Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which, for many, means Friendsgiving is as well. Friendsgiving is essentially the same concept as the actual holiday, except on a different day and spent with friends instead of family. It’s fun no matter what age you are, but is particularly important for friend groups who live miles apart and get to reunite during the holidays.
Unfortunately, planning a Friendsgiving can be stressful, especially with the simultaneous preparation for actual Thanksgiving. However, here’s a few simple tips that can make the planning process go smoothly and allow you to instead focus on only your excitement!
set a theme
Instead of dressing in the typical corduroy skirt and sweater combination, establish a fun theme. For example, you could do “rhyme without reason,” which is big on TikTok right now. What you do is pair up with a friend and have the name of your costumes rhyme, like “Bob Ross” and “Girl Boss.” It’s super simple and fun, and voting on the best duo could be another little activity for the night.
be smart about the meal
Actual Thanksgiving dishes, particularly the turkey, are very time-consuming to make. More often than not, it’s better to have a potluck style dinner. You could also have everyone bring their favorite holiday dish to still give it that Thanksgiving dinner vibe.
be mindful of the host
If your Friendsgiving is hosted at someone else’s home, make sure to be good guests! The hostess should not be tasked with doing the heavy lifting of the cooking or cleaning. If you’re looking for alternative locations, picnics at a park are a great option.
plan in advance
In college and beyond, holiday break schedules look different for everyone. It’s important to establish a date that works for everyone early on. Waiting too late creates a risk of not every friend being able to attend, which is a total bummer. Luckily, all you really need is a simple text message weeks in advance to avoid this.
prepare additional activities
Dinner is fun and all, but what about afterwards? Make sure to have some other activities ready to go. Karaoke, card games, cookie decorating, or a PowerPoint night are all easy to execute. Obviously you know what you and your friends love, so incorporate that.
Friendsgiving looks different for every friend group, which is what makes it so special. Since you know yourself and your friends, your insight is greater than anyone else’s. Ultimately, the most important element is valued time with those you love; as long as you have that, the other pieces will fall into place.