5 Tips For The Best Michigan Friends-Giving Party

Thanksgiving Day is mostly reserved for big family gatherings (at least in my family). Someone will spend all day stuffing a duck into a goose into a turkey and trying not to burn the house down, or themselves to death, while deep frying birds. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my family! But there's something even better about getting your close group of friends together to hang. If you have or haven't done a friends-giving, these five tips will help you have the best time!

1. Non-Traditional Dinner!

Don't spend 30 hours preparing Thanksgiving-style dinner for your friends. Do the easy and delicious things like a cheeseball, tacos, pizza, charcuterie board, etc. You can grab something from Kroger or Meijer...order from your favorite pizza shop or taco place (Tia Heleta's Saginaw Street for me - yum). The goal of friends-giving is to have a great time, relax and enjoy good company... Not exhaust yourself with prep.

2. Create A Friends-Giving Tradition for Your Group

Flag Football? Bowling? Road Trip Weekend Up North? Food Themes? Make it your own but stick to it! Definitely get a group pic to save the memories.

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3. Euchre Tournament!

Euchre is very Michigan (as I've noticed while living in other parts of the country). If all of your friends aren't pros, teach them. Good fun is to be had... and maybe a few coarse words, too.

Alexander_Fagaulin

4. Games!

Make it a point to play games. Ask everyone to bring one game to play. The goal: play each game during Friends-Giving! This makes everyone try something new...maybe even find a new favorite! (Suggestion: Try Jackbox Games -- you can play them on almost any device or platform -- incredibly entertaining! -- Nobody paid me to say that. They're legit my favorite.)

rkupbens

5. Go Out to Play Games!

If you're NOT having Friends-Giving on Thanksgiving Day, you can find lots to do. Ski Ball, Bowling, Arcade... you get the idea. Genesee County will have plenty to do. Games are great because you'll be friendly, competitive and have conversations you'll remember forever.

Bonus Tip: Binge "How I Met Your Mother" Thanksgiving/Slapsgiving episodes!

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