The historic holiday of Thanksgiving is awaited to be gathered around by family membersto express gratitude. Now, a similar holiday, Friendsgiving, has been celebrated by the younger folk, and the same process goes for it, but let’s say it in a more informal and relaxed manner. So, get ready to read about the differences between the autumnal holidays and the keys to celebrating both with finesse!
What is the difference between Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving?
Even though both occasions are about people you care about coming together and having a hearty meal alongside each other. There are some essential differences between the two, starting with the members of each day. While Thanksgiving is between family members, it is between friends. Here are some other distinctions between them:
Friendsgiving vs. Thanksgiving
Participants
Thanksgiving
The whole family, including your immediate and extended members and relatives, come together to celebrate.
Friendsgiving
Only your friends are together to celebrate the bountiful occasion.
Timing
Thanksgiving
It has been traditionally celebrated in the USA on the fourth Thursday in November since 1863 after a bill passed by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States.
Friendsgiving
One of the advantages of Friendsgiving is that since there is no rigid time set, it can be more convenient for friends to hold a meeting before or around Thanksgiving. Jennifer Aniston, Hollywood A-lister and part of the successful comedy series “Friends,” which showed some of the earliest stances of Friendsgiving back in the 90s, explains how she celebrates it today:
“What’s Friendsgiving… Well, it’s Thanksgiving, but the day before. Because I like to sort of have a quieter Thanksgiving, and you know I don’t want people working on Thanksgiving, so it gives them the day off, so I do it the night before.”
Atmosphere
Thanksgiving
It is quite formal, as all the family members from every age group are present.
Friendsgiving
It is very laid back in comparison to the traditional holiday. Since only your friends are gathered, you can be casual.
Menu
Thanksgiving
Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, casserole, pie, and other traditional dishes are served over Thanksgiving.
Friendsgiving
While the host is responsible for holding the feast of Thanksgiving, potluck-style dinners are popular instead, where every friend may bring something either from the traditional staples or even something new. No rigid menu is set.
Spiritual or Religious Aspect
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving has been celebrated since the 17th century when pilgrims had their first successful harvest of corn with the help of Native Americans. This became an annual fall festival to showcase gratefulness and the coming together of the community.
Friendsgiving
Friendsgiving doesn’t have any or much spiritual aspect attached to it. According to some sources, it is a recent phenomenon that only surfaced officially around 2007.
Friendsgiving vs. Thanksgiving: Ideas for Hosting Both
Both of these occasions are celebrated with your loved ones to be grateful for the things you have in your life. But each holiday has a different vibe to it. For instance, we can take the practical example of the food variation on both Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving; the former has a much more traditional menu than the latter. So, whether you are hosting either one or both of these autumnal festivals, here is how you can make your celebration a hit with some tips:
Decoration
Setting the table is the most important decor for both Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving. While different expensive cutlery and other items can be used, the holidays have quite a rustic undertone, so a little goes a long way here. Thus, here’s a simple idea for both Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving by Kia Mortison, an event and wedding planner from Esto Occasions, Connecticut, who suggests the use of simply laying a wood plank:
“We picked up a plank from our local hardware store, and you could do it across the table and make it look like a farm table.”
Food
Thanksgiving meal prep should be started two to three before the big day if you are hosting. You’ll be in charge of making the main dish, Turkey, side dishes, and dessert. Of course, if your family members have already arrived for the holidays, you can take their help. Delegation can be done to take the weight off a single person’s shoulder!
For Friendsgiving, it’s more natural for everyone to bring a dish to the table. You can ace that aspect of the holiday without even putting in much effort! So, that’s a Friendsgiving advantage. Andy Baraghani, Bon Appétit’s food editor, comments on this process:-
“All right, first of all, make a plan, make a menu, so assign dishes to everyone who knows what they’re bringing.”
Activities
There is an array of activities on both occasions. But, more so, it suffices to say that Thanksgiving relies more heavily on the games section, which is not a main aspect of Friendsgiving. One thing that is similar for both fall festivals is the activity of saying what you are grateful for one by one. But you can also add your charm to this traditional activity.
Katie Brown, television host, author, and craft influencer, suggests an amazing rustic activity perfect for kids, friends, and all the members celebrating:
“You can go for a walk in the woods, grab some branches, put them in a vase, and then use a copper tape. Then use a paint pen on the copper leaves to write what it is you’re grateful for, and then hang the leaf on the tree so you’ll be making decor!”
Music
Since Thanksgiving is more traditional, the background music will generally be classical and soothing. For Friendsgiving, though, you have much more free-range choices regarding where everything goes—pop, rock, modern, anything. There are different playlists available that can set the vibe for this holiday.
Conclusion
While both of these fall festivals are cozy and comforting with the main aim of coming together with your loved one, some big differences arise between Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving. But you can amazingly host both if some tips and tricks are applied. Here’s to a successful and harmonic Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving that you may enjoy with your ideal company!
