Layda Galvan: Editor-in-Chief: “The best part of Thanksgiving is not only the food, but it is when all families gather and share what they have made with lots of love.  The best part of Thanksgiving is when my family travels from Mexico to celebrate with us.”

Karen Ambrocio: Managing Editor: “My Thanksgiving consists of tamales and flan. My family never made ‘traditional’ foods because those weren’t appealing to us. We always mixed our Mexican traditions with our American one. Thanksgiving is a day where we celebrate familia.”

Sam Cabrera: Design Editor: “My family spends all afternoon with my cousins preparing dishes, baking pies, sharing stories and enjoying each other’s company.  After all the delicious food, we go late Black Friday shopping for the sales!”

Micaela Johansson: Photo Editor: “I’m not American, so to me, Thanksgiving has had just a small meaning.  However, this year I’ve decided to volunteer to pack up food and deliver around North County to the homeless.  As I build my own American traditions, I do hope that this event is something that I’ll do every year.”

Stephany Mejia: News Editor:  “My mom and I prepare the food in the morning. I peel potatoes, and she prepares the turkey while we watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We cook for more than 17 people. We take all the food to my grandparents’ house and gather with my extended family for  dinner. We also celebrate my dad’s birthday since it is around Thanksgiving.”

Antonio Pequeño IV: A&E Editor: “A staple of Thanksgiving with my family is making a ton of food from scratch. Spending all day doing one thing together has always been amazing, year in and year out. Overall, it’s a great time to suspend the stress of my daily life and commit energy and attention to the people who matter most to me.”

Briana Osuna: Features Editor: “I love being surrounded by family on Thanksgiving, but what I really look forward to is Black Friday shopping with my big brother. We don’t always get to hang out, so it’s nice to spend time together and get our Christmas shopping done! We’ve been taking part in the madness since I was 14, and I look forward to it every year!”

Sara Freitag: Opinion Editor:  “Aside from collectively pitching in to create our traditional dishes, my favorite part of Thanksgiving is expressing appreciation for one another.  One way my family has done this is to each start with a sheet of paper, pass them around and write what we appreciate about each person.  The result is individualized letters of encouragement.”

Hannah Snider: Sports Editor: “My tradition is centered around family, food and an attitude of gratitude.  Before we eat, everyone in my family takes a turn saying what they were most thankful for that year.  After eating a delicious dinner, we watch movies and play games!”