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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.

As soon as Halloweekend comes to an end, I immediately begin to get into the Thanksgiving and Christmas mood. While I am definitely more of a Christmas girl, I always love Thanksgiving because of the family time and general gratitude. And of course, you can not forget watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a staple in my family. Although there are many amazing aspects to this holiday, one of my favorite traditions is Friendsgiving. 

In case you aren’t familiar with Friendsgiving, it is simply a gathering of friends where everyone brings a favorite dish and enjoys their time together. Whether that be a traditional Thanksgiving feast or even just a pizza, it is time to see your friends and remember how grateful you are for each and every one of them. 

Although I have been doing this tradition for a few years now, being away from home makes it so much more special this year. As I get to the end of my first semester of college, I have realized how much I have missed my friends from home. So, as soon as we suggested a Friendsgiving this year, I was incredibly excited to be able to spend time with them all together again. 

The best thing about Friendsgiving is the variety of food that my friends always choose to bring. Some of my favorites that my friends usually bring include empanadas, flan, musubi, and stuffing. It is the best opportunity to really reconnect with my friends and learn about their new lives. With the majority of my friends at other colleges, I can’t wait to hear about their different experiences! 

For those who are unsure about what you could bring to a Friendsgiving, I have many ideas! If you’re going the “traditional” route, things like stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, or green beans would all be great options. If your friends’ gathering is more “bring a favorite dish”, as mine is, I would recommend bringing a dish that means something to you! A dish that has cultural or traditional significance to your holidays is also really special. I love getting to share in other people’s traditions in that way. In my family, we have noodles every Thanksgiving, which is a German tradition. While I have not heard about many others celebrating in this way, it is very special to me and I like sharing that with others. Another great idea for a fun and easy Friendsgiving is to have a charcuterie night. With this, people could bring various boards such as a sweet board, a salty board, and even a drink board. Honestly, just get creative with your recipes and it will be so fun to see what everyone decides to create!  

No matter what kind of food you bring, I hope this inspires you to have your own version of Friendsgiving, even if it is just you and a bestie getting together for a meal. Sharing your gratitude and love is always special and important, especially on Thanksgiving!

Claire Stevens is a second-year writer for the TAMU chapter of Her Campus. As executive of the PR committee, she works with others to create merchandise designs, write press releases, and hand out brand samples. Her writing covers the college experience, music, podcasts, and everything in between. Aside from her time devoted to Her Campus at TAMU, Claire is a sophomore Business major at Texas A&M. She has worked various jobs over the years, with her favorite being a barista for a small, family-owned coffee shop in her hometown of Allen, Texas. This experience has cultivated a passion and developed many thoughts on all things coffee and tea related! Because of this, she has many opinions on various coffee and tea beverages. Claire plans to have a business career, but her dream job is owning her own coffee/book shop! In her free time, Claire enjoys reading, going on walks with her dog, spending time with her friends, and checking out unique coffee shops with her mom. She is absolutely obsessed with Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo, and, when not listening to music, can frequently be found watching Gilmore Girls or Friends.