If you aren’t somebody who starts decorating their trees and playing the ‘Top Christmas Hits’ radio station at the start of November, then chances are you are getting ready to celebrate the overlooked holiday of Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a time that deserves just as much hype and fun as Christmas does and what better way to celebrate than hosting your very own Friendsgiving…that is COVID-friendly of course.
VALLEY knows that one of the best parts about the holiday season is getting to really slow down and spend time with your most-loved ones and have overdue reconnecting conversations over games, a lot of food and of course some good spiced drinks.
With COVID-19 cases continuously rising, the holidays may look a little different this year, but there are still a ton of unique ways to create memories and eat comfort food while staying safe.
Friendsgiving is a tradition that many friend groups hold near and dear to their hearts, as it is a great time before break to reconnect after a long semester over a delicious meal.
What You’ll Do
- Pick the setting. If you plan on having a small get-together, make sure the amount of people does not go over the maximum amount of people allowed to be together in your area. If weather permits, VALLEY recommends setting up an outdoor table for the ultimate fall feast. If your friend group exceeds maximum capacity, send out a zoom link and get ready to dine virtually!
- Invitations. During this time, some people are not in the typical holiday spirit, and sending out personal invites to Friendsgiving is a great way to get everyone excited for the holidays! If you are feeling crafty, handwrite your own letters to mail to your friends, or simply email an e-vite.
- Seating charts. Creating a seating chart ensures all guests are following the mandated social distancing guidelines. This makes sure both you and your guests are safe while spending time with one another!
- The food. Let’s be honest, most college students are not equipped to prepare a whole turkey, let alone green bean casserole, but that is part of the fun! Assign each guest to prepare and bring one Thanksgiving dish and then have everyone rank them from best to worst. That way, the best chef will be super pleased and the worst cook will be sure to get some laughs. Nothing screams holidays like a little friendly competition. If you are hosting a virtual dinner, consider ordering the same meal from a local restaurant so everyone is eating the same thing!
- Decorate. The way to take any party to the next level is all in the details of the decorations so take this as an opportunity to prove yourself as a worthy host. Since Friendsgiving is centered around food, investing in your table setting is a great place to start. A white table cloth and a bouquet of greens or flowers with tea lights are an inexpensive way to create an Instagram-worthy tablescape. To decorate over zoom, turn your background into a festive scene with Thanksgiving signs and colors of orange and red!
- The games. No party is complete without some type of game and luckily for us, there are a ton that are COVID friendly. VALLEY recommends trying Celebrity Heads, Paranoia, or Cards Against Humanity.
No matter what you are doing this holiday season, remember to take time to connect with those you care about even if it a little different than normal this year. Happy Friendsgiving!
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