7 Budget-Friendly Friendsgiving Party Ideas For an Unforgettable Fall Gathering
This post is all about the best Friendsgiving party ideas.
It’s that time of year when we get to combine two of the best things in life: friends and food!
Friendsgiving is the perfect excuse to gather your loved ones, share a yummy meal, and make some unforgettable memories.
Whether you’re a seasoned host or it’s your first time throwing a Friendsgiving feast, I’ve got you covered with some fun and low-key party ideas that can work for any budget!
This Friendsgiving party planning guide will help you create the kind of Friendsgiving that your friends will talk about for years!
Cheap Friendsgiving Party Ideas
1. Friendsgiving party themes for a unique gathering
The best part about Friendsgiving is that you can make it all your own and even go for a more nontraditional route.
Instead of the classic turkey and mashed potatoes, consider choosing one of the Friendsgiving party theme ideas below! You can always mix in elements of a classic Thanksgiving feast if you want!
- Potluck Perfection: Everyone brings a dish they love and there will be plenty of variety!
- Cozy Pajama Party Friendsgiving: Opt for a low-key vibe with soft blankets, candles, and comfort food like mac ‘n’ cheese or mashed potatoes. Encourage everyone to wear their pajamas!
- Childhood favorites Friendsgiving: Each person can make their favorite dish their family made for Thanksgiving growing up.
- Outdoor Friendsgiving Picnic: Get bundled up and host your party outside with picnic blankets, bonfires, and a campfire-inspired menu like s’mores, hot cider, hot cocoa, and campfire Thanksgiving foods.
- DIY Pizza Party: Ditch the traditional turkey and have all of your friends make their own pizzas with all their favorite toppings. It’s a fun, laid-back alternative to a big feast. You can always serve toppings that fit the Thanksgiving theme as well like macaroni pizza, sweet potato as a base for the pizza crust etc.
- Garden Fresh Plant-Based Friendsgiving: Serve all the typical Thanksgiving meals but make them all vegan! Focus on beautiful whole foods that many of your friends with dietary concerns can also enjoy!
{RECOMMENDED POST: 8 Sustainable Thanksgiving Tips to Host the Perfect Holiday Spread}
2. DIY Friendsgiving invitation ideas
Make things special and send your friends a Friendsgiving invitation in the mail! It is rare that people get DIY invitations anymore and it can make the event feel extra special.
You can print off photos to make a fall-themed collage, include photos of you and your friends, or use fall-themed craft materials.
If you are not much of a crafty person you can always use Canva as a graphic design tool to print off your invitations!
- Thanksgiving washi tape
- Thanksgiving stickers
- Cardstock in fall colors
- Make mini fall leaves out of construction paper to put in the cards
- Thanksgiving ribbons
- Fall-colored paint set
3. Research Friendsgiving food ideas for the perfect Friendsgiving menu
This may be the most important section of your party planning-the food! Like I mentioned before, don’t feel boxed in by the classic Thanksgiving foods, you can always do your own thing!
The main decision is to decide if you want a potluck-style dinner or if you will be supplying all of the food to guests.
Be sure to keep everyone’s allergies and dietary restrictions in mind so that everyone feels included.
It can be fun to print off a menu to put at each place setting or to put in the invitations that you send out.
{RECOMMENDED POST: 18 Must Try Vegan Fall Dinner Ideas For Cozy Comfort Food}
4. Friendsgiving party decorations and tablescape ideas
Help get everyone in the holiday spirit by decorating your home with the cutest Friendsgiving decor.
You can save a ton of money by making them yourself, upcycling items you already own, thrifting decor, and foraging natural items for decor!
Here are some Friendsgiving decorations to try:
- DIY Thankful banner using cut-out letters and string
- Decorated pumpkins, seasonal produce, & foraged natural items
- Twinkle lights for a cozy vibe
- Fall-scented candles, essential oils, etc.
- Fall leaf garland
- Cozy blankets and pillows
- Personalized place cards
- Burlap table runner
- DIY Photo booth
- Kraft paper tablecloth with Sharpies to write gratitude notes
- Chalkboard or letterboard sign to welcome guests with a fall saying
- Thanksgiving wall art
{RECOMMENDED POST: 29 Beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescape Ideas Anyone Can Create}
5. Friendsgiving party favors guests will love
Send your guests home with a small gift to say thanks and to remember such a special party with!
You can choose a few items to make little goodie bags or just do a single gift.
Here are some budget-friendly Friendsgiving party favors to choose from:
- DIY Fall scented shower steamers or body sugar scrub
- DIY Fall candles
- Fall-flavored herbal tea bags
- Homemade fall treats: pumpkin spice muffins, caramel popcorn, caramel apple kit
- Personalized fall-themed bookmarks
{RECOMMENDED POST: Recreate These Easy Pumpkin Carving Ideas for Beginners}
6. Friendsgiving party games
Get everyone up and moving with some of these silly but fun party games that are Thanksgiving-themed!
- Pumpkin Bowling: Set up some empty cans or bottles as “pins” and use a small pumpkin as the bowling ball. It’s silly but you made be surprised at home much fun it ends up being!
- Turkey Trivia: Put together a few fun facts or trivia questions about Thanksgiving history, traditions, and fun facts, and quiz your guests. You can even make it competitive with small prizes.
- Name That Side Dish: Have a blind taste test of different classic Thanksgiving side dishes, and see who can guess what’s on their plate. It can be both fun and surprisingly difficult!
- The Gratitude Jar Game: After everyone writes what they’re thankful for, randomly pull out the slips and read them aloud. Everyone guesses who wrote each one. It’s a heartwarming way to close out the evening.
- Friendsgiving Charades: Keep it light and fun with Thanksgiving-related charades topics like “cooking a turkey,” “falling asleep after too much food,” or “Black Friday shopping.”
- Friendsgiving movie night: Put on a fall-themed movie or show and cozy up with your besties as you enjoy your Friendsgiving meal!
7. Friendsgiving craft ideas
If your friend group is more on the artsy side, skip the Friendsgiving games and go straight for some super cute Friendsgiving crafts.
Here are a few ideas to get you started!
- Pumpkin painting
- Friendship bracelets: Use fall-colored beads to create adorable and memorable friendship bracelets
- Fall Leaf stamped napkins: use fall-themed stamps (or potato stamps!) to create DIY napkins that can be reused each Thanksgiving.
- Homemade Fall Potpourri: with bags of dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cranberries etc.!
- DIY Fall Wreaths
- Thanksgiving coloring pages
- Decorate Friendsgiving aprons
- Make fall mocktails
{RECOMMENDED POST: 10 Easy DIY Thanksgiving Crafts for Adults Perfect For Home Decor}
I hope these Friendsgiving party ideas help you to host a Friendsgiving party that your friends will always cherish!
Don’t feel like you need to spend a ton of money to create a memorable experience. There are plenty of ways to use what you already have or do DIY projects to create a fun and memorable experience!
Have any other affordable Friendsgiving party ideas? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well.
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Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about the best Friendsgiving party ideas.
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