How to Host a Friendsgiving

Have you ever heard of Friendsgiving?  It’s supposed to be an alternative for those who aren’t close to family {physically or emotionally} to still get together and have a holiday feast.  For some, it’s a chance to spend the holiday giving thanks with people they actually like to be around.  For others, it’s a chance not to feel homesick if you can’t make it to a family gathering.  Whatever the reason, I think it’s kind of a cool idea.

The best part about Friendsgiving is that you don’t have to stick so rigidly to family traditions.  It’s a chance to branch out.  Here’s a couple of tips for hosting a Friendsgiving of your own:

1. Go potluck style.  You provide the turkey, leave the rest up to everyone else.  This is the beauty of Friendsgiving, it’s a chance to sample other family’s traditions.  Ask them to bring their favorite Thanksgiving dish.  {Just make sure to find out what it is, so you don’t end up having 10 green bean casseroles.}
2. Break assignments of food into categories and assign each person a category or two.  For example:  appetizers, sides, salads, dessert, drinks.
3. Make sure to pick up to-go boxes while you are out shopping.  That way, your guests can stock up on left-overs {the best part about Thanksgiving}.  Plus, it’s like the icing on the cake in making them feel welcome and invited.
4. Allow friends to extend invites as well.  You may get people you’ve never met, but that’s part of the fun.
5. If you have a large crowd {and some newbies to your group}, consider setting up your kitchen buffet style.  It kind of takes the pressure off of the whole sit-down formal dinner, and creates a laid back atmosphere.  Plus, it allows people to “drop by” within a certain time-frame.
6. For you own sanity, make sure to check out the planning timeline and checklist I made last year, or create your own.
7. Don’t break the bank to host.  Standard Thanksgiving rules still apply, there are tons of ways to save money and still throw an amazing dinner.

Have YOU ever hosted or been to a Friendsgiving?

~Mavis