One of the busiest travel weeks in the US is the fourth week of November when family travels to celebrate Thanksgiving together. But with expensive travel costs and busy schedules, a new tradition has emerged – Friendsgiving.
Friendsgiving started about 10 years ago as an evening with the holiday’s classic dishes and your best buds. Some host it on Thanksgiving Day to be with their closest friends when family is too far away. And many will host Friendsgiving in the weeks leading and following Thanksgiving to continue the holiday spirit. However, Friendsgiving doesn’t mean that you need to slave over the stove all day preparing a feast for dozens of people either. Here are some tips to make your Friendsgiving special and stress-free.
- Encourage your friends to bring their own favorite holiday dish. To ensure that you don’t wind up with a table of all desserts (as tempting as that may be), assign each guest a main dish, side dish, appetizer, beverage, or dessert to balance the work.
- Decorate the table, because it makes what could be a regular dinner party feel special. You don’t need to break out your fine China but it’s a great opportunity to brighten up the table for the evening.
- Friendsgiving is a great excuse for a crafty DIY project. Pinterest is full of ideas for creative centerpieces and place holders that you can make in advance and showcase your hidden talents.
- Arrange the seating to encourage people to make new friends. Likely your guests are your family and friends but it’s a great opportunity for them to make new friends amongst themselves too. Maybe plans for a New Year’s party will evolve from the evening.
- Don’t forget to go around the table to share what you’re thankful for. It’s been a long, tough year. Thanksgiving offers us a chance to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us, so don’t let it go. Use the “tell us what you’re thankful for” to tell each of your friends why you’re thankful to have them in your life.
- And finally, don’t forget to take a photo and post it on social media or send a copy with your holiday cards.
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