What makes Thanksgiving one of the greatest holidays is that you don't really need much. All you need are some friends, some food, and a free afternoon.
In fact, Thanksgiving with friends — Friendsgiving — can be on its own day, on your own terms, and a great pleasure, even if you spend the third Thursday in November with actual family.
The key is thinking different. Choose the day you want for Friendsgiving and your preferred menu.
If you have had enough holiday cooking to last a lifetime, order a complete Thanksgiving dinner, gather some friends, and just eat and talk. Everyone who wants to can still bring a dish — or not. It is perfectly acceptable to share the cost of ordering the dinner.
But if you want to cook and your friends are happy to bring their favorite dishes from home, it can be a special treat.
You and your friends are the entertainment! This is the perfect time to wax nostalgic about the great events and people of your life. Tell your favorite stories.
To get the conversation started, put a slip of paper at every place setting with a conversation starter such as:
How has Thanksgiving changed for you?
If you could live any decade of your life again, which one would it be and why?
What Thanksgiving or holiday traditions did you have in your family?
What events changed your life the most?
