Friendsgiving is all fun and games until you’re blowing $60 on decorations no one notices, and food no one eats. And even worse, finals are in a week. You shouldn’t have to decide between packing the food, and letting the leftovers rot in your dorm fridge. Try out these tips to keep Friendsgiving fun, and stress-free instead.
Friendsgiving has become a sacred tradition of the modern age. Especially during college, when it’s so many people’s first time away from home. It’s hard to be away from your family and typical traditions. And Friendsgiving is the perfect answer to those homesick woes.
Or, at least, it seems like it. You wouldn’t think it’d be that hard to plan one dinner for a group of friends, but damn if college kids don’t make it feel like rocket science.
College Friendsgivings tend to fall into one of two categories: over-planned or under-planned. There’s either way too much food, or barely any utensils. And you better believe 3–4 people will drop out last minute. Leaving one thankless person to pick up everyone’s slack.
It’s miserable, and the exact opposite of what you need before you go home for break. But it shouldn’t have to be. We’ve walked on the moon, we can host a fun dinner party without losing it. Probably.
At the very least, these tips and tricks will make it easier.
Prep
This is the stage most people biff.
It’s not your fault—I’m not expecting you to think when finals are in 2 weeks. All I’m saying is 20 minutes of planning now, will save you 1 week of stress later. That’s just math.
The minute your friend group says they want to do Friendsgiving, just hop over to Google forms. Technology has made it easier than ever to quickly get RSVPs from people. Can you believe you used to have to go to everyone individually? Now, you can just make a Google form, add a section for any dishes people might want to bring, and drop it in the group chat. Easy-peasy. 5 minutes and you’re done.
If you can scroll TikTok for 20 minutes, you can make a Google form for 5.
And if you want to get really fancy with it, just go over to Canva. They’ve got tons of simple templates, so you can make a nice “Formerly invited” header for the form.
Getting people to commit to dishes, or types of dishes, is essential at this stage. It decreases the likelihood of someone bailing last minute.
Once you know how many people are coming, you can also figure out if you have enough dishes and utensils for everyone. There is nothing more embarrassing than sitting down with everyone, only to realize you own 2 plates, a bowl, and 1 cup. Plastic utensils are fine and efficient, but if you’re going to do disposable plates, spend extra on the plastic ones. You do not want people’s food soaking through to your table.
Setting the Friendsgiving mood
There is no reason to be going crazy with the decorations for Friendsgiving. Especially in a dorm. Be honest with yourself—are you really going to clean it all up before break? Will you even have the time to set up? Unless you know you’re going to have help, don’t bother with the TikTok decor trends.
The only decor trends I approve of, are the ones that are activities at the party. These turkey buzz balls, for example, are adorable and serve a vital function.
I would, however, avoid trends that are fun in theory, and a pain in the ass in practice. You’ve probably seen the turkey garlands with the faces of friends over them.
Absolutely fun and cute. But you will not catch me individually cutting out a bunch of turkeys and printing out people’s photos for a gag that will sit in the background all night.
Your time is much better spent on creating the “Friendsgiving ambiance.” Break out that fall candle that you’ve been holding on to. Turn off the cursed big light, and bring out all your warm, moody lamps. Take out the JBL, and put on a light and jazzy fall mix. (Personally, I recommend Cab Calloway’s discography if you want to make it classy.)
If you really want to splurge on anything, get yourself a table cloth or runner. Get things that will help you show off the main attraction: the food. Sometimes I’ll go to Dollar Tree or Five Below, and get some (relatively) nice platters or tiered serving treys. These are things that elevate the experience, and are reusable for multiple occasions.
Appetizers
Ideally, the burden of food will be shared by everyone in the friend group. But, it’s not bad to come prepared with a couple of things.
My go-to fancy(ish) appetizer for events, is a garlic & herb goat cheese drizzled with spiced honey over either bread or crackers. It takes virtually no culinary skills to make, is surprisingly cheap, and takes at most 10–15 minutes to prepare.
Decadent. Beautiful. Easy. Delicious. What more could you ask for from an appetizer?
All you have to do is pick up some nice goat cheese, (I grabbed mine from Roche Bros for less than $6), and spread it on some crackers or bread. The first time I did this, I toasted some leftover challah, but Club crackers work just as well in a pinch. Then put some honey in a pot, and warm it up while adding cayenne to get your spiced honey. Drizzle the honey on the cheese while it’s hot, and it will harden into a sweet and spicy candy that pairs perfectly with the cheese.
Actually heavenly experience, that will make your family and friends proud of you.
Drinks
I feel like most college dinner parties forget the crucial element of drinks. Water and soda in plastic cups is not cute. But crazy cocktails are also way too much work. I have two quick and easy drink options to elevate your Friendsgiving meal.
Number 1 is a classic that’s perfect for literally any faux-fancy occasion: Martinelli‘s.
I could wax poetic about my love of Martinelli’s, but I fear this would become a different article. It’s been there from day one, and it continues to be there whenever I need it. Skip the 2-liter of soda, and let Martinelli’s take you away.
But if you want a hot drink option, I cannot recommend apple cider enough. Get a big jug, heat it on the stove (or in the microwave, I won’t tell), put in a little cinnamon and it’s autumn perfection.
Another simple and easy drink, that hits right, every time. And hey, you can even throw in a little Fireball or bourbon if you want to make it spicier. I’m not your parent. Just don’t overdo it—if you want a night to remember, you should be sober enough to remember it.
Entrées
The entrées are the primary reason for that Google form, from earlier. Ideally, there should be one entrée, for every 2–3 people. There is nothing more awkward than sitting around a dinner table while trying to find a place to order from, because there’s not enough food for everyone.
Entrées don’t have to be complicated. The best tactic is to forget about the traditional Thanksgiving spread of turkey and mashed potatoes, and just focus on categories of food.
There should be a main protein, some greens, and some dairy/grains. That could mean turkey and green bean casserole, but that could also mean KBBQ, fried veggies and rice, and mac and cheese. There are no rules to this. Personally, I think Friendsgiving is at its best when it’s a true potluck. Just people bringing whatever they do best, whether that’s home cooked chicken pasta, or a pizza they picked up on the way. The surprise is part of the fun.
My favorite version of Friendsgiving, actually takes place after Thanksgiving. Where everyone brings back the leftovers they have from break, and compile it into one beautiful dinner.
Desserts
Pie is a Thanksgiving classic, but it’s not exactly the most convenient for a dorm situation. They’re hard to fit in the mini-fridge, and require an additional plate and fork for everyone, which is either more dishes or more money.
As a born-and-raised New Englander, might I humbly suggest the apple cider donut instead.
They come in packs of 6–12, are handheld, and scream Autumn. Just heat them up a bit, and they’re melt in your mouth goodness. And, if you have the extra cash to spend, they pair perfectly with some vanilla ice cream. Truly, the perfect conclusion to a Friendsgiving meal.
Friendsgiving Activities
The type of Friendsgiving activity that will be perfect for you, is highly dependent on the vibes of your friend group. If you know you’re a bunch of yappers, then there’s no reason to bother with party games or entertainment. But, if you know people will want to watch something, make sure you prepare it in advance.
It is miserable sitting around for an hour while trying to decide what everyone wants to watch. Make sure you have a movie locked and loaded. Or, if you don’t want the burden of that on you, make it a YouTube show-and-tell session. Some of my best memories are sitting around as everyone shows a couple of videos they love.
Whatever you do, tailor it to your group. You know your friends best. And if you are the type to love party games, there are a litany of fun (and cheap) options on TikTok. Just remember: the simpler, the better. Unless all your friends are already familiar with the rules, complicated games aren’t worth it.
The perfect Friendsgiving
At the end of the day, the perfect Friendsgiving is the one that makes your friends forget the stresses of life. Not the one that creates more stress. If you always remember that, no matter what you do, you’ll have a good time. But it doesn’t hurt to stay on the lookout for methods to keep it in budget. The winter holidays are right around the corner, after all.
