If you are looking to host your first Friendsgiving this year or are a veteran Friendsgiving host looking for some inspiration for your party – this Friendsgiving ideas blog post is for you!
Friendsgiving is a relatively new tradition that gained popularity around 2007, inspired by the show Friends. It’s a time to enjoy a delicious meal with friends who are like family. As I like to say, your chosen family or your tribe. I have hosted a few Friendsgiving over the past five years and have some essential tips and tricks to share with you if you want to host your own.
I’ve compiled this guide so you can easily navigate the ins and outs of hosting your Friendsgiving. Now, let’s plan an unforgettable Friendsgiving for you and your friends!
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission if you purchase through one of my links at no cost to you. I only recommend products I love, use, or thoroughly review.
Let’s get into seven important Friendsgiving ideas:
1. Set a Date & Send Invitations
The first step in planning the perfect Friendsgiving is picking a date. I recommend choosing the date at least a month in advance, maybe two months before everyone’s holiday schedules fill up. Typically a Saturday or Sunday early evening time works best for most people.
For invitations, you can create one digitally with an online website like evite.com, or you can create one digitally using canva.com and send an image of the invitation via text. Or, if you love snail mail, you can purchase invites, like the ones linked below, and send them via mail.
Friendsgiving Invitation Ideas
You can find amazing snail mail Friendsgiving invitations on Amazon:
2. Plan Your Menu
The next step in planning Friendsgiving is deciding what type of dishes will be served. Once you have that figured out, determine what dishes attendees can bring. I have seen that most Friendsgiving involve friends, each bringing a side dish or dessert, and the host provides the turkey.
When you send out the invitation or invite text, most people will ask you what they can bring, don’t be afraid to tell them the dish they can bring to the event and maybe even a beverage.
Ensure you know people’s dietary restrictions to accommodate someone gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian.
Friendsgiving Food Ideas
Here are some of the most popular Friendsgiving food ideas for your friends to bring:
- Roasted vegetables
- Brussel Sprouts
- Salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Gravy
- Cranberry sauce
- Green bean casserole
- Sweet potato casserole
- Mac & Cheese
- Dinner rolls
- Corn Bread
- Bread Pudding
- Apple pie
- Pecan Pie
- Pumpkin pie
Friendsgiving Drink Ideas
Here are some alcoholic and nonalcoholic Friendsgiving drink ideas:
- Wine
- Beer
- Seltzers (Alcoholic & Nonalcoholic)
- Sparking Cider
- Apple Cider
- Hard Cider
- Sangria
- Fall Cocktail Ingredients
3. Decorate Your Space
Friendsgiving decor can be as easy as you want it to be! It can be as simple as using fall theme decors, like pumpkins, leaves, and other fall items, or you can go all out using Friendsgiving banners, table runners, and personalized place settings.
Friendsgiving Decor Ideas
Here are some Friendsgiving Decor ideas from Amazon that will elevate your space:
4. Set the Table
Like decorations, you can make the table as simple or fancy as you want. You can use paper plates or fancy china; your guests will have a wonderful time either way. You can use flowers (real or faux), pumpkins, or candles as centerpieces to dress up the table.
Friendsgiving Table Ideas
Here is some inspiration for your Friendsgiving table:
5. Serve the Food
With serving food, you can do it one of two ways. You can place the food on the table and pass around each dish family style or set the food out on the counter or another table and serve the food buffet style. I find that buffet style works better, especially if you have beautiful centerpieces on the table you don’t want to move.
Friendsgiving Meal Must-Haves
Here are a few serving must-haves to make your Friendsgiving go smoothly:
6. Play Some Games
One of my favorite parts of hosting Friendsgiving is coordinating the games my friends and I play. For bigger groups, I suggest playing trivia and getting little prizes for the winners. Charades and Pictionary are also fun games to play with bigger groups. Break out the Catan board, Phase 10, or Apples to Apples for a smaller group of friends.
Friendsgiving Game Ideas
No matter how many people you are hosting, here are a few game ideas to play during Friendsgiving:
7. Send Home Guests With Leftovers
Now that good food has been eaten, drinks have been drunk, and games have been played, it’s time for your guests to leave. Ensure they take the dishes and items they brought with them and send them home with some leftovers. This will make it easier on you so you don’t get stuck with a ton of food in your fridge.
One of my favorite Friendsgiving ideas is buying these cute leftover containers to give to friends before they leave:
I hope this seven important Friendsgiving Ideas blog post has helped you plan your upcoming Friendsgiving celebration this year! It’s important to remember that while a beautifully decorated table and delicious food are lovely, what truly matters is spending time with those you love. So take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy your time with your friends. Happy hosting!
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