10 tips for hosting a Friendsgiving dinner
A Friendsgiving celebration brings the traditional components of Thanksgiving to a gathering unique to you and your crew. You can celebrate this less-formal version of Turkey Day anytime in November and with anyone—think friends, coworkers, or your book club. There aren’t any limits on a Friendsgiving guest list!
Honor old traditions while creating your own to make Friendsgiving a memorable—and delicious—holiday experience. From sending Friendsgiving invitations to planning the perfect menu, we’ve gathered the top tips for hosting Friendsgiving.
Table of Contents
1. Choose a date
Choose any date in November to host a Friendsgiving celebration that works for you and your crew, whether it’s a low-key weeknight dinner, a Sunday afternoon brunch, or a weekend evening gathering complete with cocktails. Here are some additional Friendsgiving scheduling tips:
- If you have a standing book club or other regular meetup, consider scheduling your Friendsgiving in place of your usual get-together.
- Hosting on Thanksgiving itself is also an option, especially if you and your friends don’t plan to spend the holiday with family.
- The date and time that works for your group can help inform your next steps. If mornings or early afternoons are the best options, buck tradition and make it a brunch. If everyone agrees on a weekend in the early evening, curate a cocktail hour.
2. Decide on a theme
There are no rules on how to host a Friendsgiving—that’s the fun of it! Make it as unique as your chosen family. Here are some ideas:
- Potluck: Have guests bring their favorite sides, signature dishes, or family favorites. Ask them to bring a recipe card to swap after the table has cleared.
- Movie night: If your book club just finished a book that was adapted into a movie, turn your Friendsgiving into a viewing party. Or binge-watch the newest season of your favorite show. Invite your friends to wear their comfiest clothes and bring their favorite snacks to share.
- Around the world: Select your favorite cuisine from around the world, or have everyone choose their own for a festival of flavors. Match your party décor to the chosen culture or incorporate elements that celebrate specific customs.
- Flashback feast: Step back in time with a Friendsgiving theme from your favorite era. Go retro with ’70s-inspired clothing, tchotchkes, and recipes, or turn on your favorite ’90s shows and enjoy them over a TV dinner.
3. Send invitations
After you set the date, it’s time to assemble your squad. Send Friendsgiving invitations two to four weeks in advance. Paperless Post adds style and ease to the planning process, and you can choose a unique design that perfectly complements your gathering.
- Feature the bounty of the season with a lively print like in “Autumn Foliage” by Mr. Boddington’s Studio, or take a cheery spin on a traditional Thanksgiving motif with “Hologram Shimmer” by Hello!Lucky.
- Craft a Friendsgiving message that hits the mark and gets your guests excited for the occasion.
- Use Guest Questions to ask about dietary preferences or dish contributions for a potluck. Add Guest Tags after sending invitations to categorize guests by their dietary needs or the dish they’re bringing.
- As you near the Friendsgiving date, send broadcast messages with updates or reminders—it’s always appreciated during the busy holiday season!
4. Curate the menu
Planning a Friendsgiving menu is just like crafting a Thanksgiving menu—only friendlier! Make your Friendsgiving a potluck dinner or serve each part of the meal yourself.
- Decide on your main dish, whether it’s a traditional turkey, roasted stuffed acorn squash, or something totally unique—pizza on the grill, barbecue ribs, or a stew brimming with the flavors of the season.
- Plan sides with options that work for everyone, so that vegan friends and kosher co-workers alike can all enjoy. Flavorful vegetables, crisp salads, and comforting carbs like biscuits, rice, or potatoes hit all the right notes.
- If you’re planning a potluck, coordinate with your guests to ensure there’s enough variety.
- Save the best for last with a dessert spread that has something for everyone. Nostalgic classics like pumpkin or apple pie are always appropriate (and easy).
- Tie your dessert course into your dinner theme. Cap an Italian-inspired feast with tiramisu, or finish a backyard barbecue over the fire pit with s’mores or grilled fruit.
5. Create a signature drink
‘Tis the season to celebrate! Create a signature cocktail or mocktail to toast to a Friendsgiving well spent.
- Create batch-friendly drinks, like a cozy hot toddy recipe by Delish or spiked cider by Paper & Stitch—with or without the alcohol.
- If the fall weather is warmer in your neck of the woods, keep it crisp with a refreshing and seasonally-inspired drink like a gin spritz. Toss in a few frozen cranberries and sprigs of rosemary for a botanical touch.
- Let guests showcase their creativity with a drink station. Add spirits, seltzers, fresh citrus, and fragrant herbs so they can create their own signature sips.
6. Set the table
Dinner’s not the only welcome sight in the dining room! Set the table—and the tone—for a warm, inviting atmosphere with fall colors, textures, and accents.
- Layer warm tones of orange, auburn, and gold over a white or cream table covering.
- Set out gold flatware and mix and match glassware for a polished yet casual table setting.
- Include votive candles for added ambiance along with natural elements like miniature pumpkins, pine cones, or fresh flowers.
- Personalize the scene with place cards and a small token for everyone—a handwritten note, bookmark, or miniature candle will surprise and delight your guests.
7. Pick a playlist
Christmas music may get all the glory, but a Friendsgiving playlist can be just as catchy. (Of course, you can always sneak a few Christmas songs in for some early holiday spirit.)
- Select your favorite songs that evoke a friendly, familial feel, like “Autumn in New York” by Billie Holiday or Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Thanksgiving Song.”
- Include sly nods to the occasion with “Stretchy Pants” by Carrie Underwood or “Thank You For Being A Friend” by Andrew Gold.
- Add a playlist link in your Friendsgiving invitation with a Links Block so guests can add their favorite tunes.
8. Plan post-dinner entertainment
After the meal, keep the party going with games! Put friends into competitive teams or make it every person for themselves.
- Classic games like Charades or Pictionary get the creativity and competition flowing, while board games are perfect for a relaxing post-dinner hang.
- Turn your Friendsgiving into a trivia night complete with fun prizes for the winning team. Or, follow the lead from your book club’s last mystery read with a murder mystery party.
- If your crew is crafty, set up a DIY station to paint and decorate miniature pumpkins or make wreaths to take home.
- For a low-key Friendsgiving, cue up a movie night with after-dinner snacks like popcorn and candy. Hand out face masks to encourage relaxation.
9. Share what you’re thankful for
Just because you remove “thanks” from the word doesn’t mean you’re not feeling thankful. Friendsgiving serves as a reminder to tell loved ones how special they are to you.
- Invite guests to write a note of appreciation for each person attending, or add a Comment Wall to your Friendsgiving invitation and ask recipients to leave a note or photos of what they’re thankful for.
- Compile the responses and create a collage of all the notes of gratitude at the gathering. Your guests will leave with smiles on their faces and a lasting memory of the Friendsgiving spent together.
10. Send guests home happy
It’s only right to end Friendsgiving on a thoughtful note. Send guests home with a small gift to take home along with a night full of memories—and a thankful smile.
- Send your guests home with small party favors, such as recipe cards from the meal, a seasonal candle and customized box of matches, or a jar of local honey.
- Snap a few photos during the fête and share them on social media (make sure to tag everyone!) or send them out later as prints.
- Party favors are sure to delight—fall-inspired party crackers contain surprises that keep the party going after guests depart.
Make it an unforgettable Friendsgiving with Paperless Post
With intentional planning and a few thoughtful touches, your Friendsgiving gathering will warm the hearts of each of your guests and leave them with lasting memories. However you approach it, Paperless Post is here to assist. Our stationery-inspired Friendsgiving invitations make guests feel welcome right away—and let you enjoy the company of your nearest and dearest.
Friendsgiving kicks off the holiday season and sets a warm, welcoming tone for the months ahead. Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, Hanukkah celebration, or Christmas party, turn to Paperless Post to elevate any occasion.
Bring your chosen family together for a delicious feast with invitations you can send instantly.
