Thanksgiving is a traditionally family oriented holiday. But for some CHS students, Friendsgiving is simply a Thanksgiving get together, but with close friends instead of family members. It usually occurs around the time of Thanksgiving and has many similar features to the traditional aspects of Thanksgiving.

“I decided to do Friendsgiving because it is a great way to spend quality time with close friends and show them how much you appreciate them,” junior Maya Tondravi said.

The idea of Friendsgiving has no clear origin, but became popularized by the iconic television series “Friends,” where in one episode, the characters have a Thanksgiving meal as a big group of friends instead of with their families.

According to Merriam Webster’s “Words We’re Watching” page, the word Friendsgiving originated in 2007 but became popular on social media and in publications following the “Friends” showing.

Unlike Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving does not always necessarily consist of the traditional foods like turkey, gravy and potatoes. Friendsgiving is a time to have a feast filled with whatever foods one wants; there is no standard menu for this new trend.

“We made so many different foods from chicken and waffles to croissants stuffed with cranberries and brie cheese,” junior Anaya Greig said.

According to Tondravi, her and her friends had all traditional Thanksgiving food, while Greig decided to gear her dinner toward a more personalized menu with many different types of foods.

Friendsgiving has become more and more popular, with many food and lifestyle blogs and magazines coming out with annual articles with tips and tricks to throwing the perfect Friendsgiving party.

Common tips include making it a potluck so everyone brings in an array of dishes, festively decorating the room to create an autumnal scene and playing games to entertain guests.

Thanksgiving is not only popular among millennials; some CHS staff participate in the trend as well.

“I celebrated Friendsgiving once with three of my friends,” said AP Human Geography and AP U.S. History teacher Nicole Van Tassell. “It is really great because Thanksgiving is very much a family oriented holiday, and Friendsgiving is a way for you to celebrate with your friends who have become family to you.”

The new trend of Friendsgiving adds to the many traditions friends do together over the holidays, such as Secret Santa, a holiday gift-giving ceremony where friends exchange gifts. For many people, including junior Hannah Bush, the holidays are a time to enjoy with friends as well as family.

“Friendsgiving gives me an opportunity to hang out with the people I am closest with: my own friends and family,” Bush said.

According to Bush, although she likes Friendsgiving, she still prefers Thanksgiving because it gives her the opportunity to visit family members.

If students are looking for a fun and festive activity to do with friends for the upcoming holiday season, Friendsgiving is a perfect option. Students can hang out with their closest friends while eating tons of food and creating their own traditions.

“I recommend Friendsgiving because it’s just a good memory to make with your friends and is just something fun to do during Thanksgiving break,” Greig said.