The seasons are changing and the leaves are falling; fall is here and so is the soon-to-be holiday season! Now, 2020 is a year that will go down in history for a number of reasons, and one of them will be how long we’ve had to go without seeing our loved ones – be it family or friends. This year may be the first time you spend Thanksgiving with your family (due to safety precautions or otherwise!) and you’re just about ready to host your very first Friendsgiving.
Sound like you? Well yes, that’s why you’re here of course! We know how stressful it can be planning any event, especially a new concept you haven’t hosted before! But don’t stress girl, that’s exactly we’ve got you covered! These are THE most important things to note when hosting your first Friendsgiving, so you can be sure to sit back, relax and be prepared for whatever may come your way this holiday season…
Your First Friendsgiving
Quality Over Quantity
First things first, make sure you invite the right amount of people for you and your home. The saying goes “quality over quantity” and it couldn’t be more true with your first Friendsgiving! There is absolutely no need to have 50 people squashed into your backyard for the sake of ‘appearances’. Sit down, write down your list of names and sleep on it. Come back to it the following morning and edit. And edit again!
Everyone’s spaces are different so choose a realistic number that works for you and go from there. When you’re looking around your party and seeing a handful of wonderfully familiar faces, you’ll realize how important it was to host your chosen few. You can thank us later!
Double Up On Chairs
With that being said, there’s always one (or a few extras) that rock up unannounced! We cannot stress enough the importance of having a few extra foldable chairs at hand, in the very probable case that there will be plus one’s joining your first Friendsgiving – of many we hope!
Another thing worth mentioning is to try to have different seating in and out of the house (weather and space dependant, of course!) so that natural flow is brought to the party. You don’t want a situation where everyone is crammed in the kitchen for the food while you’ve got your best tablescape set up outside. Provide the best of both and you’ll be guaranteed a happy household full of guests.
Over Cater On The Food
Without further ado, let’s talk food! There is a continuous debate in the event industry about whether you should over cater or under cater for an event and well, we think it’s fairly obvious where our loyalties lie! We say play it safe and over cater to the one thing people really want on their first Friendsgiving (or any holiday celebration for that matter!): food!
There is nothing better than an abundance of cheeky treats and indulgent dishes to get the conversation flowing, and of course, bellies grumbling! While it may be a little pricey to pull off, rest assured that there will be zero waste. Whether you have a bunch of leftovers to share with the family or perhaps you want to donate some to your local shelter, you’ll know your over-catered-for food is going to a good home.
Focus On One Main Thing
In this case, that means your very first Friendsgiving! Remember why you’re hosting in the first place and keep the theme to that of fall, gratitude and love. There’s no need for pricey gimmicks or over the top centerpieces when all that really matters is the celebration of your friends and what you are all collectively grateful for!
This is not to say that decorations and trinkets aren’t a must because they absolutely are! But, as long as you focus on the main thing which is hosting one epic Friendsgiving, the rest will very naturally fall into place.
Don’t Overcomplicate Things
As if we hadn’t reiterated this enough already, but we felt it deserved its own section; don’t overcomplicate things! There is zero need for too many things for one special day. It’s your first Friendsgiving after all, so try to work with the “less is more” approach.
“We know how emotionally invested we all get when attempting to host a successful event, but keep it simple.”
Take it from us – the more time spent actually spending time with your loved ones versus making sure that eighteenth tray of cookies comes out the oven on time will definitely make more sense! We know how emotionally invested we all get when attempting to host a successful event, but keep it simple. Your mind will really appreciate it.
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Clean Necessary Areas
Now, this is a little more humorous! We all know that petrifying feeling when you’re due to have people over and that “oh gosh, I forgot to clean there!” feeling creeps in… Well, we’re pleased to tell you that your home does not need a full-blown spring clean prior to hosting your first Friendsgiving.
Crazy, right? Look how we just gave you permission and you relaxed a little… Now it’s time to give yourself permission to relax, clean only the really necessary areas and tidy the rest. Trust us when we say this: literally, no one cares if your spare bathroom’s mirror has been wiped or not!
Go Eco With Paper Products
It’s 2020 and we’re all collectively becoming a little more environmentally friendly – as we should be! So, when hosting your first Friendsgiving this year, why not go full eco and purchase paper products for the special day? With the world of Etsy and Amazon at our feet, there really is no excuse to try out something new!
Plus: think easy clean up meets aesthetically pleasing decor and hey! Your home is decorated to the tee, and the after-party hangover will be a whole lot easier with one recycled bin bag full of eco-friendly stuff! Looking for a bar kit to add to your eco-collection this Friendsgiving? Check out this Mimosa Bar Kit for all your party boozy needs!
Meal Delivery Services
Cooking can definitely be considered relaxing or therapeutic for some, but we can probably all agree on the fact that not everyone has the energy, time, or kitchen skills to create a delicious home-cooked meal every single day or even for a special occasion, like the holiday dinners. If you’ve been contemplating meal prep for yourself or maybe surprising your family or friends with a nice small dinner but have no idea where to start or how to go about it, meal delivery services could be an easy timely option for you.
ConsumersAdvocate.org recently published a comprehensive review of different meal delivery services that could be perfect for you. Their researchers analyzed the companies based on the convenience, shipping and delivery, cost, quality of ingredients, and variety of the menus when evaluating the best options. Enjoy your meals!
Prepare For The Early Bird(s)
This kinda goes without saying, but get prepared for at least one person to arrive early. You may well still be in attempting-that-winged-eyeliner-one-last-time mode, but you’ll just have to make a plan! We suggest preparing a couple of food platters to place at an area where you can seat early guests to keep them occupied.
Add a glass of bubbly into the mix and some cool tunes and you’ll be unknowingly getting the party started – even if your eyeliner’s not where it’s supposed to be!
Entertain With Games
Games and activities are an absolute must when it comes to hosting your first Friendsgiving! Whether you want to opt for some classic board games or try something more conventional, make sure you’ve got some form of entertainment at hand!
We like the modern approach, like these Convokins. Let’s call it a conversation-starter-napkin-hybrid and just imagine all the fun you’ll have!
If you want to get a feel for them in person, they’ve recently launched in Target so why not give them a test run in-store? They’re guaranteed to be that little piece of entertainment you can fall back on when Monopoly gets a little competitive – again!
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Get In The Holiday Spirit
Everything’s at the ready and awaiting your first Friendsgiving arrivals; so what else is there to do than bake a few holiday cookies, blast some thanksgiving jazz and get full swing into the holiday spirit!
Your friends will love the warm welcome and the opportunity to dive into whatever beautiful Friendsgiving surprises you have waiting for them, so be ready for a whole load of joy coming your way!
Enjoy The Party
This is really an extension of the last point, but we cannot stress this enough. ENJOY YOURSELF! You may be the one hosting your first Friendsgiving and the pressure may feel like it’s caving in… but don’t let it!
“Remember this is all fun and games, and you’re blessed to be sharing it with a really wonderful group of friends; so why stress?”
With everything else going on in the world right now, it really is time to let your hair down and enjoy the party you’ve created!
Commute… To Your Bed!
This may or may not be the best part of hosting your first Friendsgiving – or any party for that matter! – but how amazing is it that your bed is in the party venue?! While everyone else has to be designated drivers or Uber home to their beds, yours is just around the corner!
The clean up can wait for the morning too, so there’s nothing left to do but wipe off that makeup, grab your comfiest PJ’s and get snuggled down into snooze-town. Breathe that last sigh of gratitude and drift off to dreamland with a happy, content smile on your face… Your first Friendsgiving was a success!
Looking for more inspiration for the holidays or how to master the art of hosting? Follow us on Instagram @cotierbrand and stay updated on the latest blog posts, products, and more by subscribing to our mailing list here!
Great tips! Thank you
You’re Welcome! Hope it it all goes well.