By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
If you haven’t heard of Friendsgiving, be prepared to get excited. Imagine being surrounded by your closest friends, eating food you all love, minus the pressure to be fancy or traditional. You mayconsider it Thanksgiving with a twist: Friendsgiving.
What is Friendsgiving, you ask? It is a stress free/family free meal with your closest friends.
According to Merriam-Webster, the term “Friendsgiving” was first seen in and around Twitter in 2007. It blossomed a few years later and now the feast of friends is usually held the weekend before Thanksgiving but not always. You can serve traditional Thanksgiving fare or tapas or pizza. The beauty of this meal is that everyone brings a little something, the wine is served and nobody is feeling the pressure of the holidays. Some people are even exchanging traditional Thanksgiving for this laidback and lesser known cousin. Can you blame them?
Though many feel that Friendsgiving came into fruition because of the wildly popular TV show Friends. The truth is, that it didn’t. The image of Monica with a turkey on her head definitely comes to mind. And the entire Friends cast joining together to avoid other familial obligations does seem like it is the beginning of the trending tradition but this has been quietly going on for more than a decade.
It all starts with gathering your friends and asking them to try something new. Friendsgiving doesn’t care whether you are a teenager or a senior citizen. You can simply invite your best friend or dozens of your buddies. Make sure to have a specified date and time in mind. Another important aspect of Friendsgiving is that the meal is provided by everyone, potluck-style. Determine who is in charge of the mashed potatoes, pies, and other yummy treats. Turkey is optional, and can be expensive and unwieldy to cook. Try opting for a rotisserie chicken or vegan alternative, and you’ll save time and money.
I’ve attended three Friendsgiving celebrations, each one different from the other. My first was in college, where our house of six girls collaborated with a house of eight boys. We scheduled dinner for midnight. Each girl made a side dish while the boys prepared the turkey and pies. At 11:45pm, we walked a mile in the dark through the woods, carrying our dishes and a set of silverware (the boys didn’t have enough for everyone) all the way to the boys’ house. We cracked open beers and sat on the floor, circling a massive, slightly-burnt turkey and six sides. Our friend Dan took pictures, in part for his photography class, and we played mind games while we ate. We still have the pictures to treasure today.
My second Friendsgiving was technically what we called Officegiving. It was my first year out of college. I had four solid friends at work, and we decided to celebrate together on the Monday after Thanksgiving, at the office. We brought in huge tupperware containers of leftovers and scheduled lunch at the same hour. Using my desk as a table, dipping our forks into a variety of microwaved creations, like mac and cheese, biscuits, pumpkin bread and of course, turkey. We awed at each other’s food and swapped recipes. Officegiving was a big success.
My third Friendsgiving was held at my studio apartment, while I was in law school. My best friend Angelina and I invited three friends each. Angelina came over around 8 in the morning, and we cooked all day. None of our guests were able to bring food, so the burden of the meal was on us. Angelina carried a twenty-pound frozen turkey up three flights of stairs. She used a hairdryer to thaw the bird while I peeled potatoes, chopped carrots and baked a pecan pie. Our friends arrived that evening with bourbon and cider, and we sat around my coffee table, propped up on law school textbooks. We were happy, full and red-faced from the drinks.
I am thankful for my family and the sweet memories of past Friendsgivings. It reminds me to be grateful for the little things, like college shenanigans and being able to take lunch at the same time as your coworkers. So consider the good parts about your life, even if they aren’t perfect. Choosing the people you love and celebrating holidays are what life is all about. Gather your bingo pals, church fellowship group, or neighbors and eat well.
