70 Heartwarming Friendsgiving Quotes to Celebrate Your Chosen Family

There’s something magical about gathering around a table with your chosen family—the friends who’ve stood by your side through thick and thin. While traditional Thanksgiving celebrates blood relatives, Friendsgiving honors those special bonds we choose to nurture throughout our lives. Whether you’re hosting your first Friendsgiving or continuing a beloved tradition, these 70 heartwarming quotes capture the essence of friendship, gratitude, and the joy of breaking bread together.

What Is Friendsgiving?

Friendsgiving is a beautiful blend of ‘friends’ and ‘Thanksgiving’—a celebration that has grown increasingly popular in recent years. Unlike the traditional family-focused Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving puts friendship at the center of the holiday table. It’s typically celebrated sometime around the Thanksgiving holiday, either as an alternative gathering or as an additional celebration.

The beauty of Friendsgiving lies in its flexibility. There are no strict rules about when to celebrate, what to serve, or how formal the occasion should be. Some friend groups opt for potluck-style meals where everyone brings their signature dish, while others might go for takeout or a completely non-traditional menu. The only essential ingredient is the presence of friends who mean the world to you.

What makes Friendsgiving particularly special is that it creates space to honor the family we choose—the people who support us, understand us, and love us unconditionally, even without the obligation of blood ties. As we gather to share food, laughter, and memories, these quotes can help express the gratitude we feel for these irreplaceable connections.

Famous Quotes About Friendship for Friendsgiving

Some of the world’s greatest minds and hearts have captured the essence of friendship in words that resonate across generations. These timeless quotes from renowned figures celebrate the depth and importance of friendship—perfect for toasts, cards, or simply sharing during your Friendsgiving celebration.

• “Friendship is a sheltering tree.” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• “Close friends are truly life’s treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves.” —Vincent van Gogh
• “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” —Albert Camus
• “A man’s friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.” —Charles Darwin
• “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.” —Cesar Chavez
• “A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart.” —Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• “One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.” —Euripides
• “When friendships are real, they are not glass threads or frost work, but the solidest things we can know.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Friendship makes a life even more deeply than love. Love risks degenerating into obsession; friendship is never anything but sharing.” —Elie Wiesel
• “The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.” —Hubert H. Humphrey
• “A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” —Elbert Hubbard
• “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'” —C.S. Lewis
• “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” —Walter Winchell
• “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” —Edna Buchanan
• “A single rose can be my garden; a single friend, my world.” —Leo Buscaglia

Heartfelt Quotes About Gratitude

Friendsgiving, like its traditional counterpart, is fundamentally about gratitude. These quotes beautifully express the thankfulness we feel not just for the abundance on our tables, but for the precious gift of friendship that makes life richer and more meaningful.

• “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” —Anonymous
• “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” —Marcel Proust
• “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” —Zig Ziglar
• “Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone.” —Gertrude Stein
• “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” —William Arthur Ward
• “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” —Lionel Hampton
• “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” —Maya Angelou
• “The root of joy is gratefulness.” —David Steindl-Rast
• “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” —Henry Ward Beecher
• “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” —Meister Eckhart
• “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” —Jean Baptiste Massieu
• “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” —Henri Frederic Amiel
• “The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” —William James
• “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” —St. Ambrose
• “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” —John F. Kennedy

Funny Friendsgiving Quotes

One of the beautiful things about Friendsgiving is that it often has a more relaxed, lighthearted atmosphere than traditional Thanksgiving gatherings. These humorous quotes capture the joy, laughter, and sometimes delightful chaos that makes Friendsgiving so memorable.

• “I’m thankful for Friendsgiving because it’s all the eating and drinking of Thanksgiving without the judgment.” —Anonymous
• “Friends bring happiness to your life. Best friends bring wine to your Friendsgiving.” —Anonymous
• “It isn’t so much what’s on the table that matters, as what’s on the chairs.” —W.S. Gilbert
• “I get by with a little help from my friends… and a lot of wine.” —Anonymous
• “I’m in my sweatpants! Bring on the food!” —Joey Tribbiani, Friends
• “Friendsgiving: Because sometimes blood relatives require too much alcohol to tolerate.” —Anonymous
• “We’re more than just friends. We’re like a really small gang.” —Anonymous
• “Good friends don’t let you do stupid things… alone.” —Anonymous
• “There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” —Linda Grayson
• “Friends buy you lunch. Best friends eat your lunch.” —Anonymous
• “You can’t make old friends. You either have them or you don’t.” —Kenny Rogers
• “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” —Bernard Meltzer
• “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Friends: They know how crazy you are and still choose to be seen with you in public.” —Anonymous
• “It’s not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.” —Anonymous

Quotes About Food and Togetherness

At its heart, Friendsgiving centers around sharing a meal—a universal act of community and love. These quotes celebrate the special connection between food, fellowship, and the memories created when we break bread together with those we cherish.

• “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” —James Beard
• “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” —Virginia Woolf
• “People who love to eat are always the best people.” —Julia Child
• “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” —George Bernard Shaw
• “Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” —Harriet Van Horne
• “The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table.” —Anonymous
• “Where there is good food, there is good company.” —Anonymous
• “The kitchen is the heart of the home.” —Anonymous
• “Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” —Giada De Laurentiis
• “Good food is all the sweeter when shared with good friends.” —Anonymous
• “Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” —Alan D. Wolfelt
• “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.” —Cesar Chavez
• “Food is not just eating energy. It’s an experience.” —Guy Fieri
• “I don’t like food that’s too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef spent too much time arranging and not enough time cooking.” —Andy Rooney
• “A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.” —Thomas Keller

Quotes About the Gift of Friendship

Friendship enriches our lives in countless ways, offering support, joy, and a sense of belonging. These quotes reflect on the precious gift that friendship represents—the perfect sentiment to share as you gather with your chosen family this Friendsgiving.

• “Your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years.” —Richard Bach
• “I don’t know what I would have done so many times in my life if I hadn’t had my girlfriends.” —Reese Witherspoon
• “True friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart.” —Helen Keller
• “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.” —Jim Morrison
• “Friendship isn’t about whom you have known the longest. It’s about who came and never left your side.” —Anonymous
• “In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.” —Anonymous
• “Friends are the siblings God never gave us.” —Mencius
• “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” —Helen Keller
• “A good friend knows all your best stories. A best friend has lived them with you.” —Anonymous
• “Friendships multiply joys and divide griefs.” —Francis Bacon

How to Use These Friendsgiving Quotes

These heartfelt expressions of friendship and gratitude can elevate your Friendsgiving celebration in numerous creative ways:

• Table Settings: Write quotes on place cards or menu cards for each guest
• Toast Inspiration: Use these quotes as a starting point for your Friendsgiving toast
• Gratitude Activity: Have each guest select a quote that resonates with them and share why during the meal
• Decoration: Create a quote wall or banner where friends can add their favorite expressions of friendship
• Invitations: Include a meaningful quote in your Friendsgiving invitation
• Thank You Notes: Write post-Friendsgiving thank you notes with personalized quotes for each friend
• Social Media: Share photos from your celebration with these quotes as captions
• Party Favors: Create small keepsakes with special quotes for friends to take home

Frequently Asked Questions About Friendsgiving

When should I host Friendsgiving?

Friendsgiving is typically celebrated around the Thanksgiving holiday, but there are no strict rules. Many people host Friendsgiving the weekend before or after Thanksgiving, allowing friends to still spend the actual holiday with family if they choose. Some friend groups even celebrate Friendsgiving in early November to kick off the holiday season.

What’s the difference between Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving?

While Thanksgiving is traditionally family-focused and steeped in American tradition, Friendsgiving celebrates chosen family—the friends who make our lives richer. Friendsgiving often has fewer expectations around specific foods, traditions, or formality, making it a more relaxed, personalized celebration.

How do I organize a Friendsgiving celebration?

Friendsgiving can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Many hosts opt for potluck-style gatherings where each friend brings a dish to share, reducing the burden on any one person. Start with a guest list, decide on the format (potluck, catered, or host-prepared), send invitations with clear details about what guests should bring, and prepare your space for a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

What are some unique Friendsgiving traditions?

Many friend groups develop their own special Friendsgiving traditions, such as a gratitude jar where everyone writes what they’re thankful for, a friends-themed photo booth, awards for the best dishes, a white elephant gift exchange, creating a friendship time capsule, or an annual group photo in the same location to track how the friend group evolves over time.

As you prepare to gather with friends this holiday season, remember that Friendsgiving is about more than just food—it’s about celebrating the unique bonds that enrich our lives. Whether you’re raising a toast, sending a thoughtful card, or simply sharing a moment of gratitude, these quotes can help express the special place your friends hold in your heart. After all, friends are the family we choose, and Friendsgiving is the perfect time to honor those cherished connections.

Author

Shinta

 

Shinta is a biotechnologist turned writer. She holds a master's degree in Biotechnology from Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences and a PG Diploma in cellular and molecular diagnostics from Manipal University. Shinta realised her love for content while working as an editor for a scientific journal.

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