Host the Ultimate Friendsgiving!

You may not be able to have family with you this year, but if you have close friends, then still
celebrate with a “Friendsgiving!”

Friendsgiving?
Yes, exactly like Thanksgiving, but only with friends in attendance.

And to help you along, here are some steps to ensure your Friendsgiving is a roaring success.

Step 1-
Create a to-do list!
The week before…
invite guests
Decide who’s cooking what or who’s bringing what
Get your plates and cutlery together

The day before or the day of…
Cook turkey and sides, green beans, gravy and stuffing.
Set the table and other decorations
Play music and find things like T.V. shows or games you want to play.

Step 2-
Invite Friends-
You can host this event before or after Thanksgiving. Invite co-workers,
or members from your gym or your fellow church members.

Step 3-
Try New Recipes-
You may want turkey, but you can also try new and unusual recipes.
Recipes like- cranberry doughnuts, or pumpkin pizza or even apple cider
drinks.

Step 4-
Make It Potluck-
If you’re concerned about the turkey and stuffing, then you should prepare it,
but as for the sides, ask your friends. If someone is good at cranberry sauce,
ask him or her, if someone makes a delicious pie, ask him or her to bring that
to get-together.
And for friends who don’t cook, ask him or her to bring something other that
food like board games or music.
And lastly, give friends an assignment, someone in charge of the coats,
music, drinks or games.

Step 5-
Tend The Bar-
If you’re serving alcohol, try fall-flavored beers, ales and other types of drinks.
Some to try:
Abita Pecan Harvest Ale
Maple Brown Ale
Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic
And if you need a good fall-flavored margarita, here’s one…
Apple Cider Margarita!
Ingredients:
2 cups of apple cider (not vinegar)
2 cups of margarita mix
1 cup of gold tequila
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 green apple, thinly sliced
8 cinnamon sticks
To make:
In pitcher, combine first 4 ingredients. Pour into ice-filled glasses;
garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Enough for 8 servings.

Step 6-
Create Some Memories-
If the traditional floral centerpieces are bland and blah, create something new
and unusual like real or faux baby pumpkins and have markers at each
place setting. Guests can decorate the pumpkins in between servings
and take them home as party favors.
Or print out photos of all the friends in attendance (extra points if they’re
making silly faces) and slip them into inexpensive frames.
Or fill a bowl with goofy headbands and funny hats (think pilgrims,
or feathered headdresses or all ears) that guests can wear during the meal.

Step 7-
Pump Up The Jams-
Get the party started with all-American tunes and stay away from the music
that may cause divisions, (offensive rap or hard rock) and bring out the
board games like Yahtzee, Boggle or Uno. And if you’re a fan of the television
classic “Friends- look for the episodes that center around Thanksgiving.
Look for The One Where Underdog Gets Away/ from the first season, or the one
starring Brad Pitt, The One With The Rumor, season 8 or the one from the last season-
called The Late Thanksgiving, you can watch these episodes after dinner and the
dishes are done.

That’s it- A simple guide to hosting a Thanksgiving-themed party just for your friends.

Good Luck, Good Eating and Good Health!

Sources:
* Living Well Magazine
Taste of Home Magazine
* Real Simple Magazine
* Southern Living Magazine
* Former Sitcom Friends NBC Television
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