This time of the year, the holidays are the most exciting thing to look forward to. The semester is ending, and some of us plan to go home, travel, and celebrate the season with those we care about most. However, as we wait for winter break, planning a holiday meal with our closest friends can be a good way to celebrate.

In recent years, “Friendsgiving” emerged as a trend among the festivities, a new way of celebrating Thanksgiving with friends. Usually, it consists of hosting a dinner party around the end of November, inviting a group of friends and asking each person to contribute to the meal by bringing a family recipe or a dish they love. 

Friendsgiving reflects the idea that many don’t see the concept of family as it was understood before. Today, many people have opted for building relationships outside of their homes, rather than limiting the concept to the traditional, nuclear household. This event serves as a way to value friends made along the way, and to gather all together and spend some quality time.

It has been said that the custom comes from the show Friends, in which the characters met to celebrate Thanksgiving together to avoid drama with their families. Because of this, the show brought the idea of hosting a holiday dinner with friends to popularity, making it a new celebration that many young people look forward to during the holiday season.

Also, it has become popular among people who have moved out of their hometowns, and have more interactions with friends and neighbors than they do with families. For them, Friendsgiving has been a way to enjoy the holiday season with those in the same situation, sharing a family-like meal in the company of their closest friends. 

To host a Friendsgiving dinner, each guest needs to bring something to share. Because Friendsgiving is adapted from the North American holiday Thanksgiving, some of the foods brought during the gathering are typical of Thanksgiving meals. Also, it embraces the idea that the meal is served to share with others. 

Turkey is usually the main dish of the meal. It is roasted and served with cranberry sauce and gravy. Since the highlight of Thanksgiving is food, there are other dishes that come with this meal. Some of them are mac and cheese, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Desserts include apple pie and pumpkin pie. 

However, because Friendsgiving is different, there are some foods that vary as well. The idea of this celebration is that everyone brings something that they can cook themselves, eliminating the pressure to stick to cooking traditional foods. features recipes that can be easily prepared for Friendsgiving, including one for apple bite tarts, small versions of apple pie made with a baked pecan crust and an apple filling and can be served as desserts during the holiday, including some elements of traditional Thanksgiving foods as well as some new ideas. 

An interesting drink that can be prepared for Friendsgiving is cranberry sangria, as cranberries are commonly used during the holidays, and dishes featuring them can be adapted to fit the more modern vibe of Friendsgiving. It can be made with wine, other liquors, and fruits, including apples, oranges, and berries. Cranberries can be added to add a more festive touch to the cocktail. 

Friendsgiving is the perfect opportunity for those living away from home to celebrate the holidays with the people they love most. The holiday celebrations can bring us closer together than ever before, creating long-lasting bonds while sharing a meal with friends.