Though it wasn't until 1863 that Thanksgiving was proclaimed a holiday by good ol' honest Abe, the first "Thanksgiving" was actually celebrated in 1621 by Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians. The colonists hosted it and invited the Indians (who had shown them how to survive) as a way to show thanks for the successful crop and essentially the remaining population's survival.

Fast forward to 2016 and Thanksgiving is less about successful crop for many of us. But in all honesty, for millennial's of the US, much of the anticipation towards Thanksgiving has shifted to the food and the party as opposed to actually taking a second to appreciate what you have and 'giving thanks'.

But this is changing with the growing popularity of 'Friendsgiving."

What Is 'Friendsgiving?'

Friendsgiving is essentially another 'Thanksgiving', but it is put on and shared between friends usually before "actual" Thanksgiving occurs. Friendsgiving seems to be sitting well with millennials because it's something of their own that they can organize themselves and later be proud of and thankful for not only setting it up but having the great people in their lives to share it with in the first place.

Though everybody loves the traditional family Thanksgiving. Friendsgiving for millennials (especially college students) is interestingly far more similar to the first Thanksgiving that occurred in 1621, and for several reasons:

1. You Probably Have Experienced A "Famine"

At some point (like the colonists) it is inevitable that you ran out of food for an extended amount of time. Whether that be from lack of time to go or lack of means to get there. It's something every college student experiences. For many of us college has shown us what it's like to have to eat dry cereal for dinner on occasion. But it's also shown us appreciation for a good hot meal when it presents itself. Friendsgiving is one of those times like (like the colonists) we fully appreciate sitting down and sharing a bountiful dinner with good friends.

2. You're Just Figuring It All Out

In college you're all kinda swimming around figuring things out as they come along. Friendsgiving is a good time to put those new cooking skills to the test.

3. College Campus's Experience Plagues Too

Like the colonists, college students tend to get knocked down by plague like illnesses from time to time. Plague season for both of us hits when the weather gets cold and we confine ourselves indoors. Contagion has never been as real for us as it is during the college years. So making it to Friendsgiving for us is truly reason to cheers good health!

4. The Guests Are A Little More Random

With regular Thanksgiving, it's probably pretty traditional and you know pretty much exactly who will be there (which is awesome!) But more comparable to the first Thanksgiving is again: Friendsgiving. In college friends of friends quickly become mutual friends and everyone is happy and willing to extend the Friendsgiving circle. It's a mix and match kind of an event but it always works out well!

5. You Are A Survivor

So, you can't consider yourself one of the minority who literally survived the winter still on the ship that came to Plymouth Rock. HOWEVER, Thanksgiving falls shortly after midterms, so if you're at the table you survived the academic trauma- and that's something to be happy about on it's own! (At least until finals).

Hope you have a great 'Friendsgiving!"