My latest obsession: Friendsgiving parties. I hosted my first one last year and I’m hooked. Maybe it’s because I’ve formed a tribe that honors me wholeheartedly or the fact that they keep life fun, while also holding it down when I need help. It’s all those reasons why my tribe deserves a Friendsgiving party that truly honors them.
Last week I attended the Best Friends Friendsgiving Feast presented by Tasty and flavored by Del Monte. It was SOO beautiful and I’m excited to partner with them for this post. We enjoyed fresh and flavorful dishes featuring Del Monte’s quality veggies that weren’t your average, traditional Thanksgiving fare. The floral arrangements and table centerpieces were magnificent. And, best of all, the event was hosted by the stunning Tiffani Thiessen, who left me thinking about what being a great host is truly about.
Tis the season for gratitude, friendship, and parties! So why not honor your tribe with a Friendsgiving party they’ll love. Here are my 5 tips for hosting a Friendsgiving party that focuses on what makes our friends – our tribe- special.
How to Host A Friendsgiving Party
We’ve all heard the jokes and seen the memes about the horrors of Thanksgiving dinner. Not to say everything about Thanksgiving is awful, but having to spend time with extended (and sometimes not-so-extended) family members that we might otherwise not choose to hang out with is just on-par for the tradition.
Think of your Friendsgiving tradition as the opposite of that.
Hosting your Friendsgiving party should be about gathering with the people who have joined your community by choice rather than lineage. It’s a modern take on the Thanksgiving spirit and its traditions can be as varied as the communities they celebrate.
5 tips to host a Friendsgiving Party to honor your Tribe
Tip 1: Know your audience. Before you send out the invites, know which tribe you intend to honor with a Friendsgiving party. I know from first-hand experience that not all friend groups go together… and that’s totally okay! Your Mom Friend Tribe might be different from your Soccer Mom Tribe, and even different still from your Old School Friends Tribe. Keep your Friendsgiving Party hyper-specific to ensure that the invited tribe feels super special.
Tip 2: Pimp Tablescape and Centerpiece. Usually, I’m a minimalist kinda girl, but after attending the BFFF party with Tasty and Del Monte, I won’t skimp on centerpieces for my Friendsgiving parties again. A stunning floral arrangement and a natural tablescape, along with photo seating cards that added a personal touch, made us all feel like royalty upon entering the room.
A Friendgiving Party Your Tribe Will Love
3. Traditional fall recipes with a Twist. It’s time to have some fun! Your friends don’t want the same Thanksgiving menu that’s waiting to be cooked at their house. Honor your tribe with the comforts of classic fall recipes, but with a twist! For example, try this Bacon and Cheddar Green Bean Casserole or serve these adorable, individual Mini Green Bean Casseroles instead, made with Del Monte® Blue Lake Cut Green Beans. You get the idea – get creative!
Visit the Del Monte website for great recipes that are perfect for your Friendsgiving party! Del Monte has a heritage of fresh-picked goodness, perfect for ingredients in your upcoming Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving dishes.
4. Someone play that song: The BFFF party with Tasty and Del Monte was bumping!!! Seriously, as soon as we walked in the tunes set an upbeat, happy vibe. You’ve got enough on your platters, so ask one of your friends to pull together your Friendsgiving playlist with songs that each tribe member would recognize and love.
5. Raise your glass and make a toast: A generous host not only opens her home, but also shares her heart. It might seen cheesy, but I promise that your tribe will adore you for speaking a few words about your experience with friendships. You can share stories on how you met your friends, the kind of friend you hope to be or visions you have for your later years. The point is to share your heart with words that build community and honor your tribe.
Oh, I also love that Tiffani shared her family’s famous cheesecake recipe that was absolutely delicious!
This season is all about traditions that bring people together and Friendsgiving is all about that. I’m excited to host my own Friendsgiving Party this year too. Even if it will be a small gathering of mom friends who make me happy, I hope that our evening together will let them know how much I adore and honor them.
Are you hosting a Friendsgiving party? Get your tribe to post your pictures on social media using #TastyFriendsgiving and tagging @delmonte & @buzzfeedtasty and Del Monte® will donate 100 lbs of food per post to Feeding America, up to 10,000 lbs!!!
