Thanksgiving has been known to be a holiday in which you celebrate with family like parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings, and cousins. As much as we love them, there should be a time when we have the chance to celebrate with the squad who feels like our second family. In recent years, the term ‘Friendsgiving’ has become popular within our culture — it’s a celebration where we celebrate with our closest friends whether it’s before Thanksgiving or in place of the typical family celebration. If you got titled as the host for this year’s dinner, here are 10 ways to make it the best Friendsgiving yet and have your friends reflecting on it in the years to come.
Send paper invitations
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Sure, everyone is all about sending an invite through text or DM but why not go old school by sending a paper invite? Physical invitations are thoughtful and there are many ideas on Pinterest on how to design the card. There are also ways to design it online and have it shipped to you without the hassle of crafting it yourself.
Have a potluck meal
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As the host, you can be in charge of making the main dish of the night, like the turkey. Save yourself time and avoid stress by asking your friends to bring some side dishes, appetizers, beverages, or desserts. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegatables, casserole, pumpkin pie, and cheesecake are some ideas of what your friends can bring. Being a host isn’t an easy task but an idea like this can make the process less time-consuming while saving money.
Set up place cards
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Add a special touch to the Friendsgiving dinner table but setting up place cards. This can help your friends know where they can sit. Place cards are a thoughtful gesture like paper invitations. Once again, these place cards can be made by yourself or there are online platforms where they can be purchased from like Amazon. Heading to a craft store like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby can also be your best bet.
Decorate the table
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After setting up place cards, go the extra mile and make your table look like an idea saved from a Pinterest search. Use fall-inspired decor like leaves, a cornucopia, candles, and Thanksgiving-themed tablecloths. You can use items you already have in your house or apartment. There are also stores like TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and Target or a local store nearby that sell decor perfect for a Friendsgiving dinner.
Have a buffet-style dinner
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When it comes to Thanksgiving, this celebration requires a lot of tableroom. To free up space, set up a separate table and place all of the dishes so it can turned into a buffet-style dinner. It will open up the crowded dining table and let everyone serve their portions based on their preference.
Set up a photo op
Photo by Michael Morse
Keep those Friendsgiving memories saved for a lifetime by setting up a cute photo area. Find a cute Thanksgiving banner with a fun phrase on it and have a solid color backdrop. Party supply stores have photo props for the occasion or simply have your friends use items you already have lying around. Photos can be taken on a phone, digital camera, or a Polaroid. It doesn’t matter where these pictures are taken but be sure to save those memories to reflect on in the years to come.
Curate a playlist
No party is complete without some music. Crafting the perfect playlist is also another important task to do as a host. It sets the ambiance of the party and may get your friends dancing. There are some playlists available to stream on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music — or make your own playlist with music you like. Also, take turns with friends by letting them play some of their favorite tunes too.
Plan party games
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Keep the party going by planning fun party games. Some ideas include Jenga, bingo, UNO, Catch Phrase, and What Do You Meme? There is a variety of games to choose from to entertain the squad after dinner.
Have a movie marathon
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For a relaxing activity, as the night begins to wind down — set up a movie marathon. There are fall-themed movies to watch like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, The Blind Side, Garfield’s Thanksgiving, Knives Out, and Friendsgiving. Christmas movies are an option too if you and the squad are already in the festive mood.
Express gratitude
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It is always important to remind your friends how much you care for and appreciate them. They are a major part of our lives and have been with us through it all — the good and the bad. To wrap up Friendsgiving, share some words of gratitude to the squad and let them know how much you love them while sharing a fun memory with them.
Main image by Wendy Wei
Will you be celebrating Friendsgiving this year?
Let us know in the comments!
