Friendsgiving is all about gathering your favorite people, sharing a meal, and making memories. From potlucks to a full spread, here are four sustainability-minded tips to help you host the perfect Friendsgiving.
1. Set the Mood
Great music makes for a great evening. Create a playlist for cooking and mingling and keep the energy flowing.
Pro tip: Share the playlist beforehand so your friends can add their favorite songs.
2. Give Back Together
Friendsgiving is the perfect time to put gratitude into action. Ask each guest to bring a non-perishable item for your local food bank, like the Community Action of Napa Valley Food Bank. Set out a basket by the door so contributions are easy to collect. At the end of the night, you’ll have a shared gift to pass on — a tradition that reflects the true spirit of the season.
3. Pour Enough Wine
A good rule of thumb is half a bottle per person — but it never hurts to have extra. Pinot Noir is the ultimate Friendsgiving wine: versatile, food-friendly, and always a hit.
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Carneros Pinot Noir – Bright and lively, ideal with appetizers like charcuterie or stuffed mushrooms.
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Fiddlestix Pinot Noir – Bold and spiced, perfect with turkey or roasted veggies.
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Heirloom Pinot Noir – Expressive and layered, a stunning match for hearty sides like stuffing.
Choose reusable glassware and cloth napkins to cut down on single-use waste, and recycle or compost as you go to keep cleanup easy and eco-friendly.
4. End on a Sweet Note
As you enjoy dessert, pair pumpkin or pecan pie with Deer Camp Pinot Noir — its darker fruit notes and warm spice flavors bring the meal to a delicious close.
Keep the celebration going with a couple of games:
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Blind Tasting: Pour up to 3 wines into unlabeled glasses and see who can guess the varietal (or just pick their favorite).
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What Are You Grateful For? Write a question on the back of each name card like, “What’s your favorite holiday tradition?” or “Three things you are grateful for?” — and have everyone share their answers around the table.
