After the hype of Halloween, there are two things on everyone’s minds: Thanksgiving break and when it is acceptable to start listening to Christmas music. As the holiday seasons continue to roll through Yorba Linda High School, it is essential to preserve the time left in the school year with friends and upperclassmen, whether that’s going to the beach, having a bonfire, going to sleepovers, and cooking barbecues- every get together is memorable. During the holidays, many friends like to sit with one another for a lovely home-cooked meal. This means that one friend from the friend group often hosts a get-together for the rest of the group. However, what does it mean to be the honorable host for these parties?
Hosting for the holidays is stressful in any and every setting. You have to clean the entire house from top to bottom: mop the floors, scour the bathroom mirrors, and dust every surface. The cleaning process takes hours and is extremely tiring. On top of this, the host is in charge of the main courses and meals. Often, this main course consists of chicken, turkey, or ham, which can take hours to prepare.
During Thanksgiving break, I hosted Friendsgiving. I power-washed my backyard, cleaned the kitchen, washed all the windows, and disinfected every surface. Then, after everything was clean, I proceeded to cook four chickens and eight gallons of macaroni and cheese. I was stressed out as there was so much food, and I didn’t know what to do. As the two dozen guests showed up at my home, everyone laughed at the mounds of food on the dinner table as they set down their side dishes.
“It was nice to finally sit down with everyone and have a good time. Senior year has been stressful with difficult classes and the pressure of college applications, so whenever I’m able to see my friends, it is almost relieving. Especially during the holidays, it is always fun to see everyone and spend that time together because we don’t know if we will all end up in the same place for the next four years,” shares Payton Baughman (12).
Aside from the hosting fiasco, my friends gathered around and stuffed their faces with dozens of dishes and desserts. School friends met old friends and formed new bonds throughout the night. Everyone was smiling, making jokes, conversing, and having a good time. My house, which is usually empty during the week because of everyone’s busy schedule, was filled with loving friends.
