12 Ingredients for the Perfect Friendsgiving
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Thanksgiving is all about gratitude. Whether celebrating with our family or our found families, gathering to share a meal with the ones we love is the reason for the season. Around the table (usually with a spread of turkey, stuffing, and all the Thanksgiving fixings) we’ll come together to share a beautiful meal and plenty of quality time together—be it a formal Thanksgiving dinner or a fun Friendsgiving with our closest friends. Friendsgiving is a celebration of those who are like family, minus the shared DNA part. If you’re hosting the Friendsgiving party this year, there’s a lot more to keep in mind than just delicious food and tasty drinks. You’ll also need some tips to make your event feel special for everyone.
Laying out a seasonal tablecloth; formally setting the dining table with your favorite dinnerware; decorating your space with holiday decor—it’s the little things that’ll make your dinner party feel memorable. You could set out Thanksgiving or fall-themed mugs for a post-dinner hot cocoa bar, or encourage guests to bring their favorite family recipes to share with one another. However you make it happen, there are creative ways to make your Friendsgiving celebration feel personally tailored to your guests. To help you curate an extra special Friendsgiving ambiance, we put together tips and ideas for Friendsgiving that’ll ensure everyone leaves thankful for the time spent together.
1. Include Personalized Touches for Your Guests
One of Jonathan’s favorite things to do to make guests feel welcome is frame a photo of them ahead of their arrival and place it on the nightstand. It’s small, personalized touches like this that add a really warm layer to their stay. You can take inspiration from this at your dinner party by including a photo of you and your guest together inside a small frame by their place setting, or even making DIY ornaments for them to take home. However, it could also be as simple as placing a handwritten thank you card on top of every plate—as long as it’s something sweet and personal, it’ll make them feel so treasured.
2. Don’t Try to Do It All Yourself
Like any large dinner party, there is a long list of to-dos to check off before (and during) the party. Between prepping the holiday feast itself to getting the house ready for guests, finding or DIYing decor for the party, and making sure everything gets into the oven at the right time for serving, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But it doesn’t have to be all on you! Ask your friends for help with the details—be it bringing a dish, setting the table, getting the wine, or something else. Delegate these tasks in the group chat so you’re all on the same page. This way, your own to-do list is at least a little more approachable, and everyone feels like they’re doing their part to make the Friendsgiving festivities come together.
3. Curate a Creative Menu
Yes, we’re stating the obvious here… But there’s a twist: Since this isn’t a traditional family Thanksgiving meal, turkey and stuffing aren’t 100% essential. Mix things up and design a creative menu that will please every person—and every palate—on your guest list. Or, go the potluck route. But don’t forget to share who’s bringing what ahead of time, so you don’t have recipe redundancies. Also consider making menu cards to position at each place setting for a thoughtful touch.
4. Make Sure Your Table Fits the Crew
Make sure you have enough table space and adequate seating to host your whole crew. If space is a bit tight, consider setting up dishes buffet-style on a kitchen island or bar. Incorporate extra seating where you can, be it poufs or benches, accent chairs, foldable chairs, or something else. If you don’t have space to store these, guests, friends, or neighbors might be able to lend stools or chairs instead if you ask.
Canyon Sand 5 Pc Dining Room with Panel Back Chairs
5. Style or DIY Plenty of Festive Decor
Incorporate timeless Thanksgiving decor standbys like fall scented candles or taper candles, pumpkins, leaves, and turkeys, and get creative as you’re setting the tone for your gathering! Pinterest can be a real lifesaver here, especially for DIY table settings. But don’t stress too much over these details—it’s about the food and company, after all.
6. Make a Great Holiday Playlist
You can’t have a good party without the right tunes! From mellow jazz to moody R&B or lively pop, a custom soundtrack can help set the vibe for your festivities. Choose softer sounds for the dinner portion of the evening (so you can, you know, actually hear each other) and save the more energetic songs for after dessert. Get started with one of these classic dinner party, Friendsgiving, or fun dinner playlists, or even Pandora’s Friendsgiving station.
7. Lay Out Paper and Pens for Thankful Notes
Set aside 15 minutes before dinner for yourself and your guests to write out what they’re thankful for and share with the group. This is also a great opportunity to start your own Friendsgiving traditions! Tell jokes, share stories, or go around the table and introduce any guests who might not know each other very well. It’ll set the mood for togetherness and make everyone feel closer.
8. Serve a Fun Thanksgiving-Themed Drink
Create a custom cocktail to wow your guests (may we suggest this autumnal bliss from our cocktail expert, Charles Joly?) Make a few batches ahead of time so you’re not playing bartender all night. Wine—at least one white and one red—is standard to have on-hand for your meal. And don’t forget a few non-alcoholic options, like sparkling water or a mocktail!
9. Don’t Forget the Pie!
Apple pie! Pecan pie! Pumpkin pie! Sweet potato pie! No Friendsgiving (or Thanksgiving) meal—or any meal, really—is complete without several decadent dessert options. Whip up your personal specialty, stock up on whipped cream, and remind your guests to save room. Setting out some cute desert plates is a nice touch, too.
10. Set Out Cameras for Photo Ops
Take your celebration from an entertaining social event to a social media event with a unique hashtag. Even if you don’t care about likes and follows, a custom hashtag can help you track and organize all the photos posted by your guests.
11. Provide Easy Takeout Containers
Thanksgiving might as well by synonymous with leftovers. And like the traditional holiday, you’re bound to have extra food after your Friendsgiving feast. Keep some recyclable or reusable takeout containers handy so your guests can take scurry home with the surplus goods. More treats for them, less cleanup for you? That’s a win-win.
12. Have Friends Write Out Recipe Cards
Encourage everyone to bring and write down their favorite recipes as a way to look back on and remember the evening. Get a cookbook or a recipe box that you can use year after year, and start filling it up with everyone’s signature dishes. You can recreate delicious dishes and share something a little extra special with your favorite people. In a few years, your recipe book will be filled with foods from many loved ones in your life.
Thanksgiving Tablecloths That Set the Tone for a Festive Feast
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