Friendsgiving: The Ultimate Guide to Themes, Suites & Moodboards
Hauste’s guide to planning a Friendsgiving that’s anything but basic.
Friendsgiving is one of our favorite holidays. No travel stress, no family politics, just your chosen people, great food, and an excuse to turn your space into something special.
Whether you're hosting for the first time or already in your Friendsgiving hosting era, there’s something special about designing the evening from scratch. The menu, the mood, the guest list—it’s all yours to create. And with just a little intention, it can feel even more meaningful (and more fun) than the big day itself.
If you’re ready to step outside the stuffing-and-paper-plates norm, we put together four Hauste-approved Friendsgiving themes each with its own flavor, vibe, and how-tos to help you pull it all together.
General Tips for Hosting Friendsgiving
Before we dive into the themes, a few tips to keep in mind no matter what kind of dinner you’re hosting:
Pick a date. The weekend before Thanksgiving is peak Friendsgiving territory. Get it on the calendar early to lock in your people.
Assign dishes if it’s a potluck. Give your guests categories! No one needs five mac and cheeses (unless that’s the theme).
Say yes to the tablescape. It doesn’t have to be expensive or over-the-top, but a little candlelight and a thoughtful table always sets the tone.
Set the playlist before guests arrive. You don’t want to be DJing mid-toast. Let us handle!
Don’t clean during the party. Let the dishes pile. The night is more important than the mess!
Now for the fun part...
Soupsgiving
Best for: Cozy girlies, chilly nights, and low-lift crowdsourcing
This is Friendsgiving in crockpot form. Every guest brings their favorite homemade soup, and you (the hauste) provide the setup. It’s casual, cozy, and shockingly easy to pull off.
How to Host It:
Assign or suggest soup categories in advance: one creamy, one brothy, one spicy, one vegetarian, etc.
Set up a slow cooker station with extension cords, labels, and ladles for each pot.
Offer toppings buffet-style: shredded cheese, green onions, croutons, sour cream, chili crisp, herb oil, etc.
Round it out with simple sides: crusty baguettes, compound butters, and a big salad.
Bonus points for soup-themed signage or a printed menu.
Make It a Competition:
Turn it into a Soup-Off! Have each guest vote for their favorite with ballots or stickers, then crown a winner with a tiny trophy or ladle prize. Hanna’s friend group does this every year and it’s become a full-blown tradition!
The Suite Spot Pairing:
Use this template to list out each soup (with the guest’s name underneath) and include topping suggestions or pairing notes. Display near each crockpot for a cute and functional touch.
Hauste Hint: This is the easiest Friendsgiving to host in a smaller space—no oven scheduling and no kitchen chaos!
In Gourd Company
Best for: Tablescaping queens, veggie lovers, and anyone who lives for fall produce
This Friendsgiving theme is all about the vibes. Think warm-toned linens, squash centerpieces, tons of taper candles, and a menu that puts fall produce front and center.
How to Host It:
Design your menu around in-season veggies like squash, sweet potatoes, kale, mushrooms, apples, and brussels sprouts.
Style the table with whole gourds, mini pumpkins, and persimmons (no florals needed).
For dessert, skip the pie and opt for roasted fruit with maple whip or a sticky toffee date cake.
Dress code: earth tones only!
The Suite Spot Pairing:
Use this template to personalize name cards and clip them onto mini pumpkins or pears at each setting. If you’re confident in your penmanship, grab a paint pen and write each name directly on the produce!
fall recipe intermission
Need a little menu inspiration between planning your theme and printing your place cards?
Here are a few of our favorite fall recipes to mix and match with any Friendsgiving vibe:
Frenchgiving
Best for: Foodies, red wine lovers, and cozier-than-classic hosts
A French twist on Thanksgiving? Oui, please. Frenchgiving is decadent but unfussy with elevated comfort food, chic styling, and maybe a cheeky cheese course or two.
How to Host It:
Menu inspo:
Appetizer: Baked brie with fig jam
Main: Roast chicken or duck
Sides: Potato gratin, haricots verts with shallots, endive salad
Dessert: Pear tart or chocolate mousse
Set the table with moody candlelight, linen napkins, and vintage-inspired glassware.
Serve dinner en famille (family-style), with long toasts and a steady pour of wine.
Playlist: we made you one! listen here!
The Suite Spot Pairing:
Our classic menu template in a fall color scheme makes the whole table feel très chic. Tuck it into a linen napkin for an effortless French bistro vibe.
Butter Together
Best for: The sourdough girly, flavor maximalists, and anyone who loves a theme
This Friendsgiving is all about the butter. Browned, whipped, compound, and melted—we’re building a menu around the world’s most beloved ingredient.
How to Host It:
Kick off with a butter board or flight: sweet, savory, spicy
Feature butter in every course:
Appetizer: Buttery puff pastry bites
Main: Butter-basted turkey or roast chicken
Sides: Brown butter mashed potatoes, corn with miso butter, Parker House rolls
Dessert: Brown butter blondies or shortbread
Set the table with yellow tapers, golden details, and buttery-toned linens
Print butter pairing cards to guide guests through each flavor
The Suite Spot Pairing:
Use this template to list each butter flavored menu item. It’s a small detail that makes your butter party feel intentional.
Hauste Hint: Send guests home with a tiny jar of your signature butter tied with twine.
Final Thoughts on Friendsgiving
At its core, Friendsgiving is a celebration of the people you choose and the moments you create around the table. Everything else is just gravy (ideally with brown butter).
Whether you’re hosting Soupsgiving in a studio apartment or Frenchgiving for twenty with vintage china and printed menus, what your guests will remember is the feeling. The candlelight. The clinking glasses. The seconds (and thirds).
Planning your own Friendsgiving?
Download the Dinner Party Handbook
Browse Suite Spot Templates to personalize your party
Follow @hauste for seasonal inspo, tips, and dinner party details worth saving
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