Family is the central theme for celebrating Thanksgiving, but the reality is not everyone will be able to go home for the holidays. Many college students and young professionals will be stuck having their Thanksgiving dinner among friends, otherwise known as "Friendsgiving." However, this actually isn't so bad! Many Millennials are looking forward to turkey and stuffing without annoying relatives judging or causing tension during the dinner, according to the Los Angeles Times.
If you're hosting a Friendsgiving with your best pals, here are some things to you must keep in mind to make the affair a memorable one:
1) Remember, it's a dinner party, so set it up as one.
Booze is usually overflowing during Friendsgiving, but you have to keep in mind that this is a dinner party first and foremost. Guests will still need to be properly seated at the table, so if there isn't enough space, you can rent tables and folding chairs from local vendors and suppliers. Make sure that you invite enough people only if you can comfortably seat them inside your apartment. You wouldn't want to cram too many guests in a tiny studio.
2) Don't forget the turkey!
This is usually the host's duty, but if you can't cook and none of your friends do, you can order turkey and other meals to go. They can be delivered conveniently to your house, but you can also pick the meals up at the store. Check out The Fresh Market, Piccadilly, Rouses Market and Cajun Grocer for choices, or better yet, check your local restaurants for good deals.
3) Make potluck food interesting.
Friendsgiving is traditionally a potluck dinner, so go ahead and ask your guests to bring their favorite dish. If they can't bring food, assign them to bring the booze and ice. Have a separate table for all the dishes and prepare pieces of paper and pens. Have your friends write the name of their dish with a short description for it. This is great for two reasons: as a conversation starter or to provide information for other guests who could be allergic to certain ingredients in the food.
4) Get creative with your Thanksgiving table.
Set up a casual but creative Thanksgiving table with good plates and utensils. You won't need to have a formal setting and you can score cheap plates and silverware at thrift stores and flea markets. However, say "no thank you" to plastic cups or paper napkins, according to Bon Appetit.
5) Give acknowledgement and recognition to your guests.
For some fun, have a contest or an award after dinner as incentive. Give a prize for the friend who brings the best dish or prepare a loot bag to give to all your guests afterwards. You can fill the goody bags up with small jars of apple or cranberry jam, pumpkin treats, nuts, cookies, a personalized note and a token, as in these samples below:
