How are we halfway through November?! Can someone explain this to me? My calendar and I had a serious chat and I feel like I sorta kinda have a grip on life. And by that, I mean the next 2 weeks. As crazy crazy as the last weeks of November are, I’m really pumped because well, I absolutely love Thanksgiving. I might actually like Thanksgiving more than Christmas, dinner-wise. Well, and also the holiday deals that are right after Thanksgiving, which just so happens to conveniently coincide with my birthday…What were we talking about?
Oh right, how awesome Thanksgiving is! And before we all head home for the second-greatest-dinner-of-the-year, there’s the first-greatest-dinner: Friendsgiving.
Why is it the greatest dinner? Let’s list this out.
- Friends
- Lots of wine. And big batch cocktails.
- Food.
- Friends
Need I say more? If you are planning a Friendsgiving (or you are now!), I have a few hosting tips and a pretty awesome way to plan your entire Friendsgiving fête:
- Set a budget: I really love themes at parties. Which means I have a tendency to go overboard when shopping for a party. A minute item that’s vaguely related to the party theme? Oh, it goes into the cart. And then before I know it, I’ve spent my month’s groceries budget on a party. Curse you, party themes! Be realistic about your budget. Typically, Friendsgiving is usually a potluck, which does give you a little wiggle room for decorations. My favorite inexpensive fall decoration: fill empty clear vases with assorted gourds and mini-pumpkins, you can pick them up at Trader Joe’s for less than a dollar each. A bright bunch of sunflowers also works wonders. Once you break down your budget into food, wine (always add more $ than you think for this category) and decorations, hosting a party will seem way less than daunting!
- Get your home ready at least the day before: Frantically cleaning your home just before your friends arrive? Been there and it’s never a good idea. It adds unnecessary stress and since you’re usually preparing the meal right before the party, it’s a good way to burn the meal. Once again, been there. So get your home party-ready at least the day before and you’ll wake up on party day with a task already crossed off your list. It’s a great feeling, right?
- Plan, plan, plan: Planning your menu and listing party details, like how much cutlery and plates you’ll need, a week before will give you the peace of mind so you don’t spend your party running around like a crazy person and silently yell at yourself for deciding to host a party in the first place. And if you’re a new party hostess, here’s the awesome hack I hinted at earlier!
IZZE has an interactive Friendsgiving quiz on Instagram (@IZZE_Friendsgiving_Adventure) to help you plan your entire party in minutes! Seriously. It does pretty much all the work for you. It’s the miracle of Thanksgiving!
Have you ever participated in a loop giveaway? The Friendsgiving quiz is set up exactly like that! You start at the @IZZE_Friendsgiving_Adventure and tap on the image that answers the question in the bio section. You can then go to the IG tagged in that photo, answering the questions in the quiz until…
The quiz tells you which Friendsgiving theme is best for you! Anyone surprised I got “Throwback Thanksgiving?” Me neither 🙂
But here’s the really awesome part: You click on the theme and it links to a shopping list on Amazon and a Pinterest board to get your Friendsgiving party rockin’ and rollin’. Funky vintage dishes? Check. Mercury glass votives? Check. A table runner? Oh yeah. It’s Friendsgiving, foolproof! Oh, and their items are within budget so don’t worry!
Are you celebrating Friendsgiving this year? If you want to shop my Throwback Thanksgiving, here’s a handy guide : )
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This post was sponsored by IZZE®. All opinions and product sentiments are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep the DC Girl in Pearls party going!
