How to Host a Kids Friendsgiving Party
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! One party I’ve always wanted to host is a Friendsgiving gathering, though every year the holidays creep up on me and there is never enough time. This year, instead of me hosting one, I let my kids!
It’s very simple to do and so much fun for the kids. A Friendsgiving party doesn’t require an invitation, in our case we just texted a couple friends and invited them over for a fun afternoon together!
It’s nice to offer your guests a light snack or simple lunch. My daughter Ally and I made turkey sandwiches using a circle and flower cookie cutter. Add edible eyeballs, a beak made of cheese and a gobbler made from a fruit strip and watch the sandwich come to life. They were a hit!
To dress up your party table, make apple plates with plain red plates, and brown and green construction paper cut into a stem and leaf. My son Hudson absolutely loved helping make these for his guests.
My kids are crazy for Tree Top apple juice. Tree Top is a grower-owned co-op made right here in Washington and the only major brand that uses 100% USA apples for their apple juice and apple sauce! The apple juice cans are so darling, they were a perfect beverage for our Friendsgiving lunch! Pop a striped straw inside and even the littlest children feel like they’re getting something for big people!
Since parents are not likely to sit and dine on turkey shaped sandwiches, offer a cider bar with cinnamon donuts to snack on. I made a big beverage dispenser of Tree Top’s Honeycrisp Apple Juice garnished with sliced apples and cinnamon sticks. It tastes just like fall! Gather and stack vintage enamelware mugs for a festive harvest feel.
When I throw a party, I always try to make sure I have at least one craft and one activity for kids. It keeps the kids busy and the party moving along. For Ally and Hudson’s Friendsgiving party, they chose a classic fall activity, bobbing for apples! You wouldn’t believe how excited the kids were to do this. I was shocked they all wanted a turn bobbing!
For party decor, use lots of pumpkins, gourds and apples. No need for store bought decorations when you can fill it with naturals. I loved using the apples with the typical fall pumpkins. I don’t think apples are used enough in fall decor. They add the perfect pop of red!
What’s a party without dessert? With a small gathering there is no need for a whole dessert table but it’s still fun to make a few special treats for everyone to enjoy. We made caramel apples with an assortment of toppings, mini apple pies and apple, pumpkin and leaf sugar cookies.
After everyone was sugared up, the kids made a turkey apple! This is a fun craft for classroom parties or even while you’re waiting for the turkey dinner on Thanksgiving!
You’ll need:
apples
toothpicks
gumdrops
raisins
marshmallows
Use a muffin tin to hold the different crafting pieces and keep an eye on little kids with toothpicks!
They turned out so cute! The great part is, they turn into a snack for later!
Send guests home with a treat for the road. Many times kids are so preoccupied at a party they don’t eat. My kids are famous for getting in the car after a birthday party and saying “I’m Starvvving!”. They end up getting so busy playing that they forget to eat. We sent our friends home with Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches, a healthy snack for the car! They are non-perishable and portable so kids can take them on the go without a mess! With a long-standing passion for growing, producing and innovating world-class fruit products, Tree Top is the good pick for families.
Have you ever hosted a Friendsgiving? If so, do you do it on Thanksgiving day or beforehand?
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Photography by Laura Marchbanks