Friendsgiving

American  

[frendz-giv-ing] / frɛndzˈgɪv ɪŋ /

noun

Informal.

1. a gathering of friends to celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast, falling near or on Thanksgiving Day, in contrast to the traditional celebrations that typically involve family.

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Usage

What is Friendsgiving? Friendsgiving is an informal name for a gathering of friends around the time of the Thanksgiving holiday, which is traditionally celebrated with family.Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada that is traditionally observed with a family gathering centered around a large meal. It is observed in the U.S. on the fourth Thursday of November, and in Canada on the second Monday of October.Though some Friendsgiving gatherings may be held on Thanksgiving Day, they are often held on other days near the holiday, especially the day or night before. In this way, Friendsgiving is often celebrated in addition to the traditional Thanksgiving gathering—the idea is to have one gathering with family, and another with friends.Since many people travel back to their hometown or family home for Thanksgiving, it is often an opportunity for people to get together with their old friends. This often involves an informal get-together or a party, but in some cases it includes a large meal much like the traditional Thanksgiving feast. This practice became so popular that it started to become known as Friendsgiving.Example: Paul and Kim host the best Friendsgiving—I look forward to it just as much as the regular Thanksgiving gathering.

Etymology

Origin of Friendsgiving

First recorded in 2005–10; friends ( def. ) + (Thanks)giving ( def. )

Example Sentences

I have a healthy skepticism about Thanksgiving dinner-price surveys, not least because they don’t include alcohol and other snacks that guests expect — let’s return to your Friendsgiving.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 27, 2025

This month, as an LTO in some stores, Taco Bell is selling Baja Blast Pie, a neon green Key lime pie for “a Friendsgiving flex,” it says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025

Stambaugh said Seitz “was out with friends after a Friendsgiving dinner celebrating the purchase of his first home” the night he was allegedly assaulted.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025

Right after Halloween, Ashley Guerra started being inundated with invitations — for Friendsgiving, for holiday parties and for New Year’s Eve.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 21, 2023

But, they added, experimenting with different ways to interpret desserts from Latin American countries is part of the joy of Friendsgiving, a time to veer from traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

From New York Times • Nov. 22, 2021