Three Ideas for a Laid-Back Friendsgiving Party

Potluck

If you can’t imagine Friendsgiving without its main staple, turkey, but you don’t feel like cooking anything else, just throw a potluck event! While the bird is your responsibility, your friends should bring sides and desserts – your only task will be just to coordinate everyone in order not to end up with double mashed potatoes and no cranberry sauce. To show your buddies some appreciation, make sure to place whatever they bring on fancy bowls, plates, and platters – fortunately, our dinnerware collection offers plenty of options to choose from.

When it comes to décor, you can keep it simple – your main task is to make it welcoming and cozy. To stay within the traditional style, you’ll need our gingham tablecloth, gold chargers and flatware, white or red tapers in massive gold candelabra, white napkins, fall leaf garland, and pumpkins. To recreate a woodland style, pull out our wood stump candle holders for votives, wood place card holders, and white pumpkins atop neutral-colored linens. If you want to end up with a chic yet inexpensive setup, use a roll of craft paper for the table runner, white chargers with eco-friendly plates and flatware, coral polyester napkins, baby pumpkin place cards, and seasonal decorations (pumpkins, acorns, pine cones, etc.) for the centerpiece.

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Wine Tasting Party

In case you don’t want to overindulge with turkey before Thanksgiving, you can host a wine tasting Friendsgiving party. The day before the event, make sure to chill your wines to the optimal serving temperature. If you are dealing with red wines, uncork them to let them mellow before your guests arrive.  As for the foods, your menu will depend on which wines you’ll be tasting. For example, Vintner’s Reserve Pinot Noir goes with Brie cheese, walnuts, dried figs, and sausages with mustard. Grand Reserve Chardonnay and butternut squash bruschetta are a true match made in heaven! Pair Grand Reserve Rose with prosciutto flatbread, while Grand Reserve Late Harvest Chardonnay tastes perfect with pumpkin cupcakes and cookies.

For your table setup, let wine be your inspiration. For example, you can cover your table with a burgundy or eggplant polyester tablecloth; add gold, silver, or blush chargers; top them off with matching napkins to adorned an autumn leaf; and remember to put wine glasses. For the table runner, you can use red berries, our fall leaf garland, and candles in amber holders. To bring some volume into your ensemble, you can craft lanterns out of our mason jars with our lavender votives (to suit your eggplant or burgundy linens).

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Tea Party

Another good way to skip pre-Thanksgiving overeating and overcommitting is to host a tea party. Since it is Friendsgiving tea party, there’s no need to stick to the rules – it doesn’t have to be in the afternoon nor contain porcelain. Regarding foods and drinks, there should be tea, a wide selection of both sweet and savory bites on the platters, and of course, desserts! There can even be turkey if you are a great fan of this dish.

As for the décor ideas, the sky’s the limit, but if you are planning to surprise your guests, you can give a chance to this moss table setup. In case you don’t have moss at hand, you can use our grass runner instead. Once your runner is there, put white plates with gold flatware, white cups with golden rims for the tea, and wood place card holders. For the centerpiece, you can fill a large bowl with gourds, watermelons, and succulents to complement the moss runner. In the end, light up votive candles in brass or gold holders.

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