{"id":23662,"date":"2018-11-05T11:00:22","date_gmt":"2018-11-05T18:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/valleygirlblog\/?p=23662"},"modified":"2018-11-15T13:34:00","modified_gmt":"2018-11-15T20:34:00","slug":"valley-girls-guide-to-hosting-friendsgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/valleygirlblog\/events-and-festivals\/valley-girls-guide-to-hosting-friendsgiving\/","title":{"rendered":"Valley Girl’s Guide to Hosting Friendsgiving"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Avalon Eberhardt<\/em><\/h5>\n

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Let the gourd times roll! One of the best things about the holidays is getting together with family\u2026and friends.\u00a0 Double your Turkey Day feasting pleasure by hosting an epic Friendsgiving this year, think of it as a Thanksgiving pregame with all your closest friends. We’re making it easy for you with the ultimate guide to an amaize<\/em>ing celebration of friends.<\/p>\n

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Invitations<\/h4>\n

Friendsgiving can\u2019t happen without any friends, duh. First and foremost are invites. The holidays are a busy time for most people so get your invites out at least a week (if not more) in advance. Customize a cute and festive e-invite with Paperless Post<\/a>. This will allow you to easily manage your guest list while making your BFF’s feel special with a personal invite sent directly to their inbox. Don’t have everyone’s email? That’s cool, you can share the flier via text, Facebook or Whatsapp.<\/p>\n

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Food<\/h4>\n

Obviously, the most important part. As a rule of thumb, the host is responsible for turkey and gravy goodness (because have you ever tried transporting a cooked turkey, yikes). To keep from repeating dishes, create a Google spreadsheet that can be shared with guests. Outline how many dishes are needed, then let your guests sign up so they can see what others are bringing to confirm you\u2019ll end up with the right amount of appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Don\u2019t forget to list ice and any special dietary needs like vegan and gluten-free items!<\/p>\n

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Drinks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Obviously, the second most important part.\u00a0Let\u2019s face it, wine goes fast so\u00a0all your guests should bring at least one alcoholic beverage, or non-alcoholic for those not drinking. Having a few inexpensive back up bottles just in case will ensure no cup goes empty. You can’t go wrong with the $5 California Roots brand at Target<\/a>\u00a0or pretty much anything in the $5 – $10 range at Trader Joe’s. Up the ante and impress your guests with a festive fall sangria<\/a> or even a signature seasonal cocktail<\/a>.<\/p>\n