Four simple tips to make your Friendsgiving dinner shine
Illustration via Freepik.
There’s nothing quite like Thanksgiving dinner. It’s one of my favourite meals, paired with a certain type of cozy fall feeling that just can’t be topped. When I moved away for university, I knew I’d miss eating turkey with my parents. I didn’t realize I’d get to make my own tradition with my new friends, since our families are too far away to travel home for the weekend.
Now, Roommate Thanksgiving holds a special place in my heart, and I know I’ll miss it when I graduate.
Here are my four best tips to host the perfect Thanksgiving as a student:
Go for it, cook a turkey
Turkey is the centrepiece of the Thanksgiving table, and it’s hard to celebrate the holiday properly without one, if you ask me. They seem intimidating, so I understand the urge to scale it back, but trust me here. I always buy the cheapest, smallest one and let it defrost in the fridge for a couple days before cooking. You can Google instructions, but as long as you have some nice herbs, a meat thermometer, and a dream, you’ll be okay. It’s also helpful to phone your family’s turkey expert, if you’ve got one. Just plan to have it in the oven for a while, and be prepared to deal with the leftovers. I’ve gotten into the habit of making stock with the bones, and my roommates and I gobble the rest down pretty quickly.
Collaborate on sides, and don’t stress it
It’s nice to have a real turkey, but sides don’t need to be gourmet by any means. Our first Thanksgiving was dominated by StoveTop stuffing, boxed mashed potatoes, and canned cranberry sauce. We also split the rest of the food into categories, like sides and desserts, so everyone carries their weight. Over the years, we’ve tried to add more homemade elements, but only because it’s become a bit of a competition to top the year before.
Set the table (and the mood)
Having a properly set table adds a certain level of fancy to your meal with minimal effort. We don’t have a big enough dining table, so we move our desks together and bring chairs from our rooms. It’s a bit haphazard, but makes for the best memories. It’s also lovely if you can add candles and some minimal effort decor. We’re particularly fond of the pumpkin garland that hangs over the fireplace. I honestly can’t remember what music we listened to last year, but there’s gotta be something to counteract all that chewing.
Have fun!
Drink just enough to make that first bite extra delicious, but not enough to make carving the turkey a dangerous act. My friends always plan the drinks and come up with a fun cocktail for us all to try. We also like to play board games in between dinner and dessert while our stomachs come to terms with what’s going on. One year we went for a nice walk to get some air before pie time.
Hopefully this list gives you enough momentum to go full turkey this year, and host your best (or first) Thanksgiving dinner as a student.
