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How to Host a Stress-Free Friendsgiving

Posted: November 17, 2020 by Silver Spur Master

Is anything better than dinner with your people? We’re talking about your besties, the friends who become family (framily?), the ones you choose to do life with. As much as we love our traditional family Thanksgiving dinners, there’s something to be said about hosting Friendsgiving for the (other) favorite people in your life. Friendsgiving is when friends and Thanksgiving join forces in celebration. Another excuse to eat, drink, and be merry this holiday season? Maybe! There are no rules when hosting a Friendsgiving dinner. You know your group of friends best, so cater to your crowd! If you need help getting started, here are a few of our favorite tips to make hosting your Friendsgiving celebration a little easier! 

Choose a Date That Doesn’t Stress You Out 

While Friendsgiving is traditionally celebrated in November sometime before Thanksgiving, many choose to celebrate before or after the holidays when life isn’t so chaotic. Between work, family gatherings, holiday parties, and kid’s activities, the holiday season can feel overwhelming. Don’t let hosting Friendsgiving stress you out!

Our advice? It’s ALWAYS a good time to celebrate with friends! We understand that hosting a Friendsgiving celebration within a few weeks of Thanksgiving feels much more authentic, but consider your guest’s calendar. If weekends feel too busy, choosing a midweek date may be less stressful for all involved (and cheaper if you are renting a hall!). And if hosting  Friendsgiving smack in the middle of the holiday season is less than ideal, give yourself some grace. The best part of hosting a Friendsgiving celebration is the company, and delicious food, of course! The date doesn’t matter as much as who is in attendance. 

Location Matters

As a host, some of the most important considerations are your space and guest count. When hosting a Friendsgiving, ask yourself the following: How many people are you inviting? Are your guests all local, or will some travel from out of town? Do you plan on a formal, sit-down dinner or a backyard gathering, picnic-style? Will you need to rent tables and chairs to accommodate everyone? How much room do you really have?      

Don’t let these questions stress you out, they are only considerations. Planning an event like this should be as fun and as easy on you as possible. Your friends will have a great time, no matter what because the most important thing is being together to celebrate your friendship. Comfort is key here! 

If you are hosting a large group, consider renting a venue with plenty of space. Silver Spur Resort has multiple venue options all in one spot. A private room like Stagecoach Hall is the perfect size to host your event with a guest count under 100. The best part? You don’t have to stress about cleaning your house, moving furniture around, or hunting down tables and chairs to seat everyone. Venue packages were designed to make party planning as easy as possible, including tables and chairs, and access to resort amenities like the playground and fishing ponds, something the kids love! And speaking of the kids…

Make it Kid-Friendly

Some chose to host adult-only Friendsgivings, and others bring the whole fam! If you know there will be plenty of kids in attendance you will want to make sure your Friendsgiving is as family-friendly as possible. We know kids will make their own fun, anytime, anywhere, especially if they are amongst great friends. But why not include them in the Friendsgiving festivities? 

Having plenty of things to do can keep the party going all day long! Here is our list of family-friendly Friendsgiving activities:

  • Flag Football 
  • Scavenger Hunt* 
  • Human Foosball*
  • Game Night*
  • Karaoke*
  • Movie Night*
  • Fishing Tournament*
  • Escape Room Game*
  • Mystery Game*
  • Cornhole Tournament*
  • Nerf Wars*
  • Horseshoes*

Having plenty of room for indoor and outdoor activities to host a variety of family-friendly activities can bring a whole new level of fun to your Friendsgiving celebration! The Silver Spur Resort can help with those activities marked with an * when you host your Friendsgiving onsite! We have tons of room to get creative, no matter your group size! 

KOA camping
Kampgrounds of America Inc. Photograph

Friendsgiving Food

The second best part of celebrating Friendsgiving is the food! (With number one being friends, of course!) Potlucks are the most popular way to go when hosting a Friendsgiving dinner. This way, everyone can share in the cost of food and beverage, and show off those cooking skills! It also gives you a chance to get creative with your menu! Will you host a traditional Thanksgiving menu and have everyone bring their favorite side dish? Or will you pick another theme with everyone’s favorite foods? There are no rules when it comes to Friendsgiving food!

Here are some of our un-traditional Friendsgiving Food ideas:

  • Finger Foods- Everyone brings their favorite appetizer and bite-sized dessert. So many winning combinations on one plate! 
  • Build your own pizzas- Everyone brings their favorite pizza topping, from a variety of meats and cheeses to all those delicious veggies! Have fun trying out new combinations!
  • Taco bar- Because who doesn’t love tacos!
  • Baked potato bar- The ultimate comfort food! Bring toppings like chopped meats, chili, shredded cheese, butter, sour cream, chives, and load up! 
  • Backyard BBQ Throw some meat in the smoker, have each guest bring a side dish, and you have an easy and delicious meal everyone will love.

You can also make it super easy and have your meal catered. No cooking, no cleaning, no muss, no fuss. Catering options make sense for those times when you just want to enjoy each other’s company and let someone else do the work! 

The Q & Brew at the Silver Spur Resort has a variety of catering options sure to please any palate. Although known for its barbeque, the Q & Brew’s catering menu also offers choices like Italian, fajitas, taco bar, potato bar, desserts, and more. To make event planning even easier (and budget-friendly!), Silver Spur Resort offers discounted pricing on the Stagecoach Hall rental, when you choose the Q & Brew to cater your event. Another winning combination!

dinner at KOA
Kampgrounds of America Inc. Photograph

Let the Good Times Roll- Overnight! 

Many times, a Friendsgiving celebration is hosted for close friends who just don’t see each other as often as they would like. Life happens! Dinner for a few hours may not make the cut when there’s a year’s worth of catching up to do. Call us crazy, but you could turn your Friendsgiving dinner into a Friendsgiving weekend! Fall is a beautiful time of the year to camp, especially if you are camping in Texas. The weather is cooler, and the nights are perfect for campfires, s’mores, and storytelling under the stars. You don’t even have to travel far from home to find a campground that meets all your needs! 

Canton KOA is a great place to host your Friendsgiving celebration when you want to escape the city without traveling too far, or just need the extra room. Canton is only about an hour east of Dallas, making it a popular destination for those needing a weekend getaway. Conveniently located off I-20, Canton KOA has a variety of camping options to choose from. This growing RV park has approximately 70 spaces on concrete slabs, each with full hookups. Campers can also choose between a selection of deluxe and camping cabins, or for a truly unique glamping experience, stay in a Conestoga Wagon! Because Canton KOA sits within the Silver Spur Resort, campers may be surprised to find more amenities than expected from a basic campground, making it a great choice for a group getaway.   

Kampgrounds of America Inc. Photograph

Now that the big decisions are out of the way, everything else should fall into place easily. Deciding on a date that works for everyone, guest list, location, and food choices all set the tone for your Friendsgiving. Now the only thing left to do is CELEBRATE! If you are planning a Friendsgiving, or other family gathering this holiday season, contact the friendly team at Silver Spur Resort. We’d love to help with your venue, catering, or lodging needs!

host a stress free Friendsgiving

 

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