UC High clubs are looking forward to the holidays as they prepare to celebrate them in new ways.

   This year, the Italian Club is hosting a holiday party before the break. The party will have panettone, a sweet bread eaten during Christmas and New Year. Additionally, its club officers will be teaching non-Italian club members how to celebrate the country’s traditional holidays such as La Befana.

   According to Italian Club’s Co-President Junior Flavia Delle Monache, La Befana is a witch that appears on January 6 to put items in children’s stockings. La Befana leaves sweets for the kids who behave well, but coal for those who misbehave.

   Likewise, the Animal Outreach Club prepares to celebrate the holidays with a White Elephant gift exchange for Christmas. A White Elephant, also known as Yankee Swap or Dirty Santa, according to Forbes Magazine, is a gift exchange where each person must bring one wrapped present to a Christmas party and everybody has a turn to either select one of the unwrapped giwfts or steal another person’s gift (forbes.com).

     The Genders and Sexualities Alliance Club (GSA) is also excited to participate in the Christmas spirit. Their Club Leader Junior Clay Shaughnessy said, “For any special occasion or even randomly throughout the year, we always bring themed, decorated sugar cookies, which we will surely have for the winter holidays.” According to Shaughnessy, the GSA Club updates its club members on any holiday events held by organizations such as the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the San Diego Pride.

   The First Gen Scholars Club aims to create a community for first generation college students within UC High and work together to navigate through college applications to graduate without debt. Club Leader Junior Tayler Nguyen shared that they are planning to host a potluck that will have a variety of foods for the members to enjoy.

   Nguyen said, “As a first-generation student myself, I believe that it is important that we build a community within UCHS. I also believe that the way to people’s hearts is through their mouths, so a potluck would be an amazing way to promote bonds between our members!” The club will be celebrating the holidays during lunch in Room 213. The club invites everyone to bring something if they wish to participate.