A big trend this holiday season is to host a gratitude dinner — a dinner party in honor of your closest friends to show your appreciation for each other.
How to make it no-stress at this busy time of year? Invite friends over for a potluck. Ask guests to bring a dish in the host message of your Evite invitation and to share what they are bringing in their comments when they RSVP. If you’re the host, supply the main dish or a couple of easy, crowd-pleasing make-ahead dishes such as these mini apple pies (made with store-bought pie dough) or dinner rolls (these are Sister Schubert’s pretzel rolls, pulled straight from the freezer, sprinkled with kosher salt, and put in the oven).
Ask friends to bring appetizers (rosemary cashews, anyone?), a salad, an entree, or sides.
A basic salad like this baby spinach and arugula salad with pine nuts and Parmesan is a great go-to. And a butternut squash lasagna is a perfect fall dish that’s easy to prep ahead of time.
Individual apple pies baked in jars make an old-fashioned dessert feel special.
Bring home the theme with DIY gratitude notes for each guest: Staple twine to a pin board, write friends’ names on clothespins using a fine-point marker, and attach envelopes to the twine. Ask guests to write notes about what they most appreciate about each other and to tuck them into each envelope.
For favors, attach “Grow in Gratitude” favor tags to a wood coffee stirrer with tape and stick them in little pots of succulents or herbs.
Invite friends over for a gratitude dinner before everyone goes out of town for the holidays with this premium Evite invitation!
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