The Best (and Cutest) Friendsgiving Ideas from Pinterest
The beauty of Friendsgiving is that it’s Thanksgiving’s cooler, more casual cousin. No family fights about politics, no cranky aunt inspecting your glasses for water spots, oh, and it’s totally fine to make it a potluck or a buffet instead of a more formal sit-down occasion. Plus, you get to invite whoever you want! It’s fun, it’s laid-back, and it’s full of delicious food. So what’s not to love?
This casual-ness extends to your decor and setup, too. Playful decorations and ideas that maybe wouldn’t fly (much like a turkey!) at a more formal dinner can shine amongst friends. With that in mind, here are some of the best — and cutest — Friendsgiving ideas from Pinterest.
1. Skip the good stuff.
You have enough laundry as it is, so there’s no need to whip out the good linens — or any linens. Swap in brown craft paper instead. You can even use a white marker pen to dress it up if you want. And if you don’t have enough forks and knives for everyone, go with disposable. This is your friend family — not the royal family.
See it on Pinterest: 8 Ways to Nail Friendsgiving This Year at Brit + Co
2. Make a simple sign.
This banner couldn’t be easier to make and you certainly don’t need to be able to draw in order to copy it for your own dinner. You don’t even need to get that fancy when hanging it up. Stick a piece of washi tape across all four corners to stick it to the wall, or hang it with a pants hanger and a single nail.
See it on Pinterest: Our tips for hosting an effortless Friendsgiving with Crate & Barrel from 100 Layer Cake
3. Use wheat as a centerpiece.
Ditch your traditional cornucopia in favor of some colorful fun. Wrapping stalks of wheat with colorful string may seem fussy, but it’s worth it. The beauty of this project is that it will last all season long. Plus it’s less expensive than a fresh bouquet of flowers.
See it on Pinterest: DIY Color Wrapped Wheat from Inspired by Charm
4. Create a signature cocktail.
Avoid having to create (and stock) a big bar setup by premixing a signature cocktail that you know your friends will love. If you make a batch or two of a single drink, everyone else can be on wine or beer duty.
See it on Pinterest: Apples and Tequila Cocktail from Freutcake
5. Decorate with punny balloons.
Thanksgiving might not typically be a holiday you associate with balloons, but Friendsgiving is all about fun and balloons are fun — especially these balloons, with their clever holiday-themed sayings written on them and a playful mix of colors and styles. The slightly non-traditional colors help pile on the pretty too.
See it on Pinterest: DIY Thanksgiving Balloons from Studio DIY
6. Have a thankful pumpkin guest book.
While some evidence may be pointing to the end of the world, we all still have many things to be grateful for. Instead of putting people (especially shy ones) on the spot going around the table, dedicate a white pumpkin as a place for guests to write their thoughts. You’ll be surprised to see what shows up on it by the end of the night.
See it on Pinterest: Fall Home Tour 2015 from Yellow Prairie Interior Design
7. Set up a pie bar.
Tell everyone to bring a pie instead of a side dish and have a massive pie party instead of a real Thanksgiving meal. Or have a dozen pies in addition to the main course. It’s your call!
See it on Pinterest: Pie Bar from Shiny Happy Sprinkles
8. Hang lots of pictures.
What better way to welcome your friends than by hanging a ton of pictures of them? Print out (like, on actual paper!) all the pics from your Insta feed and string them up amongst fairy lights. It’ll be fun for your guests to walk around and look at all of them.
See it on Pinterest: Friendsgiving in Washington from Urban Outfitters
9. Use leaves as place cards.
Head out to your yard and gather an armful of leaves to create completely custom place cards. Obviously look for bright colors and a full leaf shape. Write your guests’ names in tasteful calligraphy and add a gold dipped section. If you mess up a few, it’s no big deal! You can just run outside and grab some more leaves.
See it on Pinterest: Inexpensive Thanksgiving DIY from Lark & Linen
10. Get crafty with your to-go containers.
In the interest of being a good friend, let your attendees take some deliciousness home with them too. Have them load up disposable (but sturdy) containers and top them off with these adorable printables. It’ll be a surefire smile-inducer when they pull it out of the fridge later that evening.
See it on Pinterest: Thanksgiving printables for your to-go boxes full of leftovers from Coco+Kelley and Marabou Designs