This post is sponsored by NATROL, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Five Tips for Planning a Successful and Stress-Free Friendsgiving 

I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone by! There is really only a month and a half left in 2018. It feels like just yesterday I was planning last years Friendsgiving celebration with my sister in Chicago. It all started in 2013, during one of my visits back home. I love cooking for my family and friends, so my sister and I decided to invite a few people over the day after Thanksgiving. I made a few of my signature dishes that everyone loves (you can find the recipes here on the blog), we invited a few people over, and the rest is history! Since then our Friendsgiving celebration has evolved and gotten bigger and better every year! With that comes experience of what to do, and of course what not to do, and how to keep the stress to a minimum. Today I’m here to share my expertise so that you can plan an awesome Friendsgiving with your friends for years to come. 

How To Plan A Stress-Free Friendsgiving

Guest List – I know, deciding who to invite can be the hardest part about planning a Friendsgiving celebration. Do you want it to be an intimate gathering where everyone can get to know one another? Or do you want a huge bustling party? As the host, you also have to think about how you’re going to work the room and spend time with your guests. Personally, I love the more intimate setting with a few close friends. 

Location – Are you willing to open your home to guests, have Friendsgiving in a restaurant space, or in a place you have to rent? After you determine the number of invitees you need to think about where you are hosting your party. Remember if you have friends in your home you have to make room to have an ample amount of time for prepping, set up, and cleaning after the party is all done. 

Menu – One of the biggest parts of Friendsgiving is the food! What are you going to serve your guests? Do any of your guests have dietary restrictions? How are you going to satiate several different types of palates? Also, keep in mind if you want to go with a specific cuisine overall. Last year my sister and I actually didn’t cook, but we hired a caterer so that we could focus more on having a good time during the party. This really took a lot of stress out of the entire planning process. 

Don’t Do It Alone – I’m a Type A personality, so I definitely understand wanting things to be a certain way. It would be great if we could control every part of pulling off a wonderful holiday celebration. Honestly, we can’t do it all alone. We really have to pass off and delegate some of the tasks so that the Friendsgiving celebration can be a success. Think about hiring a caterer, having some of the food pre-made, hiring a clean-up crew to prep your home, or even clear everything up after the party is done. The best part of the holiday’s is enjoying your guests, so think wisely about who will help you during the planning process. 

Natrol 5-HTP – Do you all know how much I love 5-HTP yet?! I’ve talked about it here on the blog, on social media, and shared my love for 5-HTP with almost every woman that I meet. Natrol 5-HTP has definitely been a life-saver to keep me calm during what could otherwise be super stressful situations.

What is Natrol 5-HTP?

Natrol® 5-HTP is a 100% drug-free way to promote a calm and relaxed mood by enabling the body’s synthesis of Serotonin, the chemical messenger that greatly helps in enhancing mood.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.†

The holiday season is supposed to be a time filled with family, love, and laughter. Not a time filled with stress! I have both the Natrol 5-HTP Fast Dissolve and the Natrol 5-HTP Time Release supplements.

Natrol 5-HTP Fast Dissolve (100mg) Product Benefits:

Fast-acting and perfect for those that have a hard time with swallowing vitamins and supplements.†

Promotes a calm and relaxed mood†
Helps maintain a positive outlook†
Enables the production of serotonin†
100% drug-free†
Non-habit forming†
100% Vegetarian
Great tasting wild berry flavor
No water needed

Natrol 5-HTP Time Release (200mg) Product Benefits:

slowly releases 5-HTP to help you throughout the day.†

Promotes a calm and relaxed mood†
Helps maintain a positive outlook†
Enables the production of serotonin†
100% drug-free†
Non-habit forming†
100% Vegetarian

You can find Natrol 5-HTP at retailers nationwide including your local drug stores, supercenters, grocery stores and natural/specialty retailers. Look for the purple bottle top! Prices may vary based on the retailer.

I am keeping my Natrol 5-HTP handy for any of the times I want to feel calmer while planning Friendsgiving and to help take the stress out of the holiday season no matter what comes my way! To learn more about Natrol 5-HTP please visit: https://www.natrol.com/benefits/mood-stress/!

Are you ready to take on the holidays?!