Thanksgiving is all about family and food. And while we can argue over the merits of turkey vs. ham or apple pie vs. pumpkin pie all day long, here’s our fresh-out-of-the-oven take: friends are family.
When you find your own little pod, you don’t argue about politics over the mashed potatoes. You don’t have to explain to your aunt that half of what she shares on Facebook is AI slop. And best of all, you don’t have to put on a show for anyone. With some solid prep work, the best Friendsgivings are chill, heart-filling hangs made possible with a little help from your friends (and some Danksgiving-friendly Camino gummies).
How to Host a Friendsgiving
Want to know how to host a Friendsgiving successfully, without drama, and with minimal fuss? Here’s the secret: make sure everything is communicated in advance, and everyone is in on the prep convo. Preparation is truly the gravy of a successful Friendsgiving.
If your friends are all decently tech-equipped, we recommend leaning on group communication apps for planning. Make sure everyone is together in one single chat and has access to all the details, like the time, location, and what dishes need to be covered. Ideally, you’ll want to use something like Discord, Signal, or WhatsApp (Teams might give people work hours PTSD, and do try not to trigger your besties), but a good ol’ group iMessage or email chain works, too.
Here’s what you’ll want to include in that to make sure everything goes off without a hitch:
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The basic info. Make the time, date, and location so big and bold they can’t be missed, then include details that might be specific to your event, like attire recs or parking instructions.
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An RSVP system. Keep track of everyone who says they’re down so you know what to expect as a host, in terms of seating, beverages, and space.
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Make sure you collect a heads up on any food allergens or accommodation needs folks might have.
Now here’s the big one. In our opinion, Friendsgiving works best as a potluck-style affair, where everyone brings a little something, or a big something. Almost everyone has a Thanksgiving specialty they love to make and share, and going family-style makes everyone feel included, the food more bountiful, and lifts a lot of the work off your shoulders.
For this crucial element, it’s best to go with a shared document or spreadsheet that serves as a checklist for the food. Be sure to make it something editable, live, and accessible to all of your guests so everyone knows who’s bringing what, which can help avoid two people bringing the same dish (which is way more awkward than when you show up to the function wearing the same outfit). This system will also help you know exactly what you’ll need to supply closer to the big day. If you don’t have a super well-stocked kitchen, include supplies like plates, silverware, cups, and even folding chairs or tray tables on that shared checklist, too.
Friendsgiving Food Ideas
Obviously, Friendsgiving is centered around a gigantic — and oftentimes highly specific — spread. But one of the best things about Friendsgiving is that it’s communal; as long as your organizing is on-point, the burden of the all-day meal prep that comes with a traditional Thanksgiving is shared, so you won’t be spending as much of your holiday in the kitchen.
If your friends are into Thanksgiving classics, make sure you have at least the majority of these covered (and be sure to have some subs for the herbivores in the group):
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Turkey, and/or a substitute for the vegans and veggies
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Stuffing
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Gravy
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Mashed potatoes
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A green bean dish
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Cranberry sauce
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Sweet potatoes or yams
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Dinner rolls
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Pies for dessert (typically pumpkin, sweet potato, apple, or pecan)
Those are the S-tier icons of Thanksgiving—the dishes that might get people gobbling if you’re missing any. But some other low-key faves include:
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Mac and cheese
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Cornbread
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Collard greens
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Ham
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Deviled eggs
Don’t be afraid to throw every one of these ideas out, though, because this Friendsgiving is for your crew and no one else. Tradition be damned, your squad should eat what they want to eat, drink what they want to drink, and make merry however they want to. And don’t worry too much about formal place-setting for a chill Friendsgiving — go buffet style, with all the dishes set out at once, plates and utensils at the ready, bevvies in bulk portions, and an easygoing self-serve lineup.
Curating the Vibe
Especially here in the States, a lot of traditional holidays have transcended whatever their original intention was, becoming simple reasons to celebrate, share, and spend time with family and friends (emphasis on that last one here). As a bonus, creating the perfect setting can be the final touch for any holiday event — and nothing says Friendsgiving like some cozy fall vibes.
Decor
You don’t have to decorate at all for a Friendsgiving — it’s the friends that make the giving happen — but if you do want to go that extra mile, embrace the things that scream cozy, warm, and autumnal.
Accents: We’re talking lots of pumpkins and gourds, of course, but much of what makes things feel like fall ends up in the category of texture (so you might not have to make a trip to your local Jo-Ann equivalent, RIP). Plants, wood, copper, burlap, knitted fabrics, ropes, straw, leaves, and bronze all make a space feel, for lack of a better word, Thanksgiving-y.
Lighting: Accent that baseline with mood lighting like lots of candles (put them in old wine bottles or aesthetic upcycled food containers to nail the theme, empty Camino tins included). Or you could go for soft, warm lighting like paper lanterns and amber-colored string light bulbs to make your space feel nice and cozy.
Theme: If you’re feeling extra, you can go full-on with an encouraged theme and dress code, like a period Thanksgiving from the ‘50s or ‘70s, a rustic outdoor Thanksgiving around the firepit, a fantasy D&D meal, an all-football event (Turkey nachos, anyone?), or whatever niche your friend group thrives in..
And just like with the shared grub, if you’re going big on decor or themes, don’t be shy about letting your friends help set the vibe. (Same goes for cleaning up, too. In fact, it goes double for cleaning up.)
Ambiance
But wait, isn’t decor the same as ambiance? Not really — we’re talking about the things you can do that aren’t necessarily artfully placed aesthetic objects, but can still elevate the vibes of the space immensely. And when it comes to the second-best fall holiday (sorry, Halloween wins!), embracing those snug autumnal moods can really take your Friendsgiving to the next level.
Some of our favorite Friendsgiving ideas for ambiance and vibe-setting include natural scents that evoke burning leaves, pumpkin, or warm spices, and glowy orange sunset lights (they’re cheaper than you think!) that can transform a room’s color palette instantly. Top it off with rustic vintage playlists or ambient soundscapes, like crackling fires or crispy leaves in the wind. YouTube is your friend for those 12-hour fall white noise playlists.
Make It a Danksgiving with Camino Gummies
If your friends are of age, 420-friendly, and down to take your celebration from a Friendsgiving to a Danksgiving, we’ve got you covered. Poppable, flavorful, decor-friendly Camino gummies can make your Thanksgiving all the more chill, or all the more blissful and euphoric, depending on the mood you’re shooting for. Here’s how to incorporate a touch of hemp-derived THC into your TG.
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Pre-game it, hors d'oeuvres style. Pick up a few different tins of Camino gummies in flavors that’ll make you feel everything from chill to social to energized, and plate them out as a fancy toothpick sampler to get everyone settled into juuuust the right mood.
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Incorporate cannabis into the food, using food-friendly THC oils. Some inspo might include THC-spiked cider, coffee or tea, or, of course, (extra) baked goods like brownies, cookies, and cakes. Or go fancy with THC-infused olive oil or pasta. Basically, if you can cook it with oil, you can elevate it with a touch of THC.
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Post-game with a lovely Friendsgiving tradition. Here’s what you do after the meal: everyone gets a Camino gummy, and everyone gets a warm beverage. Bundle up, group up, and take a nice, slow neighborhood walk together. We suggest hot cider, cocoa, a toddy, coffee, or a low-alcohol mulled wine for the bevvy and Camino Sours Orchard Peach ‘Balanced’ or Wild Berry ‘Chill’ for the gummy.
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Wind down after everyone’s gone home by pairing all that tryptophan turkey goodness with a Camino Sours Blackberry Dream “Deep Sleep” gummy to get ready to catch some seriously restful z’s.
No matter how you incorporate your favorite plant (sorry, pumpkins) into Friendsgiving, do follow this golden rule: always, always, always label items that contain the good stuff to avoid confusion.
Add a Camino Mocktail
Need Friendsgiving ideas to get your friends even more elevated, sans booze? Turns out our Camino gummies make the perfect colorful garnish for fall mocktails, all while adding complementary flavors and highly complementary vibes. Your imagination is the limit, but here’s one we love to get you started: the Camino Pear Cider Spritz.
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1.5 oz. of apple cider (homemade is best, but we won’t tell anyone if you get it from Trader Joe’s). If it’s not spiced, add traditional spices like allspice, cloves, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom to taste.
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1 oz. pear juice.
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1.5 oz. soda water.
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1 oz. non-alcoholic Aperol/aperitivo/Italian spritz mixer
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Garnish with 1 Kiva Camino Sparkling Pear ‘Social’ gummy and 1 apple slice.
FAQs
How do I host a cheap Friendsgiving?
Easy: focus on the friends part. We promise no one will judge you if you can’t decorate, can’t swing a giant fancy honey ham, or don’t have a mansion to host in. Themes and decorations are great, but you know what’s better? Hanging with friends. Just send the invite, set the expectations, and let people bring whatever they’re financially comfy with — remember, it’s all just an excuse to hang.
What should I serve for Friendsgiving?
We’ve covered the staples, but Friendsgiving is for you and your friends. If the usual spread doesn’t include the eats that jell with your crew, shake it up. This isn’t for the pilgrims you dressed up as in elementary school: it’s for your circle, so make it right for them. Pizza with friends is still Friendsgiving.
What are the rules of Friendsgiving?
We’re glad you asked, because there’s only one: make it the kind of hang that you and your friends like. That’s it. Call it Thanksgiving, but it’s just an excuse to eat good food and spread some love.
And if you can, throw in a little something extra from Camino for them to be thankful for.
Dan is a freelance writer, small business owner, and full-time creative living in Dallas, TX. In 15 years of writing, he’s been fortunate to collaborate with companies and publishers like Cannabis and Tech Today, Healthfully, Salon.com, ArtBase, The Seattle Times, USA Today, SF Gate, and many more.
Sources
Food52 - How to Host Your First-Ever Friendsgiving
The Pioneer Woman - 83 Best Fall Decor Ideas to Usher in the Cozy Season
Food & Wine - 7 Cannabis Recipes to Try at Home
Food & Wine - Apple Cider Aperol Spritz
