Friendsgiving is just like it sounds- a gathering of friends to celebrate Thanksgiving together! Having been an OG fan of the wildly popular television show Friends, I was excited that the new crop of Friends fans happened to be my daughter and her generation. Last year, we hosted 24 of her friends for a Friends-themed Friendsgiving using funny highlights from the show as details of the party. It was so fun for me to re-live the laughs with my daughter and her friends and to watch them crack up at the references to the show.
I set the table with potted pumpkins that were gifted to me from The Gardener's Nest~ they were such a nice surprise from Jessica Oliver, and I was excited to add them into the table decor. I ordered 2 live greenery garlands from Brett Glenn Floral Design with the intention of using them as table decorations at Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving and then door decorations for Christmas. They were beautiful on the table and the pumpkins from The Gardner's Nest added a perfect touch. I also used mini pumpkins to place throughout the greenery table runner.
[caption id="attachment_21512" align="aligncenter" width="400"] http://laurencarnes.com[/caption]
The garland was made of cedar and magnolia and the pumpkins were potted with green plants and moss. The lichens were a cool addition to the pumpkins! The potted terra cotta pots are by Catherine Hardman of Verde.
Each place setting was kept simple but on-theme. I asked Sarah T. Moore Designs to write on the Kraft paper placemats and her beautiful calligraphy was just what I was hoping to add to the placemats when I bought them. Never be afraid to embellish or add a personalized touch to an item.
You can see the writing a little closer here..
[caption id="attachment_21502" align="aligncenter" width="450"] http://laurencarnes.com[/caption]
I wanted to be sure to to have oversized coffee mugs for the girls to drink out of- I did not serve coffee, but it gave the Central Perk vibe. You could always have hot chocolate or just use the mug as an unconventional but fun water glass!
I also added candles with hurricane globes around the table. I always like to put globes around candles with a table full of teenagers- or I will use battery operated tea lights for votive candles. It just makes me feel better not to worry about them accidentally being knocked over in the high-spirited happiness that goes on around the table.
Deciding on the menu was fun because it was easy to take cues from the show to decide what to serve. My favorite to make was the Cornish hens- they were so cute and funny. There is nothing like everyone having their own "turkey". This is a great option to serve even without the garnishes we added. But, we all had a good laugh at these funny little turkeys!
[caption id="attachment_21508" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Photo by Lauren Carnes Photography/ Friendsgiving Party by Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
I loved the small size of the Cornish hens- they look like a bunch of little friends hanging out together on the platter. I added doll-sized eyeglasses and sunglasses that are available at Hobby Lobby. The hats are candy cups that are available at Party City. If you can't find candy cups, you can also use red cupcake wrappers. The glasses were easy to wash and then add to the hens. To keep the hats in place, I inserted a toothpick into the top of the hen and then placed the red cup on top of it. Most of the girls wanted to take the little glasses home with them. :)
[caption id="attachment_21509" align="aligncenter" width="400"] http://laurencarnes.com photography/ Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
It wouldn't be Friendsgiving without referencing Rachel's trifle, and so I made the salad into a trifle. The girls loved that- and they especially loved that there were no weird ingredients mixed together in the one we served!
I also served mashed potatoes instead of Joey's Funyuns and then Chandler's Chan-berry Sauce...
For dessert, we had Friends-themed cookies. I ordered these from Sweet Bellas and then also had a local cookie artist come to the Supper Club and give the girls a cookie decorating lesson. They could decorate their own and eat them, too! The cookies were just the cutest things!
[caption id="attachment_21500" align="aligncenter" width="400"] http://laurencarnes.com[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_21510" align="aligncenter" width="400"] http://laurencarnes.com / Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
The cookies served as the party favors and the girls each had a little box to take home their cookies and their decorating tools. It was such a fun time to see them all together enjoying the fun of the party. As an added detail, I also downloaded a Friends playlist that we had playing during the party. It added a little more laughter to hear the clips and songs in the background.
I hope you are inspired to host your own Friendsgiving Supper Club. Big or small, this is a fun theme and has endless ideas for being creative with it. Come join The Supper Club here at Lydia Menzies Celebrates where we share even more themed ideas, menus, and recipes for hosting your own supper club- with friends or with your family. It makes gathering around the table even more enjoyable and gives you ideas for what to make and serve for dinner! Best of all, it is a community of people who enjoy entertaining and sharing ideas. I would love to see you at the table!
[caption id="attachment_21505" align="aligncenter" width="400"] http://laurencarnes.com / Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
Many thanks to Lauren Carnes for the photography!
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Friendsgiving is just like it sounds- a gathering of friends to celebrate Thanksgiving together! Having been an OG fan of the wildly popular television show Friends, I was excited that the new crop of Friends fans happened to be my daughter and her generation. Last year, we hosted 24 of her friends for a Friends-themed Friendsgiving using funny highlights from the show as details of the party. It was so fun for me to re-live the laughs with my daughter and her friends and to watch them crack up at the references to the show.
I set the table with potted pumpkins that were gifted to me from 
[caption id="attachment_21512" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
http://laurencarnes.com[/caption]
The garland was made of cedar and magnolia and the pumpkins were potted with green plants and moss. The lichens were a cool addition to the pumpkins! The potted terra cotta pots are by 
Each place setting was kept simple but on-theme. I asked 
You can see the writing a little closer here..
[caption id="attachment_21502" align="aligncenter" width="450"]
http://laurencarnes.com[/caption]
I wanted to be sure to to have oversized coffee mugs for the girls to drink out of- I did not serve coffee, but it gave the Central Perk vibe. You could always have hot chocolate or just use the mug as an unconventional but fun water glass!
I also added candles with hurricane globes around the table. I always like to put globes around candles with a table full of teenagers- or I will use battery operated tea lights for votive candles. It just makes me feel better not to worry about them accidentally being knocked over in the high-spirited happiness that goes on around the table.
Deciding on the menu was fun because it was easy to take cues from the show to decide what to serve. My favorite to make was the Cornish hens- they were so cute and funny. There is nothing like everyone having their own "turkey". This is a great option to serve even without the garnishes we added. But, we all had a good laugh at these funny little turkeys!
[caption id="attachment_21508" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
Photo by Lauren Carnes Photography/ Friendsgiving Party by Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
I loved the small size of the Cornish hens- they look like a bunch of little friends hanging out together on the platter. I added doll-sized eyeglasses and sunglasses that are available at Hobby Lobby. The hats are candy cups that are available at Party City. If you can't find candy cups, you can also use red cupcake wrappers. The glasses were easy to wash and then add to the hens. To keep the hats in place, I inserted a toothpick into the top of the hen and then placed the red cup on top of it. Most of the girls wanted to take the little glasses home with them. :)
[caption id="attachment_21509" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
http://laurencarnes.com photography/ Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
It wouldn't be Friendsgiving without referencing Rachel's trifle, and so I made the salad into a trifle. The girls loved that- and they especially loved that there were no weird ingredients mixed together in the one we served!
I also served mashed potatoes instead of Joey's Funyuns and then Chandler's Chan-berry Sauce...
For dessert, we had Friends-themed cookies. I ordered these from 
http://laurencarnes.com[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_21510" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
http://laurencarnes.com / Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
The cookies served as the party favors and the girls each had a little box to take home their cookies and their decorating tools. It was such a fun time to see them all together enjoying the fun of the party. As an added detail, I also downloaded a Friends playlist that we had playing during the party. It added a little more laughter to hear the clips and songs in the background.
I hope you are inspired to host your own Friendsgiving Supper Club. Big or small, this is a fun theme and has endless ideas for being creative with it. Come join 
http://laurencarnes.com / Lydia Menzies Celebrates[/caption]
Many thanks to