Hosting Friendsgiving
This time of year gives us the ideal chance to indulge in the fusion of flavours, flickering firelight, gatherings and giving that are the essence of autumn and winter. Root vegetables roasted to perfection, twinkling candles, warm and inviting spaces with autumn hued floral arrangements, all contribute to cherishing some lovely moments together, when joy and laughter fill the evening.
It’s one of my favourite times of the year, especially when I get to bring my friends together for Friendsgiving, which I’ve hosted for the last six years. I love everything about Friendsgiving, from planning the menu, cooking, choosing festive flowers, through to place cards and table decor. I always find that entertaining at this time of year has more character and cosiness. You get to sprinkle the festive spirit throughout your home. With Thanksgiving being last Thursday, I thought that some suggestions about recipes and decorations might still be very useful, with Christmas coming soon.
Recipes
The dishes I would usually make are turkey (obviously!), sweet potato mash, honey roast carrots, parmesan baked parsnips (from Delia Smith of course!) and Butternut Squash Risotto. For dessert I would usually make apple crumble and then some of my friends would always bring an extra pudding! I would definitely prepare some of the food the night before if you can - it makes life much easier and you can enjoy the day without any stress. Whether that’s chopping and peeling the vegetables the night before or making the apple crumble the day before, it all helps to make things both effortless and enjoyable.
When guests arrive it’s nice to serve appetisers and drinks until the meal is ready. Olives, kale chips and maybe a charcuterie or cheese platter depending on how many people you have (and if there are any vegetarians) are easy to prepare and light enough to leave your guests room for the main meal.
Decor
I always find that the table setting serves as a wonderful backdrop to the meal. For me it’s the part of any celebration or dinner party that I enjoy the most. When decorating for friendsgiving my preference is to go for a cosy yet elegant vibe. This means lots of candles and neutral warm colours. I love these antique brass candlestick holders, and arranging the candles in different heights adds a rustic but refined feel. Use multiple fabrics, we had to include our gingham napkins, as well as a table cloth and adding a table runner on top gives extra depth to the table.
I love incorporating nature in my table setting, and using greenery and branches in the middle and then layering that with baby’s breath flowers creates something really special. Another feature flower that creates a festive setting is a red poinsettia, which helps to create a cheery mood. I don’t usually put them on the table itself because I find that can sometimes be a bit overwhelming - on the fireplace as a background setting they are the perfect statement decoration.
You also have to prepare for all the platters to be placed on the table when the meal is served, so just make sure beforehand that there’s enough space (or you could even have a separate serving table). Another key element of creating that upbeat mood is your music, I think jazz playing in the background is perfect (and not too intrusive). I would usually play Stan Getz or Nat King Cole on my record player.
I hope this has sparked some lovely inspiration for you, either for Christmas hosting or even for next year’s Thanksgiving!
x