Many people enjoy spending time with their families at home during the holidays; however, some prefer to venture outside the walls of their homes.
To the Hommel family, staying at home for the holidays is especially important in order to keep family tradition alive.
“I would prefer staying home because leaving my family would probably make me feel home sick and would want to come home.What is important is spending time with my family and making sure all of the traditions stay alive,” freshman Benjamin Hommel said.
For some families, living far away from each other can be hard, but seeing each other during the holidays is a great way to reconnect and enjoy the season.
“Every year for Christamas, my family travels to Mexico to spend time with my family that lives there. I really enjoy being able to reconnect with my family and my culture there, especially during the holidays. I really enjoy spending time with everyone there and the warm weather, but I always miss seeing the snow with everyone else back home,” junior Natalia Orozco said.
For some, choosing to prioritize family during the stressful holiday season will be a choice they make every time.
“I would much rather stay home than travel for the holidays, I think Christmas revolves around family. It’s time set aside every year for families to get together and spend time together. With busy schedules it can be hard to find time to get a break from our regular lives. I like how this time is set aside every year and we can always count on it. Traveling is nice but it can be a burden in some situations. So for me staying home is what I would always choose,” senior Will Davidson said.
Some people enjoy staying home for the holidays, seeing family and spending time with loved ones.
“What is important to me about staying home for the holidays is getting to see my sister, Mara, who is away at college for most of the year. Some of my other family members also come and visit us, and it is really nice to see them and be together for Christmas,” junior Avery Guilfoy said.
For junior Brayden Hafen, traveling to the west during the holidays means getting to have a big family reunion.
“Every other year my family goes back to Utah to see friends and family. I enjoy traveling back to Utah because it’s refreshing to get away from life and just enjoy your time with family we do not get to see very often. We always have a big party with our whole family at our great grandma’s house which is completely packed since she had 9 kids who all come to visit,” Hafen said.
For junior Julia Short, traveling is more than just a getaway; it is a more meaningful way to create memories with her family.
“The past few years my family has traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for Christmas. We started the tradition before COVID and have now been doing it for quite some time. I really enjoy being away from home for the holidays because I think that memories and time with my family is way more impactful than just gifts,” Short said.
Traveling during the holidays can be stressful for some families; so staying home can be a more relaxing way to spend the holidays.
“I prefer family staying at my house because I don’t mind being a host and I won’t get lost in my own house. There is also comfort in being home, it is important because holidays are for people to relax, not worry about packing and finding somewhere to stay. You have to worry about all that expenses and places to stay and stuff. You also have the leisure of a warm bedroom with coffee instead of standing in the snow waiting for your taxi or standing in the airport to go through security,” sophomore Reeda Hassan said.
