Friendsgiving parties can also be held in addition to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on a different day. The bottom line is there is no wrong way to hold your Friendsgiving as long as everyone enjoys themselves!
Tips for Planning a Friendsgiving
The first step in planning your Friendsgiving party is deciding on a theme and sending out invitations. There are many online invite options, or you can get invitations printed at most places that print photos. If you’re inviting a mix of tech-savvy friends, family, and older relatives, consider using both online and print invitations. The second step is to decide what type of meal you’ll be serving. For example, you may choose a traditional turkey day feast or, more commonly, host a potluck. Traditionally the host has turkey duty, and you can create a sign-up or assign specific dishes to other guests. Ensure you have plenty of supplies, drinks, ice, and, most importantly, enough seating for all your guests. Plan to serve finger foods and snacks before the big meal to keep guests entertained and from getting hangry.
Friendsgiving Activities
Games are a big part of the holiday season, so make sure to include some festive Thanksgiving Day games and activities to make it a fun Friendsgiving! If you’ll be busy prepping food, designate your partner, a friend, or a teen to be in charge of rounding everyone up for games and activities. Planned games and activities provide structure to the day and prevent the guests from getting bored. Make sure to have a good mix of activities on hand to entertain adults and kids, if any are present.
1. Thanksgiving Bingo
Everyone loves Bingo, especially if prizes are involved. Check out FamilyEducation’s printable Thanksgiving bingo cards here!
2. Watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Sitting back and relaxing while watching the classic Thanksgiving holiday film, A Charlie Brown Thanskgiving, can be a great way to enjoy Friendsgiving. If you still own a DVD or Blu-ray player, you can purchase the film to watch. In past years the only place to watch the Charlie Brown specials was on Apple TV+, PBS, or PBS Kids, but information for 2022 on viewing options has not been released for 2022.
3. Fall Hike / Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are a great way to burn calories before or after the big meal. If you have space outdoors and the weather is nice, send your guest out around the yard or neighborhood to work off that Thanksgiving turkey! Etsy has lots of fun fall printables you can purchase for a low cost and print off at home.
4. Pictionary or Charades
Pictionary and charades are classic friends and family games, so consider playing them at Friendsgiving. You could make the game Thanksgiving or fall-themed or simply play the traditional way. Ideas for Thanksgiving charades could involve cooking, playing football, being in a parade, or raking leaves. Have your guests write suggestions down on pieces of paper or print off a set of suggestion cards.
5. Bake Together
Baking together is a wonderful way to spend time with loved ones and can be a lot of fun! Kids might enjoy having sugar cookies to decorate, and perhaps you can even get into the Christmas season by baking some holiday favorites!
6. Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Image Source: Wally Gobetz on Flickr Watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a tradition I have that I enjoy with my kids every year. We especially love when Santa Clause appears at the end! The parade is a long-standing tradition for many people and is something the whole family can enjoy.
7. Thanksgiving Trivia
Thanksgiving trivia games are another fun option to encourage some friendly competition. Purchase some prizes to pass out to the individuals who get the most correct answers.
8. Turkey Bowling
Turkey bowling is a twist on the classic game. All you need is a frozen turkey and ten empty bottles. If you want to make the game truly Thanksgiving-themed, use cans of cranberry sauce or yams instead of bottles.
9. Coloring Pages
Kids and adults love coloring so another fun activity is to have Thanksgiving coloring pages and crayons. You could also cover the dinner table with white butcher block paper and let people color or draw whatever they wish. Another option is to encourage people to draw or write what they give thanks for this year.
10. Hot Sweet Potato
A fun icebreaker game is hot sweet potato. The fast-paced game is a fun way to get friends and family members laughing. Similar to the rules of musical chairs, everyone gathers in a circle, one person puts on a song, and everyone tosses a potato back and forth until the song ends. Whoever is stuck holding the potato when the music starts loses, so you better have fast hands. Check out the rules of Hot Potato here with this video tutorial.
11. Gratitude Game
Gratitude games are another icebreaker Thanksgiving party game. Use ice or M&Ms and assign a question to each color or number. For example, if you roll the number one or pull out a red M&M, you must name a place you are grateful for.
12. Pin the Food on the Cornucopia
A Friendsgiving idea that is fun and nostalgic is a twist on Pin the Tail on the Donkey, except this time, you’re pinning different Thanksgiving foods on a cornucopia. If you know someone artistic, ask them to draw the cornucopia and food items. You can even purchase a Thanksgiving poster and fall cutouts to hang up around your dining room! – For even more Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving activities to add some flair to your festivities, check out our list of 9 Thanksgiving Activities and Traditions Your Whole Family Will Love!
