Why You Should Celebrate Friendsgiving This Year: 5 Fun Ideas

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Thanksgiving might get all the media hype as the kickoff to the holiday season. However, there’s the formal turkey dinner and more relaxed, casual ways to celebrate with those you hold dear.

Friendsgiving is one such modern development offering. It’s a true “Festivus,” either as a replacement to the traditional turkey gathering or an adjacent and more relaxing after-party. Here’s why you should celebrate it this year and tips for planning your event. 

What Is Friendsgiving? 

Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings. While it can be pleasantly nostalgic, it can also be painful for those who have lost relatives they love or feel estranged from their family of origin. 

Let’s face it — you can’t choose your family. You might love your Uncle Steve but despise his habit of going on heated political rants during your traditional Thanksgiving meal — especially amid a contentious election year. Fewer gravy boats fly at Friendsgiving celebrations where everyone agrees on the basic ground rules instead of relying on “blood” to bring them together. 

Friendsgiving is typically as it sounds — a gathering with friends. You decide who gets an invite, which may or may not include members of your gene pool. It’s your chance to express gratitude for those folks whose presence enriches your life and shows your thankfulness by celebrating together. 

Is Friendsgiving a Replacement for Thanksgiving? 

Friendsgiving can be an adjunct to traditional Thanksgiving celebrations or a replacement for them. There are no formal rules to follow — that’s why it’s so much fun.

Your Friendsgiving may or may not feature a feast, although many do. You might do a formal sit-down meal or a potluck. It all depends on the vibe you wish to create. The right theme makes your Friendsgiving extra special. 

5 Fun Friendsgiving Ideas to Celebrate With Your Crew 

Friendsgiving can be much more than a gathering for a meal, even if good grub is one of the highlights. Here are five theme ideas to make your holiday extra bright. 

1. The Big Game 

For many sports fans, Thanksgiving means football — and Friendsgiving means you can go all out in your fandom. With three big games this year, you can plan hours of festivities around your favorite big screen. 

Tickets are expensive, but tailgating is far less so if you live near a venue. However, keep in mind that some stadiums allow this activity only in select parking locations, so arrive early to secure the best spot. Alternatively, you can tailgate at home. You may have a projector that lets you take the viewing experience outdoors, making it feel more authentic — albeit easier to head inside and warm up. 

Invite a spirit of friendly rivalry by setting up bets, which need not entail money. For example, the losing side could handle cleanup duty. Maybe you can even find some team-oriented coloring books and let the youngest Friendsgiving folks compete to see who can stay inside the lines the best. Other games, like cornhole, keep things festive, even for those who don’t care who wins the big game. 

2. Potluck With Personality

While traditional Thanksgiving features the same dishes every year, you can get creative with your Friendsgiving menu. You can keep it seasonal but make the meal more inclusive with something like vegan pumpkin gnocchi. Hit the farmer’s market to find fresh, in-season produce that can inspire your meal.

You can also make your party a multicultural feast. You and your friends can make recipes to appreciate each other’s cultures. Complete the meal with a seasonal cocktail, like this Spiked Apple sake-based drink. Going beyond the typical American recipes will spice up the holiday and allow you to try something new. 

3. Costume Party

One day of Halloween simply isn’t enough for some folks. If you’re among them, extend the costume party fun to your Friendsgiving celebration. 

A contest is a fun way to get people in the mood to dress a bit crazy. Consider a small prize for the most elaborate, funny and creative costumes. Include other fall activities that aren’t too spooky, such as bobbing for apples. If you and your crew don’t mind a scare or two, you could compile a scary movie lineup or even go on a ghost hunt. 

4. Slumber Party 

Adult sleepovers can be every bit as fun as the ones you had as a kid. Plus, you don’t have to worry about driving if anyone in your crew accidentally overindulges a bit. 

Another benefit of slumber parties? Pajamas! You can come dressed in your coziest pair, even a pair of footie pajamas with rabbit ears straight out of “A Christmas Story.” 

Make plenty of popcorn and have the board games and must-see binge show you and your crew have been dying to see ready on deck. Transform your living room into a blanket fort, and stay up as late as you like. 

5. Giving Back 

The holiday season is a festive time of year for many, but not for everyone. If you and your crew have an altruistic bent, why not make your Friendsgiving a celebration of giving back? 

This idea works particularly well if you host your event on a day other than Thanksgiving. Many food banks have all the volunteers they need on the holiday itself but struggle the rest of the year. For example, the Los Angeles food bank alone feeds over 300,000 hungry people each month and always needs folks to sort and deliver donations. 

Of course, food isn’t the only way you can use your Friendsgiving celebration to give back. You could also: 

• Get some grabbers and trash bags and clean up a local park.
• Help out at — or run in — a local Turkey Trot that benefits charity.
• Donate blood together. You can find places to do so throughout the holiday season, including Thanksgiving Day, in many locations. 

Celebrate Friendsgiving This Year 

Friendsgiving can be the perfect antidote to Thanksgiving celebrations you look forward to with mixed feelings. They’re also an ideal substitute for more traditional festivities. Make your harvest as unique as your crew with these fun ideas for a fabulous holiday.