Ahead of Thanksgiving, many people are saying they're attending a Friendsgiving.

The term isn't new, but many people still don't know what it is.

While most people usually spend Thanksgiving with their families, Friendsgiving gives a name to celebrations of friendship. Friendsgiving is a time for friends to come together, share a meal and give thanks. It has become a common gathering during the holiday season for young adults across the country.

One New York woman called the celebration "a millennial-driven interpretation of Thanksgiving."

A lot of millennials are unmarried and living away from their families in different cities. Friends in their communities often serve as a main support system and act as a family away from home.

Friendsgiving, which is not a substitute for Thanksgiving, is usually celebrated before Thanksgiving Day, so as not to conflict with family get-togethers on the official holiday. People involved in a Friendsgiving event usually bring a food item or drink in a potluck-style celebration.

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A migrant farmworker harvests Vidalia onions at a farm in Collins, in 2011. A coalition of farmworkers, including one based in Georgia, filed suit last month in federal court arguing that cuts to H-2A wages will trigger a cut in the pay and standard of living of U.S. agricultural workers. (Bita Honarvar/AJC)

Credit: Bita Honarvar