It seems that when October ends, Christmas season begins. What about November? Thanksgiving? Friendsgiving? Celebrating the last leaves that fall off our trees? The last 3 months of the year are ones that I cherish the most because it’s the time of the year that I find every reason in the book to be with my family and friends. Sometimes, I catch myself trying to squeeze my girlfriends in for a quick lunch because I’m so busy prepping for Thanksgiving dinner, making plans for family trips, or celebrating Tommy’s birthday, which happens to fall around Thanksgiving Day. Family will forever be important but I love the time I spend with my girlfriends. We get to have a break from reality, talk about motherhood, and sit back and enjoy a glass of wine or tea. This year, I’ve teamed up with Paper Source to host a Friendsgiving staycation. I wanted to all gather up, get cozy in our pjs, and give back to them because they’ve done so much for me this year.
My closest girlfriends are all moms and I know how important it is to get some “me” time. I invited everyone to spend the night in our downtown hotel to truly relax for the entire day. Paper Source had so many decorations, gifts, and party items that I needed to make this all come to life. Being creative is sometimes difficult for me but when I walked into our Paper Source store here in Houston, everything just clicked. Planning events takes a fair amount of time so I knew I had to focus on 4 main key points; thoughtful gifts, food & drinks, entertainment, and decorations.
THOUGHTFUL GIFTS TO GIVE:
I saw these Blush Satin Sleep Sets and thought it would be the perfect cozy gift to give my friends; super functional and soft. We’ve all been hearing about how silk pillows are better for your hair and skin so I knew that they would appreciate trying it out. I also picked up this Coral Mug for everyone because I felt that it would be the perfect addition to this cozy gift. Personally, I don’t ever feel like I can have too many coffee mugs.
FOOD & DRINKS:
When hosting Friendsgiving, food and drinks are essential! Food truly does bring people together. To stick to my plan of keeping it easy and simple, I knew that cooking a 10 course Thanksgiving meal at our hotel wasn’t ideal. This Platters and Board Cookbook shares so many quick and easy recipes for dips, brunch, cheese boards, and more. The cheeseboard lasted us hours and tasted delicious. For drinks, I think it’s good to have options. This
is the perfect fall blend and if we wanted a little bubbly, these plastic flutes were perfect. Cheese, fruit, tea, and bubbles, it’s all we needed.
ENTERTAINMENT:
My girlfriends are all working stay at home moms. We’re glued to our laptops and phone 8+ hours of the day. I wanted us to disconnect and be in each other’s presence. The “Who In the Room Game” is a card game that you can play with tons of people. It’s humorous while learning more about each other. One of the questions was “Who in the room would quit their job to pursue a rickey business idea”. It’s funny to see what we thought of each other and of course, it’s all playful.
DECORATIONS:
Last but not least, decorations. If I could take the entire Paper Source store home, I’d be ready for every holiday, birthday, anniversary, and special occasion. I may have gone a little crazy but I feel that the little details make it whole. I had asked Picnics In The City to help set up a beautiful setting for us to eat and play. I help personalized the picnic with these adorable Turkey Feather Name Cards, Metallic Leaves, Fall Wreath, and these Leaf Napkin Ties.
Hosting this Friendsgiving staycation was my way to celebrate our friendships and to continue creating those lifelong memories. This year has been crazy for me and I know I couldn’t have gotten through these times without them. My girlfriends bring joy and happiness into our families’ lives and I’m thankful that Paper Source helped me show them my appreciation and love.
Thank you so much for reading!
Xo,
Annie
*This post was sponsored by Paper Source. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Photos by: Arzu Photography
Picnic by: Picnic In The City
Bar Cart by: Waikiki Refreshing Spot
Hotel: Hotel Derek