Thanksgiving is coming closer, which means that before we know it, we’ll all be crammed shoulder to shoulder in the homes of our families, having delicious dinners and catching up with everyone we’ve missed while we were away at school. However, that’s not all Thanksgiving break is for — it’s also probably the first time this semester that you and your entire friend group found themselves home at the same time. In addition to spending time with your family, you’re itching to spend time with them as well. The question is, how? Here are my five best tips for putting together the perfect Friendsgiving dinner for you and your friends for the ultimate night of good food and catching up!
1. Pick a date that’s after actual Thanksgiving.
We’re all college kids with busy schedules, which means that we probably won’t have time to whip up an entire dish before the event, especially with the general craziness that comes during Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Hosting your Friendsgiving after the actual holiday means you can swipe some of your family’s delicious leftovers to share with everyone.
2. Similarly, announce this date to your friend group in advance.
If your friend group is anything like mine, it means that it’s filled with lots of people with lots of different schedules. Most of us are only going to have a few days home for break, which means that we have to cram a lot of visits and events with family/friends in a short amount of time. Picking a date a month or so in advance and making sure everyone’s on the same page will make it much easier when November actually rolls around, so you won’t have to worry about people moving their plans around last minute to attend.
3. Make it cozy!
Everyone knows that Thanksgiving is basically the official event that ushers in the Christmas season. Throw up some decorations, light some yummy-scented candles, and put on some holiday music to make the event much more festive!
4. Coordinate who is bringing what.
Nobody wants 18 sides of stuffing and no cookies. Nobody. So talk to your friends and divvy up who should be bringing what to the event, so you have an equal amount of delicious foods and desserts for everyone.
5. Plan something fun to do!
While sitting around and eating a bunch of food with good friends is something I would certainly qualify as a great time, this is also your first time catching up with everyone in awhile, so make sure you plan some fun activities! Since my friend group from home is so large, it’s often hard to coordinate actual games and such, but throwing on the PlayStation and having some Mario Kart matches and music pumping in the background facilitates a laid-back, post-dinner hangout vibe that’s super relaxing and also really great for everyone to start talking and catching up with what’s been going on at school.
Now that you have these five tips, go forth and have the greatest Friendsgiving possible — and don’t forget the turkey!