In North Carolina, one woman is sounding off about something many hosts quietly grumble about each year. The exhausting, expensive, and often thankless task of pulling off Thanksgiving mostly alone. While the holiday is supposed to bring families together, the early frustration simmering beneath her message hints at a deeper issue. One that becomes clear once you hear what she deals with behind the scenes.
Once TikTok user @jaylahiman gets into the details, her irritation makes sense. She explains that holiday meals only work when everyone participates. Traditionally, relatives brought dishes, chipped in for supplies, or at least rolled up their sleeves to help clean.
Image Source: @jaylahiman/TikTok-Unsplash
But when one person ends up doing the shopping, cooking, hosting, and paying for everything, the joy gets replaced with stress. According to this North Carolina host, that’s exactly why more people are walking away from hosting altogether.
Part of the pressure comes from something families across the country are feeling. The cost of groceries has become brutal. Even a basic Thanksgiving spread, turkey, sides, desserts, drinks, and all the extras, can easily climb into painful territory.
The Real Hit: Rising Grocery Prices
Feeding a crowd of twenty people today can run several hundred dollars before you even consider decorations, utensils, or the energy spent cooking all day. For someone already managing bills and everyday expenses, taking on that entire financial load alone is enough to make anyone snap.
The North Carolina woman reflects on how gatherings worked when she was younger. Older relatives made sure everyone was fed. But they weren’t doing it solo. The whole family pitched in. Today, she says it feels unrealistic to expect only one person to cover everything. Especially when some relatives contribute nothing, neither time nor money, while still expecting a full feast.
“I miss the old Thanksgiving,” one commenter writes.
“I dont agree with financial contributions, I think everyone can bring something. That’s so much better,” another adds.
“I’m down $300+ after 3 store runs, and that’s just for a small gathering,” one more chimes in.
“I don’t think the cost of food to income was quite the same as it is right now. I spent $350 today and that’s probably only half of everything. If I could do it all myself, I would, but everything is so so expensive,” another states.
She isn’t demanding that every family member show up with a wallet full of cash. She simply believes that contributing in some way is part of loving your family. For some, that may mean buying ingredients. For others, it might be prepping food, cleaning dishes, or helping set up. A small gesture from each person makes the gathering meaningful instead of burdensome.
In the end, her message isn’t just irritation. It’s a reminder that holidays work best when families share the load. Whether you’re in North Carolina or anywhere else. A little effort from everyone turns a stressful meal into a true celebration.
Kendra Quinn 
Hunter Spears 
