Thanksgiving: the holiday famous for sharing meals and spending time with loved ones. As of recently, a new spin on Thanksgiving has been introduced: Friendsgiving. Created with a fun play on words, Friendsgiving is a celebration with one’s friends, as opposed to one’s family.
“To me, Friendsgiving is friends coming together to hang out and celebrate their friendship,” senior McKenzie Davis-Patton said. “It’s a way of showing each other that we are grateful for the friendship and relationships that we have grown over the years.”
Friendsgiving is the perfect way to skip over the hassle and stress of cooking a large meal. Most Friendsgivings are potluck-style, where everyone brings a dish to share. However, it can be kept it simple by sticking to snacks and desserts. Participating members can bring anything, such as an appetizer, sweet treats, or even the turkey itself. Although, the choices are not limited to just typical Thanksgiving foods.
“Friendsgiving is sort of a new holiday being celebrated, so there aren’t traditions and set-in-stone rules on what to bring,” junior Vee Hewett said. “I’ve seen friends bring traditional Thanksgiving foods like rolls and green bean casserole, all the way to seeing my friend bringing a Taco Bell party pack. I find a lot of humor in how wide the variety can be, and it makes for great memories.”
Friendsgiving is an incredible way for people to celebrate Thanksgiving if they don’t have family to celebrate with. For some people, relatives may live too far to travel for the holidays. For others, family may be split up, or family may not be able to attend due to work. Friendsgiving provides the opportunity for individuals to feel the love and comfort they would when celebrating with relatives.
“My parents are divorced, and it makes Thanksgiving a really awkward and hard thing to celebrate,” an anonymous junior said. “I really appreciate being able to have a Friendsgiving celebration at my work because it makes me feel as if Thanksgiving is still just a normal holiday for me.”
Our school has been hosting its own version of Friendsgiving for the Special Education department since 2021. Each year, the Special Education students get together and have a day filled with fun activities such as dance battles, basketball games, face painting, board games, and flag games. Oftentimes, different student groups will volunteer to help out. Partners in PE, Peer Tutors, and the JHS UCS Leadership Team are some of these groups. This celebration is a collaborative endeavor, with many people from the school helping to make a unique holiday come together.
“I love being able to help out with Friendsgiving because it gives me the opportunity to learn more about the Special Education kids,” senior Taylyn Blaylock said. “The kids get to have a fun time getting their face painted, playing games, trying new things, and meeting so many new people. It’s a very fun experience because they are some of the sweetest kids you will ever meet.”
Some churches also like to get involved in Friendsgiving. Friendsgiving is a perfect holiday for churches to bring the community closer and give people a chance to express gratitude and share blessings with others. Plus, it can be a fun way to reach out to new members and make them feel welcome. These gatherings can create lasting memories that will be cherished by church members for years to come.
“I’ve been celebrating Friendsgiving at my church since sixth grade,” junior Aden Bohan said. “I really enjoy it because I get to hang out with my friends the whole night and have a good time while eating. I’m really thankful the church sets [up] Friendsgiving for us to celebrate; it’s something I look forward to every year.”
The beauty of Friendsgiving lies in its ability to bring people closer together. It’s a relaxed, pressure-free holiday, where anything goes and everyone is welcome. It can be kept casual to enjoy a homey, warm-hearted celebration with those who matter most. Whether attending or hosting, Friendsgiving gives a renewed sense of appreciation for others.
“I’ve celebrated quite a few Friendsgivings over the years, but my favorite was when we did one my sophomore year with some of my friends from my old school,” Hewett said. “We had our food, played some games, and stayed up all night talking and laughing for hours. It was a great way to end the chaos of Thanksgiving and a perfect reminder of what the holiday is all about: being thankful for my sweet friends.”
