deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

What Does Friendsgiving Mean?

The word “Friendsgiving” was officially added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in January 2020 after being on its “Words We’re Watching” list. It’s obviously a compound of the words “friends” and “Thanksgiving” and refers to an informal iteration of the holiday that has become super common. It’s basically the day you celebrate Thanksgiving with your friends. Sometimes it’s in lieu of having Thanksgiving with family, or in addition to it.

When Did Friendsgiving Start?

According to Merriam-Webster, the earliest use of the term Friendsgiving dates back to a 2007 tweet, but some people credit the hit show Friends for inspiring the concept of spending the holiday with friends. Another theory suggests that a 2011 ad campaign by Baileys Irish Cream liqueur used the word, giving the Friendsgiving movement more momentum. Since then, it’s become a word that refers to a Thanksgiving dinner celebrated with friends.

What Day Do People Celebrate Friendsgiving?

There’s no official date for Friendsgiving, like there is for Thanksgiving(which is celebrating on the fourth Thursday of November, by the way). Many people choose to host it before legit Turkey Day, if they spend Thanksgiving traveling home to be with family. Others will just co-opt the true Thanksgiving and call it Friendsgiving if they’re celebrating with a group of pals.