Thanksgiving is great, but I\u2019d argue that Friendsgiving is really where it\u2019s at. Thanksgiving celebrations can sometimes feel stuffy and beholden to old traditions, whereas Friendsgiving is, at its core, just an excuse to host an epic, themed dinner<\/a> party with your friends.<\/p>\n Holly Sheppard, owner and chef of Fig and Pig Catering<\/a>, is sort of an expert at Friendsgiving, hosting one every year for a group of 10 to 15 people. Here are some of her best tips for pulling off the occasion (along with some tidbits of my own Friendsgiving wisdom).<\/p>\n 1. Make sure you have enough plates, silverware, and cups.<\/strong> 2. Assign everyone a dish to bring.<\/strong> 3. Let your friends help you.<\/strong> \u201cI really delegate,\u201d Holly said. \u201cThere [are] a lot of people who take on things like a Thanksgiving all by themselves, and there’s no point. Everyone has a strength, everybody wants to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n One of Holly\u2019s friends swears her gravy is best. \u201cWe almost have, like, a gravy cook-off which is always highly competitive.\u201d Another friend styles the charcuterie board. Holly procures the prosciutto, salamis, figs, apples, and other accouterments, then hands them to her friend to assemble. \u201cShe goes to town and makes it look so pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Give people something to eat (and drink) upon arrival.<\/strong> Holly puts out her friend\u2019s charcuterie board for guests to snack on when they arrive: \u201cIt looks beautiful and feels good, but it’s not that hard. There’s no cooking involved.\u201d She also batches cocktails<\/a>\u2014like a French 75 or a fig and apple old-fashioned\u2014and sets up a self-serve bar station in her living room with ice, glassware, wine, and bubbly, so nobody is stuck playing bartender throughout the night.<\/p>\n 5. Don\u2019t get too hung up on the classics.<\/strong> 6. Get creative with your space.<\/strong> If you\u2019re living in an apartment or working with a small kitchen, you might have to prep for your meal in unconventional ways. \u201cWhen I was in Brooklyn, I would literally put my turkey out on my fire escape in a cooler and brine it,\u201d Holly said. \u201cAnd if I still can’t fit the turkey in like the fridge for brining, then I usually put it outside in a cooler, and I brine it in a bag.\u201d<\/p>\n 7. Skip formal place settings.<\/strong> “I usually do a buffet because it’s too hard to do family style…with all of these people in my house,” Holly said. Serving the meal buffet-style can create a more casual, warm atmosphere\u2014plus, it\u2019s a lot less work for the host.<\/p>\n 8. Plan for leftovers.<\/strong> Your guests helped you cook (and hopefully clean)\u2014which means they should also get to help you tackle the leftovers. Holly recommends getting some takeout containers, or even some Ziploc bags, so that you can send everyone home with something to eat the next day.<\/p>\n
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\nI learned this one from personal experience, when I hosted Friendsgiving for the first time in 2021. Including myself, there were seven people at the meal\u2014but I only owned six forks. So of course, I ate my dinner with a spoon. A simple way to avoid this situation? Count your dinnerware in advance and stock up on any items you need.<\/p>\n
\nAt the start of November, Holly circulates an Excel spreadsheet among her guests to determine who\u2019s bringing what. That way, they make sure all the major categories are covered, there aren\u2019t repeats, and that there will be enough options for vegan guests, too.<\/p>\n
\nIf you\u2019re a true traditionalist, feel free to ignore this advice\u2014but for me, one Thanksgiving dinner is usually enough. If I\u2019m hosting a Friendsgiving in the days before the actual holiday, I\u2019m inclined to stray from some of the most classic dishes in favor of ones I\u2019m truly excited to make and eat, whether that\u2019s as simple as replacing turkey with roast chicken or ditching pies altogether and serving cake instead<\/a> (controversial, I know!).<\/p>\n