That’s right, folks, Thanksgiving is officially here!
Well, maybe not officially, but if you’re like me, you’ve already started planning for that particular day. Whether your traditions include festive dinners or watching the Macy’s Day Parade, there’s always something to look forward to on Thanksgiving. Especially if this is your first year at university and you aren’t visiting home or having family see you, it can be challenging to get through the holidays without some creature comforts from home. I know last year when I was a freshman, I felt incredibly sad at the prospect of not going home in mid-December. That is why I have planned an extensive Thanksgiving and will give you advice on what to do – and more importantly – what not to do to have an stress-free and fun Friendsgiving.
Tip #1 Plan a Good Date
This year, Thanksgiving is on a Thursday and, thus, midweek. Now, if you’re smart, don’t plan your Friendsgiving for that night exactly. Some people won’t want a big night out if they have class the following day. Additionally, many won’t put as much effort into the event if they have other activities going on at the same time. The best idea is to plan your afternoon/evening for the weekend preceding or proceeding Thanksgiving. That gives you Saturday, Nov. 18th, Sunday, Nov. 19th, Saturday, Nov. 25th or Sunday, Nov. 26th to suggest to your friends. On that note, I would offer a poll to see which dates work for the most people. That being said, if you’re working with a bigger group, people will most likely have complications, and I would expect that some people won’t make it. Once a date is worked out, I would send an invitation (or evite) to everyone invited, letting them know the date, time and place. Importantly, ask people to RSVP (a) so you can get numbers and (b) so there are no walk-ins. I would say no to plus-ones for this kind of event unless you know them well (in which case they’re probably already invited). From here, you can make choices depending on what type of event you’re hosting.
Tip #2 Organize
Now, depending on what kind of event you wish to have for Thanksgiving, your organisation works differently. If you’re organising a potluck, then it’s essential to let everyone know what to sign up for. As any American knows, Thanksgiving has a routine menu that must be adhered to, so make sure there’s a Google document or spreadsheet with items written down. Pro tip #1: Don’t forget utensils and plates – sometimes it’s better to use plastic for gatherings. Depending on the number of people, some can do two or three small dishes whilst others do one or two larger ones. Pro-Tip #2: ask people to write down the prices for the items they buy; that way, you can divvy it up afterwards. Also, remember that people from different states have different recipes or dishes native to their state or county, so keep your mind open to a fun All-Americana Thanksgiving. As important as it can be for you to have that one dish that reminds you of home, it’s just as vital for them. If there is anyone in your group who has never celebrated Thanksgiving before, give them a non-regionalized dish. For example, Turkey is pretty worldly, but yams and marshmallows are not. They can also bring drinks instead if they’re perplexed. When I had Friendsgiving last year, we eech got dishes we would have at home, which added to the festivities and made it all the more fun. If you need any ideas, The New York Times, Southern Living and Country Living all provide amazing recipes for Thanksgiving dishes!
Tip #3 Location and Atmosphere
If you’re hosting, you probably have already thought about this, but make sure you have the space for everyone to bring their dishes and sit down. Questions to ask yourself may be: how will you arrange the food? What seating arrangement should we do? Where will people pre-heat their food? This can save time and energy on the day itself if you plan it out beforehand. Will you want people in your kitchen? If not, ask everyone to cook their dishes ahead of time. If you don’t care, can your kitchen handle the number of dishes and people in it? Maybe also think about the decor. Would you like a more festive table? If so, maybe buy a single-use tablecloth and some fall decor. The plus is that you don’t have to worry about your table getting dirty as the tablecloth can be thrown out afterwards. I would also plan a playlist and curate it to fit with Thanksgiving. This could be an instrumental playlist, jazz, Christmas-themed…you get the idea. This adds to the atmosphere – don’t forget a speaker as well!
Tip #4 Plan entertainment and arrival time
What are you going to do while you eat and afterwards? Will you sit around a table and chat? Will you watch a movie, show, or the Macy’s Day Parade (can be watched on NBC or through NBC’s Peacock Platform)? Are there games you would like to play? Or is there dessert for your guests – maybe Pumpkin Pie? These are all great things to figure out ahead of time to make the day itself stress-free. If you’ve done this, you’re more than ready for guests to arrive. When will this be? That is important to figure out as it coincides with when you cook your dish(es). I would have people arrive around 5:00 pm if you’re having dinner and 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm for a late lunch. This gives you time to set up and get everything organised before sitting down to the meal.
Once you’ve done all this, you’re ready for your stress-free Friendsgiving! Enjoy!