25 Friendsgiving Games for Adults (Easy, Fun and Low-Prep)

By The Party Ideas Hub Editorial Team · Updated 2 November 2026

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Friendsgiving is Thanksgiving with your chosen family: a big shared meal, lots of conversation and, ideally, a few games to keep the evening lively once everyone is full. The best Friendsgiving games are easy to explain, don't need much setup and work whether your guests know each other well or are meeting for the first time.

Here are 25 Friendsgiving games for adults, grouped by when to play them: while guests arrive, at the table, as team games, and after dinner. Each comes with quick instructions and what you'll need. In 2026, US Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 26, so most Friendsgivings land on a day or weekend around it.

Tips before you start

• Pick three or four games, not ten. One icebreaker, one table game and one or two after-dinner games is plenty.
• Keep it optional. Some guests love games; others prefer to chat. Make it easy to watch instead of play.
• Prep supplies in a basket: pens, paper, sticky notes, a timer, a bowl and small prizes.
• Have a host for each game so you're not explaining rules while carving.
• Plan games around the food. Our Thanksgiving hosting checklist has a make-ahead timeline so the host can actually play.
• Plan games around the food. Our Thanksgiving hosting checklist has a make-ahead timeline so the host can actually play.

Icebreaker games (as guests arrive)

1. Thankful Bingo

Make bingo cards with squares like "has traveled abroad this year," "can cook a turkey" or "has a pet." Guests mingle to find someone for each square. First full row wins.

2. Who's Thankful for That?

Each guest writes something they're thankful for on a slip of paper, anonymously, and drops it in a bowl. Later, read them out and everyone guesses who wrote each one.

3. Two Truths and a Pie

A Friendsgiving twist on Two Truths and a Lie: each person shares two true facts and one false one. Guess the lie, and the person who fools the most people gets first pick of dessert.

4. Name Tag Challenge

Write a famous Thanksgiving food, movie or character on a sticky note and put it on each guest's back. Guests ask yes-or-no questions to guess who or what they are.

5. Gratitude Ball of Yarn

Toss a ball of yarn around the circle. Each person holds a strand and says something they're grateful for before tossing it to someone else. You end up with a web connecting everyone, which makes a nice photo.

Dinner table games

6. Table Topics Cards

Put a few conversation cards at each place setting: "What's your favorite Thanksgiving memory?" or "What dish would you bring to a desert island?" They're great for mixing friend groups.

7. Gratitude Jar

Leave a jar and slips of paper on the table. Guests add notes during dinner, and the host reads a few out over dessert.

8. Rate the Dish

Everyone gets a scorecard to rate each potluck dish on taste, presentation and creativity. Announce winners over dessert with silly awards like "Best Use of Marshmallows."

9. Would You Rather: Thanksgiving Edition

"Would you rather only eat stuffing or only eat pie for a week?" Easy, fun and good for any group size.

10. The Wishbone Pull

A classic for a reason. Let the wishbone dry for a day or two first so it snaps cleanly.

Team games

11. Friendsgiving Trivia

Mix Thanksgiving history, food facts and questions about your friend group ("Who once burned the pie?"). Split into teams of three or four. Keep historical questions to well-known facts or check them ahead of time.

12. Thanksgiving Drawing Game

A Pictionary-style drawing round. Write words like "turkey," "pumpkin pie," "football" and "food coma" on slips of paper. Teams take turns drawing on a whiteboard or large pad.

13. Charades

Act out Thanksgiving-themed movies, foods and activities. Use a one-minute timer per turn.

14. Turkey Trouble Relay

Teams race to carry a small gourd or mini pumpkin on a spoon across the room and back. Works best in a cleared space or outdoors.

15. Blind Taste Test

Spoon small tastes of sides, sauces or pie fillings into numbered cups. Blindfolded players (or players with eyes closed) guess what each one is. Check for allergies and dietary needs first, and let anyone skip a cup.

16. 60-Second Challenges

Quick challenges such as stacking cups, moving candy corn with chopsticks or unwrapping a gift while wearing oven mitts. Each takes 60 seconds and needs only household items.

17. Survey Says

Before the party, send a short survey to guests ("Name a Thanksgiving side dish"). Count the answers, then two teams take turns guessing the most popular ones, game-show style.

After-dinner games

18. Pass the Pie (Musical Pie)

Pass a wrapped prize around while music plays. When the music stops, whoever holds it unwraps a layer. The final layer holds the prize.

19. Small Gift Swap

Everyone brings a small wrapped gift under a set budget. Draw numbers, then pick or steal, white elephant style.

20. Forehead Guessing Game

Write Thanksgiving words on cards. One person holds a card to their forehead without looking, and teammates give clues until they guess it or the timer runs out.

21. Board Game Station

Set out a few easy party board games for small groups. If you're also planning a December get-together, our Christmas party games for large groups work for bigger crowds. If you're also planning a December get-together, our Christmas party games for large groups work for bigger crowds. Choose quick games that new players can learn in a couple of minutes.

22. Card Games

A deck of cards covers a lot of options for small groups. Keep a second deck in case two games start.

23. Friendsgiving Superlatives

Hand out ballots: "Most likely to bring store-bought pie and call it homemade," "Best leftovers packer." Read results at the end of the night.

24. Thankful Toast Circle

Before dessert, go around and toast one person at the party. It's simple and often becomes the highlight of the evening. Offer non-alcoholic drinks so everyone can join in.

25. Movie and Guess the Quote

Put on a holiday movie and pause at famous lines for guests to guess what comes next.

Games by group size

• Small group (4 to 8): Two Truths and a Pie, Table Topics, card games, board games, Forehead Guessing Game.
• Medium group (8 to 15): Trivia, Thanksgiving Drawing Game, Charades, Rate the Dish, Superlatives.
• Large group (15+): Thankful Bingo, Survey Says, 60-Second Challenges, Small Gift Swap.

Simple prize ideas

• First pick of leftovers
• A mini pie or a jar of homemade cookies
• A small candle or mug
• A silly paper crown or "Turkey Champion" trophy

Supplies to have on hand

Most of these games need only pens and paper. If you want a few extras, these are the product types mentioned above:

• Index cards and pens: index cards on Amazon
• Conversation card decks: Thanksgiving conversation cards on Amazon
• Party games for adults: party games for adults on Amazon
• Whiteboard or large drawing pad for the drawing game: large drawing pads on Amazon
• Small trophies and prizes: party trophies on Amazon
• Gratitude jar and cards: gratitude jars on Amazon
• A digital timer: digital kitchen timers on Amazon

For table setting and decor ideas to go with your games, see our Friendsgiving decor ideas.

Read next: Friendsmas Party Ideas on a Budget (Decor, Food and Games) →