How to Throw the Best Friendsgiving Party for Your *Chosen* Family

This wonderful time of year is synonymous with pumpkin and apple picking, getting cozy in front of the fire, and of course, Friendsgiving. Friendsgiving is a perfect opportunity to celebrate with your chosen family by giving thanks for the many beautiful things we have in our lives. 

Getting a big group of friends together to give thanks for all the wild nights out, fun memories, love, and support we get from each other all year long is the perfect send-off to the fall season. While it may seem daunting to host a dinner party, it’s actually a great way to show your friends how much you care about them, and with our tips, it doesn’t have to take a lot of work to still have a great time. If you’re planning on hosting this year, see below for no-fail Friendsgiving ideas on everything from food to decorations!

Decor

Since the focal point of Thanksgiving is sitting around the dining room table and well, eating, we suggest starting your decorations there and moving outwards. Thanksgiving centerpieces can range from simple candles to extravagant cornucopias and lush flowers, depending on your personal style! This article from diys.com shows 25 stunning examples of centerpieces you can either throw together in 10 minutes or spend hours working on. How wild you get is totally up to you! 

We’ve been going crazy with pumpkins this year, even post-Halloween! Take a trip to your local pumpkin patch and purchase discounted pumpkins for decorations. Check out ideas for pumpkins as decor from DigsDigs. Not only will they help you spruce up any corner in your home but you can make a homemade pumpkin pie to share with your friends too. Score!

Cocktails

We all love a good cocktail, and no dinner party is complete without them! If you’re trying to capture all the fall vibes in a small glass, nothing compares to the Spiked Pumpkin Spiced Latte—this is hands down a top favorite, and a Friendsgiving must-have.

Other festive options if you’re looking to bring the flavor this Friendsgiving: our yummy Apple Cider Sangria, Sparkling Pear Mimosas, or Caramel Apple Cocktail. You could even try a S’mores Cocktail for dessert!

Food

The main focus when hosting Thanksgiving is, of course, the food (duh), but with a whole group of friends, you don’t have to put all that stress on just you. Create a loose menu, and assign dishes from appetizers to charcuterie and cheese boards to desserts to each friend– don’t forget the cranberry sauce!

We suggest that you, as the host, should provide the turkey for the festivity. Even if you never prepared one before, there’s a first time for everything, and you can find a step-by-step recipe on Food Network to help you master the party. Too nervous to baste your turkey? Make it potluck style, and have all of your besties bring their favorite holiday-themed dish. 

Activities

Once the food has settled, keep the party going with some fun games. You can partake in a crowd-friendly video game like Mario Kart, or you can pull out the old board games that have been collecting dust in your closet for years! You could also play a classic game of touch football if it’s still light out.

Other ideas include watching classic Thanksgiving episodes of your favorite shows (can anyone forget the Friends episode of Monica dancing with the turkey on her head?), decorating cookies or desserts, or sharing your list of what you are thankful for with each other. Let your guests vote on their favorite options, but no matter what you do, the most important thing is spending quality time with your friends on your Friendsgiving day!

Be sure to show us how your Friendsgiving party went on Instagram or TikTok @lulus using #lovelulus–and shop outfit ideas for the framily gathering in our Friendsgiving Shop!

This post was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated with new content.