7 Ways To Do Friendsgiving Right | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

7 Ways To Do Friendsgiving Right

Eat as much as you want without judgment, forget about college for a while, play some games, and enjoy Friendsgiving with those friends you're most thankful for.

66
7 Ways To Do Friendsgiving Right
chasingmyextraordinary.com

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.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196679
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18715
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460770
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28249
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments