of hosting a Friendsgiving potluck.
4. Home-cooked dinner
The classic Thanksgiving dinner, only with friends and not family. Invite everyone to gather at someone’s place and cook a nice Thanksgiving dinner together. This might be a little difficult to do if the kitchen is small, so this is only an option if you have the space and utensils to do so. However, if it is possible, preparing a home-cooked meal together is the ultimate bonding activity. Even if the food isn’t amazing, the shared experience of creating food together is going to be worth it. And remember that you don’t have to cook a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner — feel free to be as nontraditional as you want. Do without the turkey if it’s too much of a hassle, and incorporate nostalgic childhood dishes or cultural menus for your unique twist on Thanksgiving.
5. Movie night
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Like game night, if you’re feeling a little lazy, or you’re not brave enough to venture out into the cold, stay indoors for a cozy Thanksgiving movie night. Or, if you have a TV show you want to watch, you could binge a few episodes with your friends. Whether you watch a Thanksgiving-themed movie or a regular movie, it’s always a good time watching movies with your closest friends.
6. Gift swap
It’s Thanks-giving after all, and in the spirit of giving, you might want to show your appreciation for your friends. Although just enjoying quality time might be enough for most people, if you want to go the extra mile, arrange a Secret Santa-style Thanksgiving gift swap with your friends. It can be low-budget and involve homemade gifts — it’s the thought that counts anyway. If your friends are flying in from other states, one fun idea might be to tell everyone to buy gifts from where they’re from. That way, each person will end up with a gift they won’t typically be able to buy.
So don’t despair if you’re not going home for Thanksgiving this year — there are more than enough Friendsgiving ideas to guarantee you have a good time with friends this holiday season. Happy Friendsgiving for all those celebrating!