Gather Your Chosen Family With These Friendsgiving Invitation Ideas

Friendsgiving is more than just a meal. It’s a celebration of community, gratitude, and good food with the people you choose. Whether you’re planning a laid-back Friendsgiving potluck or a stylish brunch, your Friendsgiving invitations set the tone for the event. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through creative Friendsgiving invitation ideas, including cozy party themes, wording samples, and RSVP tips — everything you need to host a memorable Friendsgiving celebration.

What Is Friendsgiving?

Friendsgiving is a gathering of friends around the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s often held a few days before or after the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, and usually involves potlucks, games, or just sharing time with your favorite people or loved ones.

It’s casual, personal, and flexible, which is perfect for anyone who wants to start a new tradition or celebrate a chosen family. Whether you’re hosting a laid-back Thanksgiving potluck or planning a full Thanksgiving dinner party, Friendsgiving gives you the freedom to celebrate in your own way, on or around Thanksgiving Day.

5 Friendsgiving Party Themes and Matching Invitations

Before you send out your invitations, you’ll want to choose a theme to help guide the look and feel of your event. Picking a theme isn’t required, but it helps make planning more fun and focused, especially when it comes to food, decor, and your party invitations.

Here are a few cozy and creative Friendsgiving party themes to inspire your event:

1. Potluck Feast

Design: Jen Montgomery

Great for: Big groups, casual gatherings

Host a potluck-style dinner party, and ask guests to bring a dish to share. It’s budget-friendly and ensures a variety of flavors. Don’t forget to tailor your potluck invitations to clearly communicate what guests should bring and how to RSVP to your Thanksgiving feast.

Bonus tip: Use a shared doc or group chat to avoid duplicate dishes!

Matching invitation: Friendsgiving Invitation

Invitation wording option: 

Let’s Get This Gravy Train Rolling! 

Join us for a Friendsgiving feast filled with good food, great company, and zero pressure to roast a turkey solo.

It’s potluck-style, so bring your favorite dish to share — homemade, store-bought, or totally last-minute, we love it all.

To keep things flavorful (and avoid five mac ‘n’ cheeses), we’ll be sharing a doc to track who’s bringing what.

Can’t wait to gather around the table with you!

2. Brunch Gathering

Design: Carmia Jordaan

Great for: Morning people, smaller groups, Friendsgiving before Thanksgiving Day

This Friendsgiving brunch idea is a fresh take on tradition and perfect for those who already have dinner plans elsewhere. Swap out turkey for pancakes or waffles. Think mimosas, pumpkin spice lattes, and breakfast casseroles.

Your invitations can lean playful or cozy — just be sure to include the dress code and whether guests should bring a dish or drink.

Bonus tip: Set up a DIY mimosa bar or build-your-own breakfast sandwich station.

Matching invitation: Autumn Plaid Invitation

Invitation wording option: 

Let’s Gather and Be Grateful

Join us as we toast to friendship over flapjacks and fall flavors!

Coffee’s brewing, mimosas are chilling! Come hungry and dressed in your best brunch fits.

Let us know if you’ll bring a breakfast bite or bubbly to share!

3. Game Night Dinner

Design: Robinson Creative House

Great for: Competitive friend groups, family-friendly events

Start with a hearty meal, then break out the board games. Think fun party games, card games, or a themed trivia round to keep the fun going. Add a little friendly competition with small prizes or personalized scorecards. Include game details on your invite so guests know what to expect (and can bring their favorites).

Bonus tip: Choose games that work well with your group size and vibe — such as party games for big groups or strategy games for smaller crowds.

Matching invitation: Friendsgiving Feast Invitation

Invitation wording option: 

Food, Friends & a Side of Strategy

Lets have a hearty dinner, then dive into cards, trivia, and board game showdowns.
Bring your A-game and a favorite game to share!

Come hungry and ready to compete. Let’s make this a night of full bellies and friendly rivalries.

4. Outdoor Bonfire

Design: Carmia Jordaan

Great for: Backyard-friendly homes, smaller friend circles

Bundle up, serve warm cider, and roast marshmallows over a backyard fire pit. Add cozy seating with blankets and string lights for a magical autumn evening. Whether you’re serving a full meal or just snacks and drinks, this theme brings relaxed, nostalgic energy to Friendsgiving.

Bonus tip: Offer a DIY s’mores bar and thermoses of hot chocolate or spiked cider to keep guests toasty.

Matching invitation: Festive Fall Feast Invitation

Invitation wording option: 

Friendsgiving feast under the stars

Join us for an evening around the fire complete with warm cider, s’mores, and good company. Bundle up, bring a blanket, and get ready to toast to friendship with snacks, stories, and autumn skies.

5. Cozy Night In

Design: Jen Montgomery

Great for: Introverts, post-work gatherings, or weeknight get-togethers

Create a chill vibe with candles, soft blankets, and a casual Thanksgiving meal. Let everyone show up in their comfiest clothes, like hoodies, joggers, or even pajamas. Focus on comfort food, a relaxed playlist, and low-key conversation. For dessert, a warm slice of pumpkin pie pairs perfectly with hot cocoa or cider, adding a touch of autumn sweetness to your cozy evening.

Bonus tip: Turn the night into a movie marathon or fireplace chat session for added bonding.

Matching invitation: Stuff Our Pieholes Invitation

Invitation wording option: 

Join us in hoodies, fuzzy socks, and be surrounded by your favorite comfort foods. We’ll keep it simple with good eats, warm drinks, and cozy vibes.

Just bring yourself (and maybe your go-to pie). Expect relaxed convo, candlelight, and maybe a movie or two.

More Friendsgiving Invitation Wording Examples

Design: Loree Mayer Designs | Friendsgiving Pumpkins Invitation

When sending out your Thanksgiving party invitations, the wording should reflect your event’s vibe. Whether you’re texting, sending a digital invitation, or printing a Thanksgiving card, here are some sample texts you can copy and personalize.

• It’s time to gobble! Join us for Friendsgiving on [Date] at [Time]. Bring your favorite dish and your appetite.
• Let’s toast to good food and great friends. Friendsgiving Brunch on [Date] at [Time]. Pajamas welcome!
• Join us for a night of games, laughter, and lots of pie. Friendsgiving Game Night — [Date] at [Time]. Bring a board game and a snack to share!
• We’re thankful for friends like you. Cozy Friendsgiving Dinner, Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. Come hungry!
• Help us celebrate another year of friendship with a backyard bonfire. Friendsgiving Under the Stars — Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. Hot drinks, comfort food, and great company will be provided.
• Gobble, gobble, it’s turkey time! Bring a dish and join us to give thanks for this wonderful year on [Date] at [Time].
• Gather with us on [Date] at [Time] to express our gratitude, love, and well wishes for those around us — stretchy clothes a must!
• Let’s give thanks together. Come round on [Date] at [Time] for a fun-filled Friendsgiving celebration.
• Ready for a feast? It’s time for the [Surname] family’s epic Friendsgiving extravaganza! [Date] at [Time]

Friendsgiving Invitation Tips: How to Get the Details Right

Design: Becky Nimoy | Classic Autumn Wreath Invitation

OK, you’ve made it this far. Now it’s time to start putting those Friendsgiving invitations together. While it’s easy to breeze through crafting an invitation, it doesn’t hurt to have a little reminder of the basics. Here are a few Thanksgiving-focused details you won’t want to miss.

Party Date and Time

Your friends can’t join you for an epic Friendsgiving feast if they don’t know when it’s happening. Give everyone the best possible chance of turning up and include the date and time of your dinner party somewhere obvious on the invite. 

Sometimes Friendsgiving happens on the big day itself, but other times you’ll want to celebrate the actual Thanksgiving holiday with family and host a separate event for friends. To avoid confusion, make sure the date and time is clearly featured on your invitations. 

Venue and Location

Friendsgiving dinner parties are often hosted at home, giving the ultimate cozy, warm, and welcoming feel. Wherever you host it, clearly state the venue and location on your invite.

Even if you’re hosting at home and your friends have been to your place a thousand times, be sure to include the full address to minimize any potential mix-ups. You might also want to include special driving instructions or a note on where to park if you don’t have driveway or garage space.

Dress Code

You might think it’s obvious that your Thanksgiving party is strictly a “wear what you’re comfortable in” affair, but it’s not always clear to guests. For that reason, it’s helpful to include a basic dress code on your party invites. 

Mention if your Friendsgiving celebration is casual, formal, or something else. (Pajama party, anyone?) Make it clear so guests don’t have to guess.

What to Bring

Unless you absolutely adore cooking, chances are your Friendsgiving feast will showcase dishes from your nearest and dearest too. If you’re hoping to host a potluck-style event or want people to bring a side or dessert, include this on your invites. 

Greenvelope’s online invitations make it easy to ask guests to reply and let you know what they plan to bring. That means you won’t end up with five pumpkin pies and no side dishes to share. It’s a fuss-free way to plan your Thanksgiving dinner with everyone. 

How to RSVP

Include a one-liner on your invitations about the best way to RSVP — via text, instant message, or email — and include a deadline (5-7 days before the event is ideal). If you’re sending your Friendsgiving invitations through Greenvelope, your guests can RSVP through the invite with just a few clicks. Plus, you can schedule automated RSVP and event reminders.

Invite Your Crew to a Cozy, Memorable Friendsgiving

The right Friendsgiving invitation does more than share the when and where. It also sets the mood and sparks excitement for a meaningful celebration. Whether you’re hosting a cozy dinner for four or a festive potluck for 20, use Greenvelope to easily send your invitations and track RSVP.

Ready to design yours? Choose one of our Friendsgiving invitation templates to make it simple, stylish, and stress-free.