Every year at the holidays, the LMP team tries to sit down for our own Friendsgiving as a fun way to eat lunch away from our desks, decorate the office in a pretty way, and express gratitude for one another. Unfortunately this year, between all the events we didn't have time to do that and instead look forward to our annual holiday gatherings.

It made me sad to think we wouldn’t have a chance to create a special Friendsgiving tablescape in the office that we could add to the blog. When Seri heard I was attending a Friendsgiving of my own this week, she graciously offered me the space so I could host my friends! We promptly changed our original plans and I offered to cook the turkey since I would have access to the oven all day for the proper prep.

Before I got around to the food, I focused on the decor. I used beautiful twinkle branches we bought for a holiday party last year and hung them from the ceiling. Because we don’t have a central ceiling light in the office, it’s always fun for us to play with that space for a focal point in the room. We even have mini twinkle trees to match, which were perfect for adding to the bar cart. I went to Trader Joe’s and picked up a couple bunches of flowers which I arranged in simple bud vases and a gold terrarium for a beautiful center piece.

Next I focused on the table. Using a beautiful set of marble designed plates we keep in the office, I laid out 6 settings. I used a navy blue tablecloth, gold flatware, and clear glassware to round out the look. Finally, I created simple place cards for each guest. By simple printing their names in orange (to match the flowers) and taping the small rectangles to a larger piece of patterned cart stock, I had a name card instantly. This easy DIY is the perfect example of the fact that you don’t have to have crafty skills or good hand writing to create a personalized feeling for your guests! I rounded out the look with a mini bundle of flowers tied with a simple gold ribbon placed on each plate.

Okay onto the important stuff- food! I’ve never cooked a turkey before, so you can imagine how many texts I was sending my mom and Seri asking questions to make sure I was doing everything right! Huge thanks to the both of them for informing me of all the steps along the way… and it came out GREAT! I honestly couldn’t believe it. I made some stuffing and set out a spread for snacking, but the rest of the crew was responsible for wine and all the other dishes. My friends brought mac ‘n cheese, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, brussel sprouts, veggie galette, pecan tart, and apple pie! We were full, happy, and drowsy by the end of the night but it was worth every bite.

An extra special thank you to my childhood friend Katelyn, who welcomed me with open arms into her friend group when I moved to NYC about 2.5 years ago. Today I’m lucky to call them all my friends and it’s all thanks to Kate! Happy Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving to you all! Stay safe through this busy season, and be sure to turn to those you love and remind them of how grateful you are to have them in your life.

xoxo