The season of mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and corn casseroles is upon us, which means it's time to go back and watch the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends. The holiday was a returning theme in the sitcom, as the crew enjoyed meals in Monica's apartment, played football, and even tried to remove a turkey from Joey's head. Now, years after the show has ended, you can look for the best Friends Thanksgiving episode moments to recreate with your roomies, and turn those scenes into #content.
To be frank, though, you don't have to look very hard because we know the exact moments you should recreate. You may have to gather several props before your photoshoot like a pair of yellow sunglasses, a turkey hat, or a trophy. To set the right Friends vibe in your apartment, you may want to re-watch the episode you're hoping to recreate, too. That way, you can easily channel Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey, or Ross.
Odds are, you have a quote from one of these characters picked out for your post's caption, but could use a little practice when it comes to how they say the quote and their mannerisms. Practice and prep your props. Then, recreate these eight moments with your roomies for the sweetest Instagram post, story, or Reels.
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The most iconic Thanksgiving episode of Friends may be when Rachel makes the English trifle horribly wrong. She mixes beef with jam, lady fingers, and whipped cream. But, the rest of the crew pretends to eat it so they don't hurt her feelings. You can create this moment with your roomie, by posing in your own kitchen with a trifle dish ($30, crateandbarrel.com). You can fill it with the same ingredients, and pretend to take a bite out of it.
Of course, if you want to take this to the next level, you should also sport a plaid apron, red turtleneck, and have a recipe book open on your counter. That way, you look just like Rachel.
The scene where Monica puts a turkey on her head, along with a pair of giant, yellow sunglasses, has become a meme over the years that circulates on Thanksgiving. But, you can turn it into a real-life photo on your feed by wearing a turkey hat ($7, walmart.com). You can stand in a doorway and pretend to shimmy your shoulders like Monica does in front of Chandler. To really capture the vibe of the moment, have your roomie (who may also be your partner) dress up like Chandler in a light blue button-down shirt.
Towards the end of Friends, the entire crew was late to dinner. Rachel and Phoebe went to a beauty competition, and Ross and Joey went to a hockey game. At the same time, Chandler was at home with Monica making cranberry sauce and was so proud of it. Eventually, the crew made it to dinner, but had to stick all their heads in the door crack and apologize for being late. It was funny and cringe-y all at the same time, thanks to Joey's "stare."
Set up your camera so it's pointing at your front door, and then peep your own heads through the crack to recreate this funny moment. Hold a trophy to pretend you just got back from the beauty competition, or a foam finger. Also, pick up that yellow picture frame ($18, urbanoutfitters.com) and hang it on the door to pretend you're in the special, purple apartment.
After watching the Thanksgiving episode of Friends where they play football in the park, your crew may have started a new and sporty tradition. This year, show off your Friends festivities by heading to the park with a football in hand and having a photoshoot for Instagram. Wear a Giants crewneck ($70, ae.com) like Monica, and hold a timer to show that you're prepping dinner, too. One of your roomies can dress up like Rachel in a green long-sleeve top, and backwards black baseball cap.
The episode where Ross can't figure out the 50 states may be one of the most frustrating. You may have wanted to yell your state's name at the TV so he could finally eat his dinner. Try to play this game with your roomies and see how many states each of you can name. Take a picture of yourselves with a scratch-off map ($33, etsy.com) once you're all done, while surrounded by Thanksgiving food, to recreate this scene with a unique and yummy twist.
Thanksgiving dinner preparations can be a lot of work, so Chandler found a sneaky way out of them: pretend to watch a football game. Phoebe decided she wanted to get in on the fun once she found out Chandler was faking it. So, she handed the napkins she was supposed to fold back to Monica and started cheering for random, non-existent players.
Re-enact this scene with your roomie for an Instagram Reels. Pretend to fold khaki napkins ($25, goodeeworld.com) while you two act out the lines. Have the television playing in the background.
There's one Thanksgiving episode where Brad Pitt makes a special appearance. He shows up at the door with a pie and a leather jacket on. Of course, things take a dramatic turn when Rachel arrives and finds out about the "I Hate Rachel" club. To recreate this moment, make a dish of yams, stare at a camera with a glaring look, and wear your favorite leather jacket ($35, forever21.com).
Joey puts Chandler in a box for an iconic Thanksgiving episode of Friends so he can prove his loyalty after Chandler and Joey's girlfriend kiss. According to Chandler, he's in the box for three reasons: to prove his friendship, think about what he did, and because it's uncomfortable.
You shouldn't squeeze yourself in a box to recreate this scene, but you can stand like Joey over a box in a green, plaid flannel ($26, oldnavy.gap.com). You can get the audio recording of Chandler talking, and see if any of your followers can guess what season this episode is in.
