#Friendsgiving Ready with Honey Baked Ham

Guys – I get SO excited for Friendsgiving. Like, almost Christmas morning excited. Friendsgiving is one of my favorite holiday traditions and I seriously look forward to it every year. Brandon and I hosted the first year we started dating and now, on our 3rd Annual Friendsgiving dinner, it’s become a pretty special celebration for both of us. And let’s be real, I’ll find any excuse to get my tablescape on. I couldn’t be more excited to be teaming up with Honey Baked Ham as they celebrate 60 years to make this year’s Friendsgiving that much more special. Honey Baked Ham is all about the celebration and creating new memories so I couldn’t wait to add a new tradition to the list!

To be honest, as much as I love setting a gorgeous table and having all the peeps over for a fun night in, I loathe the prep and cooking aspect of it all. Luckily, we implement “potluck style” every year but as the host, I still end up making a few dishes on top of all of the decor, setup, bar cart, etc. It gets to be a little on the overwhelming side. Well, Honey Baked Ham to the rescue. I popped into the store earlier this week to pick up a ham (obvi), a few sides, some of their infamous sauces and left with an instant feeling of relief. I also loved the entire experience of placing an online order to “reserve” my in-store purchase AND I was able to order two seasoned, fully cooked turkeys online. All I had to was pop everything into the oven and serve. Yes!

Check out a few quick tips for creating the perfect Friendsgiving below – and stay tuned next week for a fun behind the scenes video!

1. Get the ham & turkey: We usually have anywhere between 20-35 guests. That’s a lot and they need options. In the past, I’ve just done a turkey but this year I couldn’t wait to get a ham to top off the menu. We got the bone-in half ham which is ready-to-serve, spiral-sliced and hand-glazed. So yeah, it’s delicious. We also got two (yes T W O) turkeys and opted for the cajun and smoked varieties. We might have leftovers but you just can’t go wrong with a turkey + ham sandwhich #amiright?
2. Don’t over do it with the decor: I love a good tablescape situation but when you’re planning a seated dinner for 25+ guests, that can get a little pricey. I kept the decor simple this year with a moodier theme that centered more around the flowers than anything else. I’d rather splurge on flowers that guests can take home rather than cheeky, seasonal decor that I’ll just want to update the next year instead of repurpose.
3. Score easy to prepare, yummy sides: I was SO excited to find out Honey Baked Ham offered prepared side dishes. I picked up the sweet potato souffle, cornbread stuffing, cranberry casserole and lots of rolls – and all I had to do was pop everything into the over to heat up. So easy and stress free.
4. Have a to-go station: I learned my lesson the hard way in year one and suffered from a leftovers-coma for weeks after Friendsgiving. This year I had a little station setup with Tupperware and sharpies so guests could take leftovers home. Genius.
5. Have fun: Hosting can be stressful. I make it my mission every year to work super hard leading up to the night of so I can just enjoy the party. I don’t clean up the messes right away and I sit a little extra longer to catch up with friends. This, my friends, is crucial!

This post was written in collaboration with Honey Baked Ham. All thoughts & opinions are my own!