Friendsgiving: The New and Improved Thanksgiving?

Nov 7, 2024

3 min read

1

9

0

Image description: The image depicts a vibrant and colourful autumn-themed still life. At the centre, there is a cornucopia, or horn of plenty, made of woven material, spilling out a variety of fruits. The fruits include red grapes, a small pumpkin or gourd, a red apple, and a pear. Surrounding the cornucopia are autumn leaves in shades of red, orange, and yellow, adding to the seasonal theme. To the left, there are ears of multi-coloured corn. In the background, there are two vases filled with flowers. One vase contains yellow sunflowers, while the other has a mix of pink and purple flowers. The overall setting is bright and cheerful, with a blurred green background suggesting an outdoor scene. Credit: Pixabay

Halloween has officially left the chat, and Mariah Carey is slowly defrosting, which means Christmas is right around the corner. But for Americans, there’s one more holiday to look forward to before the festive season truly begins...Friendsgiving!

Yes, you read that right – Friendsgiving! It’s exactly the same as Thanksgiving, but it’s celebrated with friends rather than family.

A tradition that dates back to the early 2000s, Friendsgiving has grown in popularity across the states as a way to gather and celebrate with friends over a home cooked meal. Although a lesser-known holiday (often celebrated on the same day as it’s forebear) talk around Friendsgiving is on the rise!

When Googling Friendsgiving, you’re met with a punch in the face of recipes, etiquette guides, and ‘how to host’ posts. It’s clearly a huge deal.

Image description: screenshot of headlines about how to host Friendsgiving, treat tips, etiquette guides, and stories of Friendsgiving’s. Credit: Screenshot of Google Search

Generally believed to have originated in 17th century Plymouth, Massachusetts when the English colonist’s and Wampanoag people shared a feast, the American Thanksgiving has grown and evolved (i.e. the creation of Friendsgiving) over the years. In fact, it’s grown to such a large degree that they’re now celebrated worldwide, most typically introduced to other countries by the ex-pats who brought it with them.

My own family have been celebrating Thanksgiving for over 30 years, ever since my uncle married my American aunt, who has been hosting ever since. Coming together from all over the country, each family meets at my aunt’s home for a day of food, laughter, and thanks. Never has a year gone by when someone hasn’t been overcome by tears. As our family grows, the worry over how many Thanksgivings we have left increases – this year we’ll be a household of 25 (and it’s a tiny house!)

However, if it ever does reach the point of no more family Thanksgivings, with it being so ingrained into my annual calendar, I can’t imagine a November without it and may have to steal a chunk of the Thanksgiving baton to create my own Friendsgiving celebration!

I’ll have to learn how to cook a roast dinner first.

Paving the way for this celebration with friends is, in my opinion, the Queen of Friendsgiving, Cecilia Tolone.

An American living in Sweden, Cecilia has documented her Friendsgiving’s on TikTok for the past 3 years. She shows, in depth, her days of preparation leading up to the meal, showing off her recipes, décor, and intricate spreadsheet of timings for cleaning and meal prep. It’s wild!

Her Friendsgiving prep videos never fail to gain traction, and she’s been the inspiration (if not deterrent, considering all the planning she has to do) for so many who have begun this tradition themselves. And I, for one, will be going back to her when I begin this tradition myself.

Gaby Masters, an international student here in Cheltenham, has also introduced the holiday to her friends, “I started doing it in my senior year of High School; my friends and I wanted to celebrate together and have a cute little dinner with a home cooked meal.”

Now a university student in England, she’s in charge of the celebration, “I normally tell everyone what’s needed, and then we split up and make it our own. I normally do the stuffing as it’s my favourite to make from scratch!”

Image Description: The image shows a festive Thanksgiving dinner table setting. At the centre is a large, golden-brown roasted turkey garnished with herbs and small fruits like apples and cranberries. Surrounding the turkey are various side dishes, including a plate of green beans, a bowl of stuffing, and a pumpkin pie with decorative pastry leaves on top. There is also a glass of white wine, a stack of plates, and a gravy boat. The table is decorated with autumn-themed items such as small pumpkins, gourds, and a lit candle, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. In the background, there are more decorative elements like sunflowers and other fall flowers. Credit: Pixabay

Gaby cooks a typical Thanksgiving dinner, quite different to our traditional roast dinners in the UK. Both meals include stuffing, potatoes, and various roasted vegetables, that’s where the similarities end. Whereas we typically have roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, pigs in blankets, and sprouts, Thanksgiving feasts centre The Thanksgiving Turkey, a range of potatoes, or Yam’s if you’re that way inclined (including mashed, sweet, and roasted), and in my family, the addition of Waldorf salad*, and of course, a Pumpkin Pie.

After a “hectic” few months leading up to the US Election, Gaby says that Friendsgiving is “just a nice way to celebrate over a home cooked meal with your friends over the holidays.”

A sentiment that’s widespread, the hashtag #friendsgiving has just under 400,000 videos on TikTok of people coming together to share a meal, share recipes, outfits, and show their celebration.

It may not have the same history as the original national holiday, but friends and families are making it their own and starting their own traditions. And in a world divided, I think it’s encouraging that we’ve come back to sharing food and laughter in the company of friends.

*A classic American salad containing raisins, walnuts, lettuce, celery, apples, and dressed in Mayonnaise