Friendsgiving: A Transitional Design for a New Tradition
Who doesn’t love turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes? What about pie? So, we need an excuse to have the epic Thanksgiving meal twice. Enter “Friendsgiving.” A fairly new tradition in the U.S., Friendsgiving is a casual gathering of friends around the Thanksgiving holiday to celebrate being thankful for friendship, in addition to family. It also acts as a way for people who can’t travel home to still celebrate the holidays with those that they love and cherish. A potluck style meal, the host typically prepares the turkey and the guests will bring the traditional (and non-traditional) side dishes and desserts.
Friendsgiving is not only a great way to share your appreciation with your friends, but it’s also a great way to share traditions with them. Bring your famous family recipes, your aunt’s special stuffing, your dad’s pumpkin pie, or your own original recipe. It’s always fun to see how traditions are different among your friends and to put an end to the arguing about who’s stuffing is the best.
Decorating for Friendsgiving
Remember, Friendsgiving is a casual holiday that should be stress-free for everyone, even the host. Set a nice table, but don’t over-exert yourself on decorating. Many in attendance will have a family Thanksgiving on their docket as well, so keep your even casual and laid-back. It’s okay to have mismatched dishes and flatware as long as you have enough!
For our Friendsgiving tablespread, we have mixed metal pieces, a few mismatched rough-spun linens, and a collection of Fall decorations like sunflowers and metal turkey figurines. Trying to keep things simple is the best way to keep the event as stress-free as possible. Feel free to make your own place settings, name tags, and decorations, but remember, you need to have fun, too!
The Dining Room and Home Decor
This particular home has the Bradstreet fireclay farmhouse sink in the kitchen. A modern sink, the kitchen also has a Zuri faucet from Pfister, cabinets from Waypoint Living Spaces, ColorSmart paint from Behr, and sustainable bamboo flooring from the Home Depot.
While the home is largely transitional in style, there are original wood floors, wooden windows, high ceilings, and other elements that give areas a farmhouse feel. The fireclay farmhouse sink was the perfect element to tie the two styles together and still give the kitchen the more modern feel they wanted.
Tips for Attending Friendsgiving
Did you get invited to a Friendsgiving event? That’s awesome, but there is etiquette and responsibilities that you need to adhere to.
First of all, it’s a potluck event, so you need to bring a side dish or a dessert. This also means you need to bring your own adult beverages. The point isn’t to get a free meal, the point is to gather with friends in a fun environment – like your family’s Thanksgiving without the stress. If you bring wine, expect to share. It’s always expected that at least one guest bring a bottle of whiskey to share with the group, as well. Check with your host on what you may need to bring.
When considering your dish, keep in mind if there are any vegetarians or vegans in attendance. While this guest will likely bring their own dish in accordance with their needs, it’s always nice to give them another option, if you have one.
Also, grab a bag of ice if you can. This is one of the most overlooked item at any get-together.
Finally, pitch in and help clean before pie. A huge mountain of dishes isn’t going to be fun for your host to tackle and may suck up a good portion of their time with you. Pour a cocktail, roll up your sleeves, and let many hands make light work.
If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper sink or fireclay sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for more helpful tips and design ideas.
