So eloquently defined by the Urban Dictionary, Friendsgiving is, "The celebration of Thanksgiving dinner with your friends," but all of us who have experienced Friendsgiving know that it's so much more. It's a time where you can eat as much as you want without your Aunt Sally staring at you wide-eyed. It's a gathering of people who already know your major, your current grades, your relationship status, your lack of life plans after graduation, and your financial situation. It's all those people who have been with you through the ups and downs of the semester and who understand the utter exhaustion that is the semester before the holiday break. Friendsgiving is meant to be a time for you and your friends to take a breath, relax, and enjoy each other's presence without an exam or assignment hovering over your head. Because there are no official traditions that come with Friendsgiving, it's a holiday you and your friends can celebrate however you want to. Here are seven ways to make your Friendsgiving the best yet:
1. Keep it Small and Personal
As enjoyable as large parties can be, Friendsgiving is meant to be a time for you and your closest friends to gather around a table and share in food, laughter, and memories. It's easier for everyone to feel comfortable enough to wear their sweatpants, to not put makeup on, and to overall completely be themselves whenever you keep the guest list limited to just your tight-knit group.
2. Customize the Menu to Your Group
Make your menu fit you and your group of friends! There's no pressure for grandma to bring her apple pie or to make sure there's turkey and dressing for Uncle Mike. If there are vegan or vegetarians in your group, have black bean burgers, Pad Thai with tofu, or other special vegetarian dishes. Go gluten-free, have a potluck with all exotic dishes from around the world, have all breakfast foods, or eat nothing but desserts! The menu is for your group to decide, so make it interesting and think outside of the box. Also, be sure to make it a potluck so that no one has all of the expense and pressure on them to provide for the group.
3. Start a New Tradition Together
Traditions are the best part of family, right? Make it a great part of Friendsgiving too. Take the opportunity to brainstorm together and come up with some random, wild, or heartfelt tradition to repeat every year. Inside jokes, new ways to make fun of each other, and bonding is sure to come out of it.
4. Watch the Classics
Whether for background noise or feature entertainment, turn on some of the classics or watch some 'classics' you've never seen before. "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving," "Friends: The One with the Rumor or The One with Thanksgiving Flashbacks," "Miracle on 34th Street" (it's actually about Thanksgiving, not Christmas!), and The New World (a grown-up version of Pocahontas) are all suggestions, but there are plenty more options out there.
5. Say Why You're Thankful for Each Other
Be specific and be honest. Let it be as cheesy as the macaroni, because it's the one time a year you have excuse to tell your friends exactly how much they mean to you with zero awkwardness. On top of saying why you're thankful for each other, say what you're thankful for in life. It brings perspective during the rush of the holidays and the intensity of the last few weeks of the semester.
6. Get out the Cards or Head Outdoors
There is more to life than eating and Netflix. Play a card game of choice-poker, BS, rummy, goldfish-or get out the board games. Life is a fun one to play, because you can relate it to your real life as you play. Charades is a sure way to have everyone laughing. Cards for Humanity seems like a no-brainer; it's definitely not a game you could play anywhere but Friendsgiving, since there's nothing about it that's grandma-approved. If the weather is nice and you didn't eat too much, go outside and throw the football around! Get a game of ultimate Frisbee or cabbage ball going if you aren't football fans.
7. Keep it a School and Judgement-Free Zone
Yeah, you have a short-answer exam the day you get back from Thanksgiving break, but don't bring it up. If anyone else tries to discuss their overwhelming assignment load, shut them down (with love, of course) because this is a day where nothing but 'friends' and 'giving' are allowed. Keep it free of any stress by eliminating talk of finances, relationship issues, grades, professors, finals, or other life pressures. It may seem difficult at first, but it will be completely worth it, when you find yourself truly relaxing and enjoying your friends!
There are so many ways to make Friendsgiving a unique, heartwarming, and relaxing holiday for you and your closest friends to share. Turn on a Thanksgiving Pandora station, make a Pinterest recipe you've been wanting to try, play games like you're kids again, forget about school for an evening, and most of all, remember why you're grateful for your friends as you enjoy Friendsgiving together.
