The time of turkeys and thanks are right around the corner. With the idea of mashed potatoes with glistening cranberries being simply weeks away, many people wish to host an event to bring together friends and family. As a guide on how to use this time accordingly, here is a step-by-step guide on how to have the best Friendsgiving possible.

Step one: choose your friends and family wisely. Having your friends and family present is a very important component on making a perfect Friendsgiving (given that the word ‘friends’ is in the word). Giving primary focus to your friends, begin to write down on a sheet of paper all people that could be possible participants. If needed, separate them by friend groups. Then, begin thinking in terms of relationships. Who would get along? Who would cause conflict within the event? The key to having a successful Friendsgiving is inviting people that will only keep the peace and bring good vibes.

Step two: food. Once you have finalized your guest list, time to focus on the second biggest component of the event: food. Decide whether or not you will be cooking everything or if it will be a potluck situation. If you are short on money and time, I suggest hosting a potluck-esq Friendsgiving. Everyone can bring a share of something, either an appetizer, entree or dessert. Even drinks or utensils could help a bunch. Make sure to finalize your menu and assignments to people one week before the event. This gives people enough time to go and buy the ingredients needed to complete the dishes on time.

Step three: decorations. The best way to set the ambiance is to decorate the space. Given that you should have your headcount by now, count all the people coming and set up the dining table accordingly. Move around furniture if needed to provide a more spacious environment. I believe that it is definitely worth investing in certain decorations, such as fall leaves, pumpkins, cinnamon sticks and candles. Make sure to put different scent-inducing candles throughout the room. Holiday scents are what really makes this time of year pop out. Also make sure to stick on theme, only using colors such as brown, red, orange, yellow, purple and black. All the tablecloth, napkins and decorations should fall into this color scheme.

Step four: activities. No great event is complete without activities. considering that the purpose of this is to spend time together, think about including various holiday-based activities. Such events include the classic cup pong, karaoke or even a bon fire outside. These activities are crucial to hosting a thanksgiving. It keeps things interesting, and people engaged.

Through these four steps, Friendsgiving will be a complete hit! You should be able to enjoy various culinary delicacies with all your loved ones, the way it should be. Just make sure to time everything right, and you will be set up for success.