Rachael Zarda

Can you believe next week is Thanksgiving? We had our Friendsgiving last weekend and that officially kicked off the holiday season for me. Are you attending a Friendsgiving? Each year ours grows by a few people becoming a larger event each time, which I love, but it can be a tricky task to fit 10+ people around one table. Luckily this year we were able to have it at a friend’s home with a good sized dining room that fit all of us with ease.

A nice bottle of wine is our usual go-to beverage for Friendsgiving, but if you’re hosting, it can be nice to shake things up and make a special cocktail for everyone to sip on as they first arrive. I love a good festive cocktail! This apple ginger smash is so refreshing and holiday-y.

I think the most important piece of advice for hosting a Friendsgiving in your home is to make it simple and fun. Let the company and the food be the main event. Have a few key decor elements, like an arrangement of candles in the center of the table, fun drink stirrers, coasters or placemats that create a comfortable and intimate setting for the evening. The instructions for these DIY coasters are outlined below. Hope you enjoy!

APPLE GINGER SMASH

Makes 2 cocktails

Ingredients
3 oz. vodka
4 slices fresh ginger
4 tsp sugar
3 oz apple cider
4 oz ginger ale
1.5 oz fresh lemon juice
Apple, thinly sliced
Sprigs of rosemary
Ice

Instructions
Muddle the ginger and sugar together in a cocktail shaker.

Fill 2 cocktail glasses with ice and pour the remaining ingredients into the shaker. Shake it up, and then pour unstrained into your glass.

Dress each cocktail up with a sprig of rosemary and a thin apple slice.

DIY Friendsgiving Coasters
Cork coasters
White acrylic paint
Gold paint pen

Instructions
Paint the top and sides of the coasters with an acrylic paint brush. Wait 30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times until the paint is distributed evenly and there is no cork visibly showing.
Let the coasters dry overnight.
Get creative with the paint pen. Use the coasters as namecards for your guests or decorate with different patterns and phrases to compliment your table decor.