How to Host a Fun Friendsgiving

Entertaining season is officially open! With Thanksgiving just around the corner, now is a good time to start thinking about how to celebrate with your favorite people.

Friendsgiving is the perfect excuse to gather your closest friends around the table. Many people choose to get together a week or two before Thanksgiving, particularly if they’re also celebrating with family, while others prefer to host after the holidays, when the festive rush has settled down. Whenever you choose to celebrate – and however many friends you invite – here are our top tips for making your Friendsgiving feel effortlessly fun, memorable and stylish.

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Step 1: Plan Ahead

It pays to start planning your party a few weeks in advance. The more you can organize ahead of time, the more relaxed you’ll feel when the big day arrives.

Start by writing your guest list and make sure it’s a realistic number for your space. Around 6-12 guests is a fun, manageable number for a lively gathering.

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Step 2: Send Out Your Invitations

Once you’ve settled on your guest list and location, it’s time to send out the invitations. Choose customizable digital invitations for an easy way to get everyone excited.

If you’re inviting a group of close friends who live nearby, you’re likely to have a great turnout – so make sure everyone gets the date in their calendar.

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Step 3: Make It a Potluck

Once you know who’s coming, organize a potluck and divvy up the menu. Ask each guest to bring one dish, drink or dessert. It’s a great way to lean into everyone’s strengths: keen bakers can claim the pumpkin pie, while veggie enthusiasts can get creative with seasonal sides. Green bean casserole, anyone?

And don’t forget the drinks. Is someone a talented mixologist or a wine connoisseur? Put their skills to good use!

Make sure you check for any food allergies, dietary restrictions and preferences when planning the menu, too. Potluck example:

You, the host: Turkey, gravy, and perhaps one signature side
Friend 1: Mashed potatoes
Friend 2: Stuffing
Friend 3: Green bean casserole
Friend 4: Cranberry sauce
Friend 5: Dinner rolls
Friend 6: Pumpkin pie
Friend 7: Another dessert
Friend 8: A salad or seasonal vegetable dish
Friend 9: Wine or a festive drink
Friend 10: Non-alcoholic drinks, such as sparkling cider

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Step 4: Choose Your Theme

With the guest list and menu sorted, you can have some fun with your theme.

Go classic and embrace the Thanksgiving spirit with playful turkey-themed plates, tableware, and decorations. Or take things in a more timeless direction with an elegant color palette and beautiful details that reflect your personal style.

Whether your friends are all about a traditional Thanksgiving or prefer something a little more unexpected, make the celebration feel like you.

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Step 5: Style the Table

This is what can transform a good Friendsgiving into an unforgettable one: the tablescape.

Think eye-catching details and a sense of warmth.

You want guests to feel relaxed and welcomed as soon as they walk through the door but also delighted by all the thoughtful touches you’ve put into the celebration. Try fun, personalized turkey-themed place cards, beautiful napkins, statement tableware and adorable crackers, part of our new collaboration with designer John Derian, to give every place setting a little extra personality.

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Step 6: Plan Some Games

You’re celebrating with friends, after all, so a few light-hearted games are always a good idea. They give the party a little focus, get everyone laughing and are especially useful for breaking the ice if not everyone knows each other.

Stick to crowd-pleasing games everyone already knows, from Pictionary and charades to classic card games like Uno. Hosting a kid-friendly Friendsgiving? Download our free, easy-to-follow Thanksgiving printables. From Thanksgiving Bingo to fun conversation starters, these seasonal activities are designed to get the whole table involved.

Step 7: Create a Drinks Station

Welcome your guests with a beautifully styled drinks table stocked with a good mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Add plenty of ice, inspiring glassware, festive drinks and jugs or carafes of water so everyone can help themselves throughout the evening.

Top tip: A selection of different colored paper cups is a clever way to serve water while keeping the washing-up to a minimum. Even better, guests can choose a color and easily keep track of their drink all evening.

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Step 8: Sit Back, Relax & Enjoy

You’ve planned the menu, styled the table, stocked the drinks and added all those special little touches. Now it’s time to do the most important thing of all: enjoy yourself!

As the host, it’s easy to get caught up in making sure everything is perfect, but Friendsgiving is about spending time together. Once your guests arrive and everyone has a drink in hand, give yourself permission to step away from the kitchen, sit down at the table and join the fun.

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