By Nina Rodriguez
With Halloween officially past, it’s time to focus on the small intermission before peppermint mocha season – Thanksgiving! Well, specifically Friendsgiving, a combination of the traditional holiday and a fun hangout with your friends, AKA, the perfect way to avoid the typical political debates at the familial Thanksgiving dinner table. This lively and relatively recent adaptation of the holiday can be seen as inspired by the iconic 90s television hit Friends. Here are a few stress-free and exciting ways to celebrate Friendsgiving!
1. When should it be celebrated?
While there is no exact day to commemorate Friendsgiving, most people typically hold their gatherings prior to Thanksgiving day itself. This is most likely the easiest way to get the whole crew together as many people travel for Thanksgiving Day.
2. What should I serve?
Unless your culinary skills rival Monica Geller’s, the easiest way to cohesively throw together a menu is through a potluck! The most creative part about this made-up holiday is the menu is completely customizable. This is the perfect opportunity to embrace the different cultures or traditions of each guest and have a completely personalized spread. Personally, I am not a huge fan of traditional Thanksgiving food so this is a huge benefit.
Despite my disposition against Thanksgiving food, I think the fall spirit should remain in your Friendsgiving celebration. A way to celebrate the fleeting fall spirit is through fun beverages including apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes, and fall-themed mocktails (or cocktails, if you’re 21 years old or older). Additionally, you can end the night off with a classic pumpkin pie to fully enhance the autumnal season.
Another suggestion is to serve a 3-course meal to avoid any hunger-motivated squabbles amongst guests. A charcuterie board is always an aesthetically pleasing addition that can consist of fall-colored cheeses, crackers, and fruits. Next, serve the full spread of your guests’ creations paired with delicious fall-themed drinks. Lastly, the dessert course is the star of the show as a sweet treat is needed to successfully conclude your Friendsgiving
3. What activities should be planned?
Friendsgiving is the perfect opportunity to have a unique and wholesome bonding time. As an American holiday should, Thanksgiving celebrations usually consist of a football game or a football watch party. My family’s front lawn football games are the highlight of my Thanksgiving and I think it would be a perfect addition to any Friendsgiving. To keep the competitive spirit alive, a game night with classic or modern board games is the best way to get each other’s blood boiling…with love, of course. Another fun competition that incorporates a potluck is a cooking or baking competition. A bit of a friendlier way to have fun can be to create decorations for this festive gathering. These can be anything from carving pumpkins, stringing together fall-themed garland, or putting aesthetically pleasing centerpieces and table decor together.
While these are all important components of a successful Friendsgiving, the most important of them all is to plan ahead! Planning the menu, potluck system, games, and details of the gathering is the best way to enjoy it to the fullest on Friendsgiving Day!
Friendsgiving is the perfect way to say goodbye to the beautiful fall season and create the best memories! It’s time to start planning!
