12 Awesome Friendsgiving Ideas (2024)

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Event venues on Peerspace typically cost $50 — $350 per hour.

Looking for some sweet and unique Friendsgiving ideas to celebrate your crew around a table laden with delicious dishes? At Peerspace, we get it! For many young people these days, Friendsgiving seems to be taking over as a new favorite holiday. Whether you live far away from your family and don’t have time to travel home for the holidays, or you simply prefer to celebrate the occasion with your friends, Friendsgiving is your chance to observe the holiday your own way, with whatever foods and traditions you like!

One tradition that seems to be gaining steam much like Friendsgiving itself is Peerspace. The largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, people across the globe rely on Peerspace to connect them with unique spaces to host all their special events, Friendsgiving included. We’ve put together this list of 12 creative Friendsgiving ideas to get you started with planning a memorable occasion for your chosen family and friends.

1. Rent an unforgettable Friendsgiving dinner venue on Peerspace

 classy TriBeCa loft event space in NYC
Source: Peerspace

If you don’t have room for all of your friends in your apartment, or you just don’t want the hassle of having to rearrange the furniture, consider renting a Peerspace event venue rental for your Friendsgiving meal. As we mentioned, Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, with thousands of Friendsgiving-worthy spaces in cities across the globe.

For example, we love the idea of hosting your event at this classy TriBeCa loft event space in NYC. It has modern rustic vibes and a sophisticated flair, not to mention its dual wall immersive projection system and optional catering services.

Then there’s this semi-industrial venue in San Francisco that has a commercial kitchen, making it perfect for a large group dinner. It has room for 40 seated guests and enough stovetops to keep all your dishes warm, so you don’t have to worry about having too many cooks in the kitchen!

Just browse Peerspace to find even more great Friendsgiving ideas. You can search by venue size and location to find the right space for you. Plus, your local hosts may be able to help you out with furniture, A/V rentals, and even catering services (as in the case of the spaces we mentioned above) if you want to go all-out on the menu!

2. Keep organized and use Google Sheets to plan the menu

an airy modern kitchen in a home
Source: Peerspace

One of the most important things to keep in mind about Friendsgiving is that it’s typically planned as a potluck, with everyone bringing a dish or two to share. As the host, you should plan to cook the main dish and set a theme for the evening, but ask your friends to bring everything else.

For an easy solution, create an online spreadsheet so that everyone can sign up for a dish ahead of time. That way, you’ll avoid having multiple people bringing the same items. Plus, you’ll have an idea of how much food to expect, making sure all of the most important dishes are covered.

3. Create or rent a photo booth to capture the moments

Light-filled Large Event Space in the Heart of First Hill
Source: Peerspace

One of the best things about Friendsgiving is that you get to avoid awkward family photos with relatives you only see once a year. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take some pictures to remember the occasion!

An easy way to do that is to set up a photo booth so that guests who like pictures can participate and those who don’t can opt-out. Set up a camera and backdrop, and include some fun props and costumes your guests can have fun with.

You can also book a Peerspace venue that is both an event space and photoshoot studio so that you can have an amazing setting and lighting equipment and camera gear on-site.

Our friends in Wisconsin can book this venue and 360 photo booth rental in Menomonee Falls. The venue provides tables, chairs, speakers, and the optional photo booth in a minimalist setting that you can decorate to your heart’s content.

Meanwhile, Peerspace users in Seattle can opt to book this light-filled large event space in First Hill (pictured above). It’s a stylish lounge with plenty of comfy seating, eclectic decor, a kitchen, a pool table, and yep, an on-site photo booth!

Get those cameras ready and turn your Friendsgiving into a photo op using our Thanksgiving photoshoot ideas!

4. Skip the turkey and embrace a unique centerpiece

multicultural artistic loft in hamilton heights
Source: Peerspace

Whether you want to host a vegetarian Friendsgiving or you simply desire a change from turkey, consider coming up with something new as the centerpiece of the menu. If your group of friends is from a mix of cultural backgrounds, not all of them will have grown up with a traditional turkey dinner.

Ask everyone to bring a dish that reminds them of the holidays in their family, and honor the different ways that you celebrate the harvest season.

5. Host a pie-making contest

fully equipped gourmet chef kitchen studio in Norristown, PA
Source: Peerspace

For some friends, the dessert is the most important part of the Friendsgiving menu. After all, it’s the time of year for fresh seasonal treats like apple pie and pumpkin pie! Make sure that dessert isn’t an afterthought by including it on the spreadsheet. Better yet, host a pie-making contest so that everyone gets to sample homemade pies and vote on their favorite.

Book a spacious kitchen rental venue through Peerspacr to ensure you have enough room to cook and dine comfortably. This fully equipped gourmet chef kitchen studio in Norristown, PA is just one of the many, many stylish options available to you.

6. Have a DIY pie bar

a dessert case in a bakery
Source: Peerspace

Want to make sure there are enough pie options for gluten-free guests or those with food allergies? Epicurious recommends setting up a DIY pie bar, which is essentially a taco bar with pie toppings instead. You’ll make little round pastries (including vegan and gluten-free options) and provide fresh fruit, cream, and other toppings so that everyone can create their own perfect pie.

7. Hold a clothing swap

a retail clothing store
Source: Peerspace

It’s time to dig some warmer clothes out of the closet and pass along anything that doesn’t fit you to a new owner. Hosting a clothing swap is among one of the easiest Friendsgiving ideas that can accomplish two things at once. Your friends can all try on some new clothes and update their wardrobes, and anything that gets left behind can be donated to Goodwill or another local charity.

8. Craft cranberry cocktails

a copper and wood bar venue rental
Source: Peerspace

While you can expect your guests to bring a few bottles of wine, why not get creative with some seasonal cocktails? From cranberry daiquiris to Moscow mules, check out creative cocktail ideas that are perfect for the holiday season.

You can also opt to book time at a bar venue through Peerspace, many of which can teach you and your crew how to craft professional cocktails during your Friendsgiving event!

9. Create a custom puzzle to honor your bonds

Authentic Artist Loft Tribeca
Source: Peerspace

If your group of friends has known each other for years, surprise them with a custom puzzle that features a favorite group photo or memory. As you put the pieces together and the image comes into focus, you can reminisce about old times and share past Thanksgiving stories.

10. Get out into nature

Rustic Cabin Nestled in a Forest
Source: Peerspace

Make the most of the season by celebrating Friendsgiving outdoors. If you live in a part of the country with mild winters, you can plan a camping trip and enjoy dinner around the campfire.

If you live somewhere warmer, consider renting one of these cozy cabins instead! This is one of the top Friendsgiving ideas for those who love spending time outdoors.

Check out our fun Friendsgiving game ideas to keep your guests entertained!

11. Screen a movie in a unique setting

Private VIP Screening Room
Source: Peerspace

For many families, watching a movie or sporting event is part of the Thanksgiving tradition. At Friendsgiving, you get to choose the movie yourself.

We recommend booking a private movie theater through Peerspace so everyone gets a good seat and all the gear you need is on-site and ready to roll. One of our favorite options is this private VIP screening room in Westlake Village, CA, which comes with comfy seating for 10, professional movie-screening equipment, and concession snacks!

12. Prepare take-out boxes

a modern black and white kitchen
Source: Peerspace

Finally, make sure that none of the food goes to waste by preparing to-go boxes ahead of time. You can buy Thanksgiving-themed containers or just a fresh set of Tupperware. This way, you won’t have to worry about finding matching lids when everyone’s on their way out the door.

13. Get creative and theme it up!

echo park 1970s home
Source: Peerspace

Hopefully, you love Friendsgiving so much that it becomes your new annual tradition! But to ensure your Friendsgiving dinner is always unique, why not switch things up by adding a thematic twist? Your theme can be anything, from decades to movies and from cities to people. But choose a new theme annually and consider basing your menu off the theme and encouraging your friends to come in costume, on theme, of course!

You can also browse Peerspace to locate and book incredible venues that suit your theme to a T, adding even more depth and fun to the occasion. As an example, say you want this year’s Friendsgiving theme to be “the 70s.” Great, all you need to do is book a vintage-inspired rental venue through Peerspace, such as this sweet 1970s vintage sunny Echo Park home in Los Angeles, CA. A 70s venue we can help you with, but a 70s menu? You’re on your own with that one!

Friendsgiving ideas: conclusion

dinner party venue with exposed brick walls
Source: Peerspace

Friendsgiving is the ultimate DIY holiday, as it can be anything you want it to be. It doesn’t even have to be on the official Thanksgiving Thursday if that conflicts with work, travel, or family commitments. Have it on a weekend so more of your friends can come!

Whether you’re hosting your first Friendsgiving or your 30th, book a special gathering venue through Peerspace and use these awesome Friendsgiving ideas to host an event that your friends will remember for years to come.

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