First Annual Friendsgiving • Robyn's Southern Nest

I knew that I wanted to host “Friendsgiving” this year at our house because I wanted to start a new tradition this holiday season. Party planning is no simple feat so I wanted to include a few easy tips for hosting your special parties this holiday season. Trust me I’m no hostess with the mostest by any means…don’t stress… you got this! And if you mess up, no one will know that you forgot to pour water in their glasses or you forgot to cook the biscuits. Well, maybe they might notice there are no biscuits. This season is all about making memories and sharing a good time with those you hold dear, and for me its the friends that I have met these past 4 years living of living in Georgia.

Guest List: Don’t invite more people than you can accommodate in your space. I knew that we only had table space for 11-12 people so I didn’t want to make people sit on the floor/couch especially for a sit down meal.

Take inventory: Make sure that you have enough dishes, napkins, glasses, silverware etc for your party. You can always improvise here. Not everything has to match perfectly, but you don’t want to run out of forks when it comes time for dinner! I personally don’t like to use paper products during occasions like this because you want to make it feel like a special occasion not just a random get together.

Decor: Keep it simple. I love to have fresh flowers on the tables to make it feel special. A really easy addition to your arrangements is fresh cranberries. Just pick up an extra bag and fill your vase up with water and the cranberries on top and voila!!! I think they add a special touch. Everyone is there for each others company and the food so don’t feel like you have to have your whole house decorated from top to bottom. In the end your guests won’t notice these things anyway…after all its not why they are there.

Ambiance: I like to have candles burning to set a homey inviting mood for my guests. I used tapered candles on the table and a few others scattered around the house. Be sure to turn on most of the lights in your home to make it feel welcoming while your guests are arriving. Also a seasonal scented candle in the powder room is a must as well. I placed some fresh flowers in a mason jar and picked up some special guest towels to give the bathroom an added touch. Little things like this go a long way.

Drink Station: I searched Pinterest for a special holiday/festive drink to serve. I chose this Apple Cider Autumn Sangria. It was so yummy! Of course have water, tea, soft drinks etc on hand as well.

Favors: I wanted to give a little surcie to my friends to thank them for coming so I gave them all a Christmas ornament that they could take home. It is a time for giving, and I am thankful to have them in my life.

Food: Lastly but certainly not least…the food! I had everyone sign up to bring their favorite dish on Facebook pot luck style. As the host you need to be in charge of the meat. I knew I didn’t want to stress out about cooking the perfect Turkey or Ham so I ordered them both from HoneyBaked Ham and they were delicious. Heat and serve…my kind of style. I also made some of the side dishes the night before so I wasn’t stressing and baking/cooking all day. As much as you can prepare ahead of time the better. I also prepared some easy appetizers for people to munch on as the other guests arrived. You NEVER want a hangry guest!

Nora Fleming Serving Dish

This cute little Turkey Cheese Ball I found on Pinterest. I thought he was so adorable! His neck is a slim jim, head is a whopper, beak is candy corn, and the eyes I found in the cake decor area in Michaels.

Most importantly from a fashion perspective: Don’t wear pants! You want room for that extra helping of cornbread casserole! You worked hard and now its time to enjoy!