The sweet smell of mashed potatoes, the warmth from the oven while the turkey is baking, the most delicious pumpkin pie, and most importantly, all one’s friends gathered around laughing and having the time of their lives. These are just some of the best parts of a common Thanksgiving tradition known as Friendsgiving. 

Friendsgiving has been going on for approximately ten years but has recently become a growing tradition in the United States. It usually takes place the weekend before or after Thanksgiving. Friendsgiving was not a holiday heard much about nor celebrated until 2011 when a company promoted it in their commercial. Since then, it has turned into an American loved holiday celebrated by 32% of people, ages 18-35. 

“Friendsgiving to me is showing up and showing how thankful you are for all of your friends and eating the best food,” junior Elizabeth Schmitt said. 

Friendsgiving is a way to show appreciation to friends and even make new friends. People celebrate Friendsgiving for similar reasons they celebrate Thanksgiving: deliciously filling food and the happiness that comes with being surrounded by people who make life even greater. 

“For Friendsgiving, my friends and I all dress up and meet up at someone’s house,” junior Claire Brown said. ‘‘We all pick a dish to make and bring it to our Friendsgiving feast.”

Brown added that she and her friends watch movies after they eat and have a really good time together. 

“My friends don’t go to Xavier so it makes me so happy when we all get to see each other at Friendsgiving,” Brown said. 

Many people celebrate Friendsgiving as a chance to have all of their friends gathered together, to eat the most delicious food and to be thankful for all that they have been blessed with.