Friendsgiving is like Thanksgiving in the United States but celebrated among friends rather than with family. It includes food, fun activities, and football. Friendsgiving is always a great way to enjoy an awesome time with friends.
In this post, we will share the top tips for hosting a great Friendsgiving for college students. Check it out!
1. Choose a theme
Because Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving are so similar, many prefer to eat the same traditional Thanksgiving meals at both events. Among them are turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. On the other hand, the more informal character of Friendsgiving allows you to be free without fear of violating any traditions. Visitors willing to go out and try new things might assist you in developing a distinctive theme for the event you’re hosting.
Pizza, pasta, soups, casseroles, and other versatile meals should be included in the Friendsgiving menu. Choose a different cuisine, such as Chinese, Mexican, or French, to broaden your theme. You may proceed with the remainder of the party preparations after deciding the kind of food your guests will like the best.
2. Send invitations
Sending out Friendsgiving invitations after you’ve arranged the ideal event is a terrific way to get your other close friends excited about the occasion. When deciding on a date for the party, consider when it would be most convenient for you and your friends.
There are no rules regarding when your Friendsgiving must occur, so you may host it whenever it is most convenient for your group. Friendsgiving gatherings are often held the weekend before Thanksgiving or the day after the holiday. If you know some of your friends will not spend Thanksgiving with their families, you may even hold it on Thanksgiving Day. Friendsgiving the day after Thanksgiving has the potential disadvantage of some guests still being with their families. One perk is that everyone can recycle their Thanksgiving leftovers, streamlining preparations.
3. Assign different dishes based on personality or cooking skills
Although our love for our friends is unconditional, we can see their strengths and shortcomings. It is your responsibility as a Friendsgiving host to ensure that everyone can participate in a manner that makes the most of their particular strengths. Using sign-up sheets is a good initial step in the meal preparation process, but don’t be afraid to take responsibility and designate certain items to specific friends.
If you have friends with a history of being late for every occasion, don’t put them in charge of delivering the snacks or other things required to get the party started. To be safe, request that they bring side dishes and dessert. Friends who are even less reliable may feel they are helping the party’s preparation by agreeing to bring non-essential goods such as different varieties of Pepsi. Still, no one will notice if they forget.
Friends who dislike cooking, aren’t very skilled at it, or don’t have the time to produce a sophisticated cuisine owing to their hectic schedules can be assigned to bring something easy. Wine and pastry products from the shop, such as bread and cupcakes, are always appreciated.
4. Review the final meal plan to check for allergies and food preferences
You should complete your meal plan when everyone, including your vegetarian friends, has had an opportunity to study the sign-up sheet. At this stage, every guest should have access to at least four distinct dishes that they may comfortably enjoy, regardless of dietary restrictions or preferences. If you notice any problems with your meal plan, you should immediately contact the appropriate parties. This will place them where they can adjust to changes with little stress. If you are unsure about your meal plan, don’t hesitate to seek the honest advice of people with specific dietary requirements. They’ll appreciate it if you include them in your planning.
5. Do thorough planning
You won’t be able to throw the best party ever if you don’t leave yourself enough time to complete each item on your party checklist. One of the most typical mistakes hosts make during a Friendsgiving meal is failing to allow the turkey to defrost or cook for an adequate amount of time. If you are in charge of the main course, you owe it to your visitors to ensure it is prepared to the highest standards.
If you allow yourself enough time to prepare, you can concentrate on other chores on the day of the party. In the days leading up to the celebration, the table may be set, the home can be cleaned, and food can be purchased. If you accomplish most of your work ahead of time, it will be much easier to concentrate on getting ready and finishing any last-minute preparations before everyone else arrives.
6. Make your home cozy and inviting
While shopping, pick up items in red, yellow, orange, or any warm hue for your home. These autumn colors may make your house look even more hospitable and give your party room a more lively appearance.
An appreciation board is one of the perfect Friendsgiving decorations since it is entertaining and functional. You might urge your guests to jot down something they are grateful for by posting a thankfulness board in a high-traffic area of your party and writing a humorous or meaningful Friendsgiving note.
7. Send thank you cards
Because Thanksgiving is a time to give gratitude, finishing your Friendsgiving event with heartfelt thank you notes to your visitors seems appropriate. Using a template, you can easily create and send customized online thank you messages to your friends. The main point of the collage might be an image of the thankfulness board or a photograph of you and your friends.
Final thoughts
While organizing any party may be difficult, the result is worth it when you spend time with your friends over a wonderful dinner. The tips shared in this post will help guide you on how to host a great party with friends. And if your Friendsgiving feast is a hit, you may want to make it an annual event.
Any event is much more fun to organize when you have a comfortable home where it’s nice to invite friends to. When you’re looking for student housing, look no further than Student.com. We list housing in dozens of cities across the United States and hundreds across the world. So make sure to check out our student housing options!
