The Case For Celebrating Your “Friendiversary” Like It’s A Romantic Relationship

Anniversaries are a really big deal. They mark another year since you met your partner or made your relationship official, and they’re usually celebrated with a fancy dinner, thoughtful gift, or a love-filled post on social media. While romantic love often gets all the glory, there’s a trend on TikTok that highlights “friendiversaries” — and it’ll make you want to call your BFF ASAP.

A “friendiversary” is just what it sounds like: the anniversary of meeting your friend. On TikTok, creator @jana_alballany celebrated with her friend of 10 years by lighting candles on a cake. The video, which has over 173,000 views, sparked excitement in the chat. “This is adorable, omg,” one person wrote while another said, “Soon it will be our fifth friendship anniversary.”

Once you realize you can celebrate your friendships, you won’t want to miss another year. Creator @katiehamiltonshaw posted a video of her friendiversary with the caption, “Normalize celebrating ... with your bestie” while @judithadiaz said, “This is your sign to begin a yearly tradition to celebrate your friendship anniversaries and share your favorite memories together.”

It’s the cutest tradition, but it’s also one that’s more meaningful than you might realize. Below, a friendship expert weighs in.

The Benefits Of Friendiversaries

According to author and friendship expert Shari Leid, the friendiversary trend is so much more than a fun excuse to get together with your pals. (Though that’s obviously great, too.) It’s also a moment to honor what your friendship means, including how often you lean on one another.

“When you think about friendships, you think about who was there through your heartbreaks, who talked you through difficulties with coworkers, and who reminded you of your worth,” she tells Bustle. “And, we can’t forget who picked up the phone at midnight after a date that didn’t go so well — or maybe one that went so well you just wanted to chat.” Who was it? Your best friend.

It’s why a friend's anniversary could be just as important as the one you share with a partner, if not more. “Romance isn’t the only love that deserves to be celebrated,” says Leid, especially since it isn’t always as long-lasting as the bonds you form with your besties.

Friendships are also quite literally good for you, which provides even more incentive to strengthen and honor them with yearly parties. “Science proves what we already know in our hearts: Friendships aren’t just good for the soul; they’re good for your health,” says Leid. “Strong friendships lower stress, boost mental well-being, and even help you live longer. So why aren’t we celebrating them the way we do romantic relationships? It is time to change that.”

If you’re single, a friendiversary could even be a way to celebrate the connections and achievements in your life that aren’t tied to whether or not you’re partnered. “A friendversary is the perfect way to stop focusing on what’s ‘missing’ and start celebrating what’s already here,” says Leid. “Deep connections, shared memories, and the kind of love that doesn’t disappear when your relationship status does.”

How To Celebrate A Friendiversary

Whether you’ve been with your friends for two years or 20, or have one close friend or three, here’s hoping this trend inspires you to celebrate together. If you’re looking for ideas, scroll through the friendiversary tag on TikTok for inspo.

Some pals party all night, jump on hotel beds, and go out to dinner. Others sit on the beach, look at old photos, and exchange meaningful gifts. The vibe of the anniversary should match your friendship and focus on inside jokes and all the things you like to do.

Creator @wanderwelust and her best friend booked a trip abroad while @___camzzz gathered her trio of friends for a picnic in the park and creator @mayemade.lyfe spent the day riding rollercoasters to celebrate nearly two decades. “We definitely were sisters in a past life and wouldn’t want it any other way,” she said in her video. “Happy 18th friendiversary, bestie.”

Study referenced:

Pezirkianidis, C. (2023.) Adult friendship and wellbeing: A systematic review with practical implications. Front Psychol. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1059057.

Source:

Shari Leid, friendship expert, author of The 50/50 Friendship Flow