The term “Friendsgiving” has become more relevant over the years, and focuses on the idea of a close group of friends gathering to have their own Thanksgiving-style dinner.
It has grown in popularity since the mid-2000s, according to Local Syracuse. It wasn’t until later in 2012 that people began to actually Google the term. In January of 2020, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary recognized it as a real word.
The idea of Friendsgiving sounds like a fun time, but there is a history of how it came to be. In 2007 there was a recession that forced a lot of young adults to move away from home in order to work. This made it so they were far away from their families during holiday seasons. To still celebrate, friends would gather to have their own holiday.
Many places that saw search volume for the term were Boston, New York, Philadelphia, San Jose, and Chicago. While the holiday didn’t have its own name until 2020, it’s been around for much longer than that.
People have shared that one of the appeals to a friend’s Thanksgiving is not feeling the pressure of having family surrounding you. While Thanksgiving has more of a traditional menu, many people will have more of a potluck for Friendsgiving. That’s not to say that Friendsgiving attendees don’t love a Thanksgiving spread. According to the New York Post, 54% of attendees like turkey, followed by 45% who liked mashed potatoes. Sweet potatoes and beef tenderloin were tied at 39%, with 36% of people looking forward to the gravy.
Friendsgiving isn’t a formal holiday, so there are no rigid rules to the menu or what day it needs to happen. That’s all part of the appeal.
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