The epic culinary feat that is Friendsgiving at the Emerson Dining Hall fed most of the undergraduate population, and then some, completely on the school’s dime. While an impressive undertaking in both scale and quality of food, there is one glaring discrepancy: space.

On a vertical, urban campus such as Emerson’s, the desire to gather with all your friends and comfortably share food and holiday cheer is technically impossible. Dorms lack full kitchens and sufficient entertaining spaces to participate in the joy that is Friendsgiving, or any organized holiday gathering for that matter. 

All other factors momentarily aside, from a purely financial perspective, providing sufficient food for all guests makes the very idea of a college holiday gathering nauseating. Even assuming your guests deliver a respectable Trader Joe’s contribution, there will never be enough elaborate snacks, or enough “real food” to substantiate a meal. Take Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving dinner, for example. While the table of jelly beans, buttered toast, and popcorn was entirely desperation-based, maybe they were onto something. 

With the Public Garden essentially frozen by October, and dorms out of the picture, where can you turn for celebratory food and drinks with friends to ring in (or out) the holiday season? 

I realize it’s a tall order. Food needs to be good (or decent), large enough to accommodate a big group, and most importantly, affordable. In addition to the meal itself, the atmosphere would ideally deliver warm lighting (please hold the overhead dorm lighting) and a festive vibe.

With these parameters in mind, I racked my brain for places that might fit the bill. Lots of places in Boston come close, but only a few really thread the needle. 

Take Seaport’s holiday pop-up Snowport, for instance. This parking lot turned market for local Boston vendors seems perfect on paper: it’s festive, close to campus, offers a variety of food stalls, activities, and places to sit. But much like Emerson’s Friendsgiving, there just isn’t enough space. Stroll past the market’s exterior of pop-up stalls upon pop-up stalls, and you’ll see the line wraps around the block. Upon entry, the chaos continues. After the freezing wait outside, more lines greet you as you attempt to fulfill your food, gift shopping, or crafting needs. 

In my experience, any charm the event offers is squashed by its inaccessibility. Not to mention, the whole space is cloaked in a potent raclette smell from the “Cheese Haus” employees, who are scraping fresh raclette onto ham and cornichon baguettes for the very reasonable price of $23. 

If you are looking for a slightly more laid-back version of Snowport, minus the cheese odor, Time Out Market in Fenway might be the place. The massive food hall holds 15 vendors offering a myriad of cuisines. Around the holidays, they take things to the next level by adding classic festive decor. The industrial beams supporting the old art deco-style building are wrapped with pine needles and twinkling lights, and the occasional vendor will put up a tiny tree just to remind you, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

With massive communal tables and bench seating, you can squeeze up to 20 friends together. And every guest, no matter how picky, will be satisfied because they can choose their own food. While not your traditional “going out to eat” experience, Time Out Market is one way to get all your friends together under one roof, with just enough holiday cheer to offset the fluorescent lighting.

But my own personal favorite, and the Goldilocks of this roundup, is Barcelona Wine Bar. It’s Spanish tapas-style dining with a small-plates menu designed for sharing. With each tapa hovering around ten dollars, it is a great way to try a variety of dishes, especially in a big group and on a tight budget, which many of us are. Often packed, Barcelona Wine Bar is the place to be with friends, and around friends. Around the holiday season, you can peer through the wreath and holiday light-adorned windows of any of their three locations in and around Boston and soak in the holiday vibes. 

While it may not be easy to gather your friends for a holiday celebration in college, it is certainly not impossible. As long as establishments like Barcelona Wine Bar exist, a third space to hone the holiday vibes with your friends is not far out of reach. In fact, it may only be a couple of blocks away in Southie.