Absent Friends Suppers

The Absent Friends Supper is a modern take on an timeless concept - getting together over food to remember people who have died. Suppers can be formal or informal, public or private, dedicated to one person, or held in memory of many.

Who is remembered at an Absent Friends Supper?

The supper might be dedicated to someone specific - a relative, friend or work colleague that all the guests know and miss. Alternatively, people might want to remember a group of people collectively, for example their grandparents, or people from a particular community who have died. Another option is to dedicate a supper to the collective memory of those who are gone - leaving space for guests to choose who they want to remember. People may want to commemorate someone who has died recently, or people who have been dead for a long time.

Who is invited?

Suppers can be held with family, friends, work colleagues, community groups or more formally, for people who don't know each other.

What is the format?

Each Supper is unique - created by host and guests - an opportunity to revive old traditions and create new ones. People can chat informally, share stories, look through old photo albums, or simply raise a toast To Absent Friends. Some people might prefer to invite contributions in advance - for example a song, a poem, or a humorous tribute.

What is for supper?

The food might be something that is in some way significant to the people being remembered - their favourite food, or something they used to cook. People might want to bring contributions to the meal, associated with their own memories. The menu could be highly significant, or be unconnected to the the people being remembered.

How do I organise an Absent Friends Supper?

Download our guide here: To Absent Friends Supper: A Guide

Check out other people's experiences here: Absent Friends Supper Blog