The friend holiday, handled
Friendsgiving, minus the four desserts and no vegetables.
The host's share for 10–12 people, the signup slots that build a complete table, and the board that keeps two mac and cheeses from walking in.
Friendsgiving is a potluck — run it like one
Nobody hosts Friendsgiving solo; that’s the whole charm. The host anchors the table — turkey, gravy, the house — and everyone else brings the thing they’re known for. The failure mode isn’t bad food, it’s uncoordinated food: four desserts, no vegetable, and two people walking in with the same mac and cheese.
So the real planning tool isn’t a bigger shopping list — it’s a signup board everyone can see.
The host’s share, for 10–12 people
| You cover | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 13–15 lb bird | Sides will be abundant — you can run leaner than Thanksgiving proper. Two breasts (6–7 lb total) works if nobody cares about drumsticks. |
| Gravy | 4 cups | The host makes the gravy. This is law. |
| Stuffing | 10 cups | Travels badly, needs your oven — keep it in-house. |
| A batch drink | 1–2 pitchers | Mulled cider or a big-batch cocktail. Guests bring bottles; you bring the signature. |
The board everyone signs
For 10–12 people, the slots that make a full table:
- 2 sides, starch — mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes
- 2 sides, vegetable — green beans, brussels sprouts, a real salad
- 1 bread — rolls (store-bought is fine, truly)
- 2 desserts — one pie minimum; the second can be anything
- Drinks ×2 — one wine/beer run, one non-alcoholic
- 1 appetizer — something to eat at arrival, because dinner will run late. It always runs late.
People sign up for a slot and bring their version — not a recipe you assigned. If someone’s stuck, ideas are one tap away. That’s potluck mode, and Friendsgiving is what it was built for.
Ask the dietary question on the invite — “any allergies or diets we should plan around?” — so the board can carry the answer. A vegetarian guest who can eat two sides and a dessert is fine; one who watches the table fill with turkey drippings is not.
Quick answers
When should Friendsgiving happen?
The weekend before Thanksgiving wins — everyone’s still in town, and it doesn’t compete with family plans. That makes it earlier than you think: plan the board two weeks out.
Does the host cook everything?
No — that’s regular Thanksgiving with extra steps. Host covers turkey, gravy, stuffing, and the drink; the board covers the rest.
What if two people want to bring the same thing?
On a visible board it can’t happen by accident — the slot shows who claimed it. Duplicate mac and cheese becomes a choice, not a surprise.
Hosting Friendsgiving this year?
Build the menu, flip on Potluck mode, and send one link — friends claim their slot, get their dish scaled to the table, and the group text stays fun. Free, no account.
Plan my party free →