Courtesy: Pinterest
Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family over traditional food and meaningful conversation. As an avid fan of the holiday, I look forward to it every year. Still, I always come back to the idea of “Friendsgiving” and how fun it can be to spread the holiday love around. The truth is, when you go away to college, a lot of times you learn to create a whole new set of family through your friends. This year, consider getting together and expressing your thankfulness by hosting your very own Friendsgiving using these helpful tips and ideas:
1. Teamwork is Key
The first step to hosting a successful Friendsgiving is making sure everyone has an assigned way of contributing to the event. Without teamwork, this night can easily transform itself from a fun time to the core of your stress and frankly, no one needs that. If one of your friends is notoriously known for burning the mac & cheese, then have them be in charge of making the playlist or picking up ice. All forms of participation are appreciated and will benefit the overall process of creating the perfect holiday event.
2. Cook What You Know
When it comes to the most important part, food, it’s best to have everyone work their strengths and provide what they can. There’s no need to slay over the stove making an overly complicated meal if that’s not something you enjoy doing. Remember, this night is about spending time with your friends and expressing your gratitude for them. Don’t worry about trying to recreate the eight-course meal you’d have at home with your family, there’s still time for that.
3. Don’t Forget the Drinks
Courtesy: Country Living
Personally, I think the best part of Friendsgiving is you can go for that second glass of wine without judgment from your grandma. If wine isn’t your thing, this is a great opportunity to try a fun, new punch or mixture. I suggest this harvest punch or fireball cider Jell-O shots from the website, Delish. Everyone has that one friend who loves to claim they are the best bartender so let them have this night to shine. Another option is to incorporate some drinking games into the evening. For a booze-free night, you can try some liquor free fall drinks or hot chocolate.
4. Grab Some Tupperware!
Why only enjoy the food for one night if there’s extra to share? One of the positive sides of collecting a variety of food is there are almost always leftovers. Having some extra containers for your friends is a great way to ensure you don’t eat that entire pumpkin pie on your own after they leave (Unless you want to, then eat up and enjoy).
5. Don’t Get Hung Up on Perfect
The most important thing to remember about throwing a “perfect” Friendsgiving is that any night with people you care about is a perfect night. There’s no need to worry about having the trendiest decorations and Instagram photos (though that’s always a plus). Just enjoy the moment and don’t forget to express your gratitude. You never know how important that could be to someone.