A FUN & EASY GUIDELINE TO GIVING THANKS WITH YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS
Ok, you’ve spent all year adulting (exhausting, we know). So now’s the perfect time to give yourself the gift of a fun and fab Friendsgiving! Friendsgiving is a Thanksgiving dinner party that swaps all the family drama for a night of fun, food and drinks with your closest friends. It’s a reminder of what really matters during this crazy-busy time of year, and it’s a wonderful start to the Holiday party season. Here’s how to host your own fun and fab Friendsgiving.
CHOOSE A THEME
There’s a lot of ways to have fun here, from a pilgrims and Native Americans theme (remember to keep it respectful), to dressing as your favorite side dish, to the never-out-of-style Ugly Sweater Party. Be sure and search Pinterest for great Thanksgiving, holiday and general theme party ideas, and get your group into the spirit by awarding a special bottle of holiday cheer for the best costume.
HAVE A POTLUCK
If you want to do Friendsgiving like a real boss, delegate. Having a potluck Friendsgiving has a ton of benefits, like making your guests feel included, bringing a wide variety of creative flavors to the table (because everyone brings their A game when their friends are watching, right?) and most importantly… unchaining you from the oven to enjoy that extra glass of wine (or three) with your guests. If you’re more of a hands-on type, you can assign dishes or even create guidelines with a specific theme or cuisine type. This is Friendsgiving… so think outside the turkey.
UP THE BAR
A good host knows their audience, and a good Friendsgiving has a wide variety of drink choices to please every palate. Big reds, crisp whites, trendy microbrews, mimosas, fun cocktails and whiskey all have a seat at the Friendsgiving table. You can even get creative with your own signature cocktail. For a cute twist, tie it into your theme or choose ingredients that represent something special to your friend group, like an inside joke.
BUILD THE PERFECT PLAYLIST
Friendsgiving is about celebrating with friends, so choose a playlist that’s special to you and your crew. If you’re with childhood friends, add a few of those middle school slow jams for some laughs. If you’re with your college crowd, throw in some of those late-night ballads you used to sing along to and start the reminiscing. Balance it out with some modern hits and some holiday classics for the ultimate Friendsgiving playlist. If music is the last thing on your mind, make it simple and search Pandora or Spotify for a Friendsgiving playlist for plenty of great options.
GET CRAFTY
Let’s admit it… one of the best parts of Friendsgiving is showing off your insane crafting skills to all of your friends. It’s a perfect opportunity to craft cute invitations and to-die-for decorations. Place settings, centerpieces, silverware holders, wreaths and message boards are just a few of the fun ways that you can dress up your Friendsgiving. Make it extra special and integrate personal messages that show your guests why you’re thankful to have them as friends.
GIVE BACK
It’s easy to see how lucky you are on a day like Friendsgiving. You’ve been #blessed with great friends and the resources to celebrate them. But a thoughtful and classy touch for any Friendsgiving is to remember those less fortunate and give a little back. Ask each participant for a small donation towards a charity, or make it more meaningful with a cause that’s special to your friend group. Even something as simple as asking your guests to bring a few canned goods for donation to a local food drive can make a difference in someone else’s life.
OUTSOURCE IT
The holidays are hectic, and sometimes you just have to focus on family, career and you. When that’s the case, call House of Blues. Your party is our passion, and we’ll transcend your Friendsgiving vision into reality. You and your friends will experience the very best personalized service from our professional chefs and mixologists in our chic, intimate rooms. Or for a VIP Friendsgiving experience like none other, choose the Foundation Room Club, our premium event space. With 12 U.S. locations, you’re never far from a fun and fab Friendsgiving at House of Blues.
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This year, we’re proud to celebrate 25 years of feeding the hungry with House of Blues Feed the Souls! Every year we open our doors on Thanksgiving Day to thousands of local homeless at select House of Blues locations, for a heartwarming Thanksgiving dinner and a soul-warming live music concert. Read about last year’s Feed the Souls at House of Blues San Diego here! The House of Blues commitment to serving the community will always be a priority.