Let’s make it a tradition to gather together; not just in the name of food, not just to check off that we’ve seen each other in the last 3 months, but to share how much we love, how much we care, and how much we are thankful for our friends in our lives. There is an amazing feeling in the air when you gather with the people you love and those that love you. Love, acceptance, connection, and a feeling of belonging radiate through the smiles and laughter and tears.

How to Create a Gathering with Intention

1. Make a plan.

   Schedule a day that works for your people. Create a fun theme that adds a little magic to the shindig, like everyone bringing their favorite dessert, wearing a hat, or bringing a basket filled with goodies that represent themselves. For my Friendsgiving, everyone brought a side dish and I got to dress them up! It was fun as everyone tried on different clothes in my cottage. It was an instant ice breaker.

2. Send invitations.

   Getting mail these days that isn’t a bill or an ad can be really exciting, especially when it’s an invitation to a soiree! I used Basic Invite to make my invites. It made the entire gathering much more official.For every event in your life, Basic Invite has got you covered. From Thanksgiving dinner party invitations that I used, a wide selection of unique Christmas cards, and cheap holiday photo cards that actually are good looking!? I was seriously shocked by their never-ending gorgeous designs and easy-to-use interface that makes ordering from them a breeze!

   Here’s some features I love about Basic Invite:

   Almost Unlimited Colors – You can change up your colors and preview how it will look in real time! There’s over 180 different color options, meaning you can have it your way, matching your colors and your style.

   

   Custom Samples – Basic Invite allows you to order a sample so you can see the entire look and feel before you make your final decision. Try before you buy and change if you don’t like it! Also, look how cool these clear business cards are! (I’ll be ordering some for myself with the 30% off discount)

   

   Over 40 Different Colors of Envelopes – Because getting a colorful envelope in the mail is always exciting! Spice it up and you’ll let your invitees know that something good is inside. ALSO, all of the envelopes are peel and stick. When I was mailing out my Friendsgiving invites, I died when I realized I didn’t have to lick all of my envelopes. How nice is that?!

   Address Capturing Service – You can share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram to request your friends and family’s addresses which will be stored on your account and can then be selected during the design process. No more headache with keeping track of addresses. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders. What? No carpel tunnel hands, hallelujah!

    Foil – Probably my most favorite part is having the shimmery gold on my invite. They offer foil cards in gold, silver, and rose gold. You can choose between flat or raised foil.
   
   

   Just sayin, Basic Invite is on point and budget-friendly.

   Right now, they are offering 30% off with the code: holi30

   

3. Grab a few pieces of decor.

   You really don’t need to go all out, just getting a few things like a garland, some flowers, and an enticing appetizer will do the trick. I kept it simple with my decor here, and just let us do all of the talking.

4. Gather. Come together.

   It might be crazy coming from me, but it doesn’t matter what you wear. It’s not about the food. This is the dedicated time to connect, collaborate, and just enjoy the moment with the ones you love. These are life’s greatest moments. Cherish them and life’s true priorities will be put into perspective.