What is ‘Friendsgiving?’

Simply put, Friendsgiving is just a gathering of friends for a festive meal together in late November. Bringing out the slow cooker doesn’t have to mean Mom is in town. Usually, the host provides the turkey portion of the meal, while other guests bring the side dishes such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn and, of course, the beloved pumpkin and pecan pies.

While this tradition may have started among college friends or coworkers who did not have the time or ability to travel home for the Thanksgiving holiday, it has now flourished into a regular occasion with many friend groups. People have used this term and taken part in the modernized holiday since 2007, after the iconic Thanksgiving-themed Friends episodes. But it didn’t become popular until 2011, when Bailey’s Irish Cream used the word in an advertising commercial. The festivities generally take place the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so as not to take away from family time, and helps to gear people up for the “real deal.”

So how do you have a great Friendsgiving?

Step one, get together a great group of friends; people who make you happy and who make you thankful for being alive. This is key.

Next, get a sign-up sheet to determine who is bringing what dish to the feast. You don’t want to end up with three corn breads and no sweet potato casserole. Go to this website for some fun and delicious recipes to try out. Never cooked before? Go there now!

You also want to have more than just food at a Friendsgiving party. Some activities you may want to try are:

-Making a gratitude board: have everyone write down what they are thankful for and put it all together on a decorative poster board for you to look at later.

-Playing board/card games: nothing livens up a party like some friendly competition. Time to break  out those dusty cardboard boxes from the back of your closet, grab that deck of cards you’ve been meaning to pick up again and get to playing.  

-Listening to good music: adding music to any event or festivity is an automatic way to get everyone on their feet and jamming. Try some lip sync battles or dance competitions to really have a good time.

-Watching a movie: no matter your age, watching “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” will put you back to the good old days. Admit it, there’s something about this animated comic that just brightens your mood all the way.

Additionally, help the host clean up. It truly shows how much you care and how thankful you are to be part of their life. Even if they say no, it’s the thought that counts, and they will appreciate it.

Finally, make sure everyone gets their own ‘care packages’ of leftovers. Go to the dollar store and find some cute and festive containers so all guests can take a second helping of their favorite dish or an extra slice of pie for some midnight cravings. This way, not only does everyone get to enjoy the celebration even more, but you don’t have to worry about an overstocked refrigerator.

Most importantly, have fun. This is a time to be thankful for the people around you, friends or family. Make your Friendsgiving one to remember; they only happen once a year.