Friendsgiving party: themes & recipes
It’s November! And you know what that means, it’s OFFICIALLY the holiday season. Needless to say, this truly is my favorite time of the year. Despite the cold weather, there is a special warmth that fills the air. The city starts to twinkle with little white lights, stores begin to fill with sparkly holiday gifts, and tourists pour in to see the Thanksgiving Day parade and giant Christmas tree.
The holidays are here and busy season has begun. Today I was reminded how important it is to be thankful and grateful for all that we have, including our loved ones. It’s the season of gratitude and giving, and a time for us to remember just how important it is to spend quality time with family and friends and not let the “busy season” get the best of us.
To start the season of gratitude, many people have adopted a new (or not so new anymore) type of party called Friendsgiving. This is a play on the typical Thanksgiving traditions, but instead, it is celebrated with your nearest and dearest friends. While some prefer to have nicer dinner parties, others find enjoyment in potluck fast food gatherings and eating all of the silliest things they can find. To each her own, I always say! Your party should be exactly what YOU want it to be and how you like to celebrate.
One thing I think we can all agree on – fancy or not – is having good food at the party! So, I’ve been doing some research on the latest food trends and spent some time creating themes to provide fun inspiration for your upcoming parties, events, and gatherings this season. I paired each of my favorite recipe finds from Delish.com with a theme that I created to help keep your gatherings entertaining. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, it’s always great to give your guests a reason to come. Perhaps, they are just curious about the theme you put on that text invite, or they want to be the one to contribute the best item on the throwback table (read to find out more about that theme)! Whatever it might be, keep reading to find a way to bring some excitement back to your typical get together with friends.
5 perfect theme & recipe pairings for your friendsgiving party
1. theme: wine down + recipe: fig jam
Grab a few bottles of your favorite wine and treat your friends to a wine tasting flight a la fancy restaurants, but in the comfort of your own home. This is perfect for smaller gatherings, and ones with a fancier flair! Nothing says posh like cooking up your very own homemade Fig Jam. It only takes 25 minutes, and will be the talking piece of your charcuterie board!
Be the star of the party with this Fig Jam recipe from Delish.
2. theme: harvest happy hour + recipe: pumpkin pie dip
This one is less about drinks and more about good company! Invite your friends over after work for a fun evening of card games, DIY photobooths, and a yummy food spread. Make it a potluck so everyone can contribute a fun harvest dish to your happy hour. The perfect recipe for this party is a 10-minute pumpkin pie dip. Um, yes please!
Score MVP with this Pumpkin Pie Dip.
3. theme: Bacon & bourbon + recipe: sweet potato bites
This is the perfect savory & sweet pairing for a fall party. Don’t forget to put your bacon on a rack when baking (the fat drains off and the bacon becomes crispier.) Buy clear mini cups that will be used for sipping. Pre-pour small tastes of 3 of your favorite bourbons for guests to try.
These Sweet Potato Bites are sure to be a crowd pleaser and the perfect base for a bourbon tasting party.
4. theme: thankful for throwbacks + recipe: homemade hot pockets
I feel like every time I get together with old friends, we start reminiscing on the good ol’ days. Friendsgiving is the perfect time to give your friends a little throwback challenge, and have them bring fun dishes from your childhood. You can pair this with old movies running on the TV and board games. (Candy Land was my favorite!)
Who else loved Hot Pockets growing up? They were the ultimate after-school snack for us 90s kids. ;)
Try this homemade chicken pot pie hot pockets recipe to stir up the good childhood memories.
5. beer share shindig
Love getting together with good friends over some good brews. Whether you’re an IPA, bourbon barrel aged, or wheat kind of person, encourage guests to bring their own favorite brew to share at the party.
Pair it with this delish (no pun intended) cheesy cornbread recipe from Delish.
That’s a wrap! I hope some of these pairings help inspire you to posh up your next party with a fun theme and tasty treat.
As always, if you’ve made it this far head back over to Instagram or Facebook and let me know if you’re planning any Friendsgiving parties this year!
Happy Fall Party Planning!
xoxo - Arika