November is the perfect time to get together with friends, enjoy a good meal, and set aside a day to enjoy each other’s’ presence. While the origins of Friendsgiving are a bit muddy (Merriam-Webster traces the term to 2007, while others credit the TV show Friends for introducing the concept back in 1994), it’s no wonder that the new holiday is becoming more and more popular with those in their 20’s and 30’s. Young professionals and college students are increasingly moving away from their hometowns and may not have the means to travel for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, so instead chose to stay and celebrate with friends.

Since Friendsgiving is a fairly new tradition it can be much less rigid than a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, and both hosts and guests are more free to customize the festivities however they like. No matter if you’re new to hosting, or if you’ve been hosting a Friendsgiving feast since 2007 or before check out these ideas to put a twist on the holiday.

Brunch.

Why run from the stereotypes? Lean fully into it and make a “millennial” holiday even more millennial with brunch! Serve dishes like fried turkey and waffles, cranberry pancakes, and Thanksgiving hash. Offer drinks such as cranberry bellinis and swap out the OJ in screwdrivers and mimosas with apple cider. If you’re hosting Friendsgiving on Thanksgiving Day you can create bingo cards or a drinking game centered around the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

While your friends may complain about having to be up and active before noon, the best part of a brunch Friendsgiving is being in your PJs with everyone else gone early enough to enjoy a food coma before waking up early to stand in line for Black Friday sales.

Lunch.

So your friends aren’t down to be at your place by 9 or 10 in the morning. No problem! You can still host a lighter meal earlier in the day and have the evening to binge cheesy Christmas movies in your sweatpants. Here’s a recipe for Cheesy Cranberry Turkey Baked Sliders to get your menu started, then you can either enlist your guests to bring sides and desserts or you can make them yourself. You can’t go wrong with a simple “set it and forget it” slow cooker side like this green bean casserole or this mac and cheese recipe.

Fancy.

If you’re low-key turning up your nose at the idea of a brunch or lunch Friendsgiving maybe you want to try something a little more elegant. Do a bit of research and have a DIY wine pairing with the meal. You can either provide your own wine or assign each of your guests to bring a certain style. If wine isn’t your drink of choice you could easily swap out wine for beer or even whiskey or bourbon. Class up the tablescape with a nice seasonal centerpiece like this DIY Pumpkin Flower Arrangement.

No matter what kind of Friendsgiving you host, we want to see it! Tag us on Facebook and Instagram so we can check it out!