This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Irvine chapter.

I don’t know about you, but Thanksgiving is pretty up there on my list of favorite holidays. With it being right around the corner, I’ve decided to ask a few women that are close to my heart about their past Thanksgiving dinners, as well as tips n tricks to host a successful first Thanksgiving dinner. So for all you newbies out there, pay attention! But firstly, I would like to introduce my special gals who have been a part of my life as long as I can remember. Atashe I., Marjan T., and Soheila J. are all amazing women that I adore. They had a lot of interesting things to say about my favorite Holiday! Take a look…

NI: What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?

AI: The family getting together.

MT: I personally live with gratitude everyday of the year. I think the fact that it is finally outspoken and the rest of the world is doing, which is something people should do on a moment to moment basis, makes is so beautiful. In reality, It shouldn’t be just one day, but at least there’s one day out of the year that it’s magnified.

SJ: Family getting together. Remembering that we need to be thankful. It reinforces the fact that we have to be thankful.

NI: What will you be most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

AI: For having my family healthy and happy.

MT: Oh my god! Narcisse! This Thanksgiving I have finally found home. Both within my heart and outside physically. Living in such a truthful way and so truthful to my heart, I honestly think I’m the happiest I’ve been in my entire life. I am beyond grateful for this one.

SJ: Health and my family.

NI: Who is your dream guest to have at your Thanksgiving dinner?

AI: President Obama.

NI: *giggling* that’s cute.

MT: Oh god!! Picasso! Picasso. He just had such gut.

SJ: *giggles* Hillary Clinton.

NI: What is your favorite and least favorite Thanksgiving food?

AI: Least favorite food is mashed potatoes and my favorite is the turkey.

MT: *giggles* honestly? Okay well I gotta say I don’t like to be put in a box ever in my life. Being told to cook a certain thing, it just bothers me period. Honestly all of it bothers me.

SJ: My favorite is mashed potatoes and my least favorite is gravy. I like mashed potatoes but with no gravy. Oh, another one of my favorites is the stuffing!

NI: What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in the past while preparing Thanksgiving dinner?

AI: *long silence* I never make mistakes. *laughs* oh I put too much stuffing in the turkey.

NI: Thats the best mistake you can come up with? You’ve never burnt anything?

AI: No.

MT: Not having a dish big enough to contain the turkey. The juice kept overflowing and there was not enough room to cut it.

SJ: Overcooking my turkey. *giggles*

NI: What is your best piece of advice for someone who is going to host their very first Thanksgiving dinner?

AI: Be relaxed. Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be just perfect, and enjoy the day.

MT: Definitely provide a couple of extra dishes for vegan and vegetarian people. Have a nice vegetable or pasta dish on the side, and have that variety. And then ask for help. Maybe ask for people to bring the sides. Make it into something that is less overwhelming. Because you know there are so many ingredients that go with Thanksgiving. There are just too many components. It’s simple for one person to bring the mashed potatoes, it’s not hard for them . But for you to make everything would be a little too much.

SJ: Go simple. Yeah, I think my favorite Thanksgiving was when I was in Texas and I lived with an American family and everything was just very simple, you know? It wasn’t like these fancy dishes that people make. Just a very simple and very traditional meal I think is the best. You don’t have to go very fancy with all these fancy recipes.

I will leave you all with this, in the wise words of Frank A. Clark, “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” Remember to be thankful, and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Please make sure to do something nice for someone this holiday season!

Also, a VERY special thanks to the special ladies that took the time out of their busy schedules to take part in this interview. LOVE YOU ALL! XOXO

The One with the Thanksgiving Dinner

We wanna slide into your DMs