Friendsgiving 2018: Where did Thanksgiving with friends come from and how to celebrate it this year

Before we can get excited over Christmas, there's Thanksgiving to think about. Americans will take time out of their busy schedules on November 22 to spend time with their families over some hearty food.

But some will choose to spend the holiday with friends, in a trend known as 'Friendsgiving.'

There's a bit of confusion over where exactly the term came from, but that hasn't stopped people hosting their very own, often extremely instagrammable, Friendsgivings.

Here's everything you need to know about the alternative Thanksgiving:

What is Friendsgiving?

Friendsgiving is a twist on Thanksgiving, which is usually spent with relatives.

Instead, on Friendsgiving, you’ll be passing around the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie with your best pals.

When is Friendsgiving?

It depends - some people choose to celebrate it on Thanksgiving whilst others prefer to celebrate it in the run-up to the big day before heading home to their families.

Where did Friendsgiving come from?

The idea was popularised by everyone's favourite sitcom, Friends.

Whilst the phrase ‘Friendsgiving’ was never uttered in Monica’s apartment, the gang all got together for the first season’s Thanksgiving episode back in November 1994.

In 2011, Bailey’s released their ad campaign “Friendsgiving with Baileys,” inspiring more people to host their own Friendsgivings.

Friendsgiving food ideas:

You may find the traditional turkey and stuffing, but Friendsgiving dishes don’t need to follow tradition.

Experiment with hummus and dip appetisers or wow with a caramel cheesecake.

You could also try:

• Sweet potato casserole

• Macaroni and Cheese

• Hot spinach artichoke dip

• Pecan Pie

Will Friendsgiving make it to the UK?

Probably not – Brits are only just getting used to the idea of Thanksgiving, with celebrations happening across the capital.

But there’s no reason why you can’t still use Friendsgiving as a perfect excuse to catch up with friends over good food.