Spending the holidays with your friends has become the new and exciting way to celebrate the holidays as a whole. Take Thanksgiving; what once was a day in which families gathered to have their Thanksgiving dinner, remember family anecdotes, and share with family members, has evolved in different ways. That is why today, many people have made the decision to take advantage of the space provided on this day to celebrate and thank those people who are part of our family by choice, a celebration that is now commonly known as friendsgiving. As Ashley Fetters mentions in her article, this new popular alternative continues to increase over the years.
And Christmas doesn’t stay behind! For this reason, spending these special dates with friends is very important for some people. The most interesting thing is that as the year passes, more friends decide to use this week to be grateful and make a special day with those that are important in their life.
From college students who live far from home, to family members who don’t feel comfortable with those who they share blood with, the reality is that many times, due to distance or the different types of relationships that can exist between families, more than one person ends up spending a “family” day alone. So if you feel represented by any of these, here you will find five different fun and memorable activities you can do to enjoy the holidays with the family that life puts on your path.
1. Put up decorations
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The first and most important thing to take into account is the decoration. Starting from the simplest things, such as placing different balloons, artificial leaves, and candles in your space to create that cozy autumn atmosphere or placing poinsettias and fairy lights around to get into that Christmas spirit. To the most elaborate and intricate of decorations, such as making a wall with images of the moments that everyone enjoyed the most during the year along with a frame. Another way to take creativity to another level could be to use brown paper as a tablecloth and write the name of the guests on it in their corresponding place.
In any case, if you want to discover other alternatives to decorate your home, Maria Cotti has an article in which she shares the best 12 decoration options from last year, in her case, for Friendsgiving.
2. Have a distraction-free dinner
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It is no secret to anyone that technology today has taken center stage in many important moments. From weddings where everyone has their phone focused on the bride and groom, to birthdays where the guests are focused on their phones. So, in order to enjoy a dinner with good and pleasant company, it will be necessary to put aside the phones from the minute you enter the home where the dinner will be taking place.
Use this time to have real conversations without the discomfort that’s caused when someone is more attentive to a screen than to the conversation that is taking place. There will be time to use it later, always remember that it is important to disconnect to reconnect with others.
3. Differents Party Games
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What would a small party to celebrate friendship be, without games to continue creating moments together? Different games such as “Never have I ever”, “Finish the song lyric” and even a personalized “Jenga” with different questions or creating a “Friends Trivia” to see who knows each member of the group the best, are some of the most fun and entertaining activities to spend a good afternoon of laughter. Without leaving aside the typical card games like “Memory” or “Who is Who?” so as not to lose traditions.
4. Hallmark Movies
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Another activity that will never go out of style is sharing while watching a movie. The fall season is the predecessor of Christmas, so many of us enjoy watching a good movie to get into the mood and begin to prepare for what is coming next month. So don’t be self-conscious and enjoy that movie that you love to see so much as you continue having pleasant moments with your friends amidst the snacks, games, and any other things that you have prepared for this occasion.
5. Write letters for those who are not able to be there
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The last activity with which you could give that special touch and close with a flourish an incredible evening surrounded by good company, could be writing a letter to those who are no longer here. Whether because they were not able to arrive or they left our world, it is always important to dedicate a few minutes of our time to them. Especially on days like this in which many can feel alone even if they don’t seem to like it or want to talk about it.
So, do not hesitate to write that simple but very meaningful letter, expressing to that person how valuable they are to you and how they have impacted your life. Sometimes we take this for granted until we reflect on it and realize we should do it more often.
Spending time with friends during the holidays can be as special a day as any other if you spend it surrounded by the people you care about. These moments of sharing are always necessary to remember that we are not alone, that we are surrounded by people who care about us the same way we care about them. Being grateful to those who help us stay strong every day is one of the best feelings you can experience. Don’t miss your opportunity to do it.