Over the years, Friendsgiving has gained popularity, according to CNN. Even here at Gibson Southern, the trend of having a second Thanksgiving just with friends is becoming more common. In the week leading up to and following Thanksgiving, senior Reese McKannan, junior Erica Narruhn and junior Glinde Huante are all participating in a Friendsgiving with their own groups. According to them all, the reason they do this is to show their friends that they care and are thankful for them.
“It means that we come together as a group and show each other how much we mean and are thankful for each other,” Narruhn said.
Friendsgiving can be traced back to 2007, when it was just a term with little meaning in the corners of the internet. That was until 2013, when the term began to circulate in mainstream media and was starting to be widely celebrated, according to CNN. Since 2013, Friendsgiving has become a celebration among the public. Even with Friendsgiving’s recent surge in popularity, some have been hosting it for years.
“We’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and we meet up at a friend’s house and all bring something to eat,” McKannan said.
However, according to Narruhn and Huante, it is their first time hosting a Friendsgiving. The idea spread quickly as more and more people moved away from home for college or to escape their home life. Many would contact close friends and, through trial and error, work out a time when they all could meet.
“It was a lot to schedule around, but we went through with it because it is our junior year, and after our senior year, we are all going to different places,” Huante said.
On the other hand, Friendsgiving can also be easily scheduled at times.
“Carly Potts made a group chat and invited us all over to her house,” McKannan said. “She made everything very simple.”
Friendsgiving was a way to celebrate with those who are not exactly blood but are consider family. According to Medium, Friendsgiving is a clean slate; you do not have to worry about old family traditions, expectations, or the feeling of obligation to show up. In all, Friendsgiving is about showing appreciation for your friends.
“Because it just shows how grateful we are for each other,” Narruhn said. “I just want to show my appreciation for them because I love my friends.”
According to Medium, most people have different reasons for enjoying Friendsgiving, but the consensus is that everyone celebrates spending time with friends and enjoying the food.
“I look forward to eating the delicious food and seeing my friends,” Narruhn said.
Friendsgiving is a term that means much more than just a second Thanksgiving. It is an escape from the traditional restrictions of Thanksgiving, and a chance to show friends how much you mean to them.
