Thanksgiving is a traditional celebration to express our gratitude for all the blessings we have been given in our life. As we all know, this occasion is generally observed with a gathering of all the nearest and dearest and indulging in a sumptuous feast (especially turkey). This is an occasion to bring friends and family together for a fun and fulfilling time. And Friendsgiving is the same thing with just your close circle of friends. But as with any other party, things get slightly trickier if you are the one hosting the feast for the fated day. How to throw an exciting Friendsgiving party for your extended circle of fun-loving and hyper friends? How to make sure they enjoy their time at the feast to the fullest?
Nothing captures the spirit of the season like spending time with the people you love, whether you're planning an extravagant dinner party with lovely table settings and Thanksgiving favors or an intimate lunch with some of the closest few. Don't let the fact that you are hosting Thanksgiving stress you out or diminish the joy of the occasion. We're here to offer you Friendsgiving party ideas and party planning advice as you master the art of hosting a Friendsgiving feast. Additionally, now is a terrific time to start distributing your holiday greeting cards for Thanksgiving.
-
Send Out Invitation Cards:
There is nothing sweeter and more welcoming than sending out actual invitation cards to your guests. In a digital world where people just make do with emails or texts, the value of a tangible card increases even more. And if the cards are also handmade by you? Each of your guests is bound to feel extra special. Even if you are not exactly great at the DIY department, your friends will still appreciate the time and effort you put into the card-making task. So what are you waiting for? Take out some paper and colored pens to get to making the personalized cards!
-
Set Up Some Place Cards:
This is another DIY option to spruce up your party decor in a pocket-friendly way. Make some cute place cards with colorful motifs, and the name of each guest and set them up on the tables. They make sure your friends know where they should be sitting and they also work as eye-catching decorations. If making all these cards by yourself seems daunting, you can always purchase editable place cards readily available in the market.
-
Ask the Guests to Bring Appetizers: Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving is all about meeting all your loved ones and spending some quality time with them. And when you are busy preparing the turkey for the huge feast, delegate the task of arranging appetizers to your friends who will be coming to the party. Ask each of them to bring a favorite dish of their choice and you will have plenty of appetizers to munch on before the main course. You can even ask them to bring drinks and other ingredients you may need for the party.
Believe it or not, your guests will be happy to contribute and you will be less likely to be stressed over cooking every dish. Thanksgiving potluck is the best way to celebrate this occasion without spending a huge fortune.
-
Arrange Plenty Amount of Drinks: No adult party is ever complete without drinks. There is nothing like letting yourself loose while sipping on some delicious cocktails or gulping down shots of alcohol. So no matter if you are arranging the Friendsgiving party at a lavish venue or in the backyard of your home, prepare a bar counter to serve drinks for your guests. There are many fall-themed drinks you can add to the menu. You can go for classic red sangria or a pumpkin pie martini. And don't forget to keep some beverages for your friends who don't drink alcohol!
-
Prepare a Dessert Bar: Along with a drink counter, it will be a brilliant idea to arrange a table to act as a dessert bar as well. Because sweets are something that most people love. A good assortment of desserts is a good way to win brownie points from your guests. Ice cream is no doubt the most popular dessert. You can also arrange pies, brownies, cookies, and cakes. As for the appetizers, you can always ask for contributions from your guests if you want to balance your budget.
-
Take out the Classy Dinnerware: These special occasions are exactly the time of the year when you should be taking out your favorite dinnerware to serve the guests in style. Decorate the tables with all the classy silverware you own. You can also go for gorgeous ceramic utensils. This beautiful handmade Ceramic Tagine will complement your tablescape wonderfully and will work great to serve food to your guests.
-
Amp up Your Tablescape: During the Friendsgiving party, your tables are the place where guests will be spending most of their time. So make sure you are making it party-ready. Place attention-grabbing centerpieces, cute coasters, and artfully presented napkins. Your guests will appreciate all these little details.
Our recommendation:
-
Light Up the Venue: Lights are something that brightens up a place both literally and figuratively. Pretty lights can instantly set the mood of the party wherever you want. So decorate your home (or the party venue) with some beautiful string lights. You can also light up candles in your living room with the help of these Crystal Lotus Tea Light Candle Holders. They are perfect decorations for a Friendsgiving bash.
-
Decorate the Entryway: When you want to host a perfect Friendsgiving and impress your guests, then decorating only the living room or dining room is not enough. Pay attention to the entryway as well. Because as the saying goes 'First impressions matter.' You can hang up a quirky party banner. Or spruce it up with dense fall foliage to keep the seasonal vibe going. And if you are in the mood for something a bit fancy, then check out this magnificent Zellige Water Fountain that will surely leave a lasting impression on the guests' minds.
-
Play Some Games: You need some fun activities planned for your guests so they don't feel bored in your Friendsgiving feast. And what can be more entertaining than indulging in some exciting party games? Classic board games are always a hit among friends. Or drinking games such as 'beer pong' or 'never have I ever' to keep your guests adequately engaged while you prepare to serve the dinner.
-
Hand Out Party Favors: When you are hosting a thanksgiving aka a Friendsgiving celebration, giving out some party favors becomes a custom according to traditions. It's also a sweet way to show your gratitude to all your friends. You can give small bottles of alcohol, wine glasses, chocolates, etc. These funky little wine corks can be an interesting Thanksgiving favor.
-
Express Your Gratitude: Among all other preparation, don't forget the most important thing about Thanksgiving. That is expressing your gratitude to others around you. Set up a bulletin board and distribute pen and paper to everyone. And ask everyone to write down about things or people they are grateful for. And then pin the papers on the board to make a cute and valuable display out of it.