There is nothing quite like a wonderful Friendsgiving. Something about sitting around with loved ones, discussing gratitude, brings the whole group closer together. The following Friendsgiving party ideas can elevate your Friendsgiving and make it one to remember!

1. Dress for the Occasion

Set the tone for a cozy evening by encouraging guests to wear festive, fall attire that is appropriate for a dinner party. Fall is the perfect time to break out scarves, tights, and plaid. After all, the clothes people are wearing should complement all of the themes and decorations you choose to include. Whatever you choose for the dress code, though, make sure to include in the invitation. None of the guests should feel out of place or uncomfortable due to their attire.

2. Set the Mood Lighting

Thanksgiving calls for warm lighting to help create a comfortable ambiance that all guests can enjoy. Fall wouldn’t be fall without scented candles and soft lamps that bathe the room in a festive glow.

3. Include a Festive Centerpiece

As opposed to a traditional dinner party, where flowers may be in order, a Thanksgiving-themed centerpiece can serve as a wonderful decoration that sets the mood of the whole room. Centerpieces may include pumpkins, squash, foliage, and other beautifully-colored fall fruits and vegetables that will catch the eye of your guests. They will surely be impressed by the attention to detail and commitment to the fall theme.

4. Build a Good, Old-Fashioned Fire

While scented candles and diffusers can create a wonderful aroma, nothing can replace the scent and cozy feeling created by a fire. Fall is supposed to be spent reading books and drinking coffee by the fireplace, so don’t neglect this while planning your Friendsgiving. Making a fire in the fireplace is a simple way to make Friendsgiving feel warmer and more festive.

5. Provide an Assortment of Beverages

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy all types of festive beverages that have fall flavors like pumpkin and cinnamon. Friendsgiving, being less formal than traditional Thanksgiving, can also be a great opportunity to let loose and showcase your bartending skills in front of your friends. Just make sure to research festive fall drinks to whip up the perfect concoction and impress your loved ones! If homemade drinks are too much work, a simple selection of wine and soda is just as good.

6. Select the Playlist Carefully

While Friendsgiving is best spent talking and laughing, a little bit of background noise goes a long way. Choose soft, comforting music to make guests feel comfortable and at-home immediately upon arrival. A playlist reminiscent of the music played at a quiet coffee shop is ideal, or a soft, festive instrumental piece is just as good.

7. Design a Fun Invitation

While invitations can seem like an insignificant detail, in reality, they set the tone for the event before it even begins. There are plenty of festive templates available for online invitations that are perfect for Friendsgiving. You can also send out physical invitations in the mail, for a more personal, heartfelt feeling.

8. Put Effort into the Seating

A well-thought-out seating chart goes along way. It allows friends to enjoy each other’s presence, and it allows acquaintances to become close friends. Put some thought into who sits next to each other. Take into account who is close and who would hit it off immediately!

9. Let Your Friends Help You Out

Allowing friends to bring something small, even just a side-dish, bottle of wine, or a dessert, lets them feel useful and less like an imposition. Accept any gifts graciously at the door, and all of your friends will thank you for it. Friendsgiving is about sharing, and all of your friends will get to share the gift brought by their loved ones.

10. Get Fun with the Decorations

There’s a reason so many children make Thanksgiving-themed decorations in school: they’re fun and festive! Even if you’re not an artist, you can make easy decorations like turkey hands and decorate festive gold banners.

11. Pick a Color Scheme and Stick to It

With so many decorations and so much food, Friendsgiving can get overwhelming quickly. Sticking to a classic, fall-themed color scheme can help the atmosphere seem more put-together and simpler. Typical fall colors include orange, red, yellow, dark green, and brown. Even silver and gold can make wonderful accents to make the event feel a little more glamorous.

12. Turn on a Football Game

Even for people who aren’t football fans, there is something undeniably specific to Thanksgiving about a football game. If there’s a football game on, then it’s great to have some football on in the background. Otherwise, you can play reruns from a Thanksgiving football game in the past.

13. Use Friend Photos as Decorations

Printing out and hanging up photos of your friend group having a good time can add a nice personal touch to the decorations. Your guests will undoubtedly pour over pictures, laughing and trying to spot themselves in the photos you’ve put up.

14. Give Out Leftovers as Party Favors

Party favors aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Leftovers, especially Thanksgiving leftovers, on the other hand will undoubtedly be put to use. Make sure your friends can enjoy a turkey sandwich on a delicious baked roll for days after the actual event. Show your love and gratitude for your friends by making sure they’re well-fed even after they leave.

15. Enjoy Your Loved Ones’ Company

With all of these plans being made, it can be easy to forget the true meaning of Friendsgiving: to appreciate the people in your life. While planning is important, it’s not as important as making sure that you, the host, are enjoying Friendsgiving just as much as your guests. Be a good host, but don’t forget to laugh and share stories and memories with your friends.

Choose KPacho to Handle Your Friendsgiving Celebration

Delegating the catering to a third party allows you to focus on creating a detailed plan to make sure the event goes off without a hitch.

Whenever you’re ready to plan your Friendsgiving event, let us help you with your catering needs. Contact us to learn more about our taco fajita bar as one of our excellent and delicious takeout options!