From writing letters to Santa to opening presents on Christmas Day, the holiday season is filled with memories of past and present traditions and celebrations. Looking back on these memories is a part of the joy of the season.
“When I was younger, I put all of the things that I wanted in my letter to Santa. It was an organized letter where I put what I wanted and why I needed it. If I didn’t get a reply I would send multiple letters until I got a response,” junior Kaityn Cruz said.
All year, children look forward to opening presents from Santa and their family members on Christmas Day.
“When I was five, I got a dog that would just be mine on Christmas. I named it Gus after a cartoon character. It was the first present I opened and a big surprise when my parents brought it out on Christmas morning,” freshman Bruce Liggett, said.
Some families participate in traditions, such as the Elf on the Shelf. In this tradition, the elf comes from Santa for the 25 days before Christmas and hides in fun places for children to find when they wake up.
“I had an Elf on the Shelf named Trixie who I loved. She would always bring us little gifts from Santa and hide in our tree where we couldn’t find her. Around three years ago, she didn’t come back because we all got older,” freshman Andie Jacks said.
Another American Christmas tradition is the pickle on the Christmas tree game. A small ornament shaped like a pickle is hidden within the tree branches for someone to find.
“My family does the pickle on the tree tradition. When we wake up, we try to be the first one out of everyone to find it. In my family, whoever finds the hidden pickle on the tree gets an extra present,” freshman Leia Adams said.
A special part of the season is that not everyone celebrates the same way. Most families have some traditions that are unique to them.
“When it snows, we go outside and play in the snow all together. When we come back in, we drink hot chocolate and play with our new presents all day,” freshman Lylah Wallischeck said.
A magical memory during the holiday season is looking out the window as a child to see the snow-covered ground ready to play in.
“When I was little, I used to build snowmen and go sledding down the hills of my grandparents’ backyard. One year, we were in our swimsuits and jumped in the snow for fun,” freshman Allie Higgins said.
Baking fun holiday treats with family and friends is another way to get into the Christmas spirit.
“I used to make eggnog with my grandma on Christmas Day. We made it from scratch, so we had to gather all of the ingredients to make it. Sometimes we would make it a race to see who could make it faster,” freshman DeQuincy Smith said.
Christmas is not the only celebration during the holiday season. Hanukkah is a holiday that is typically celebrated by Jewish people. It is an eight-day holiday that takes place from the evening of Dec. 25 to Jan. 2.
“For Hanukkah, we get presents every night leading up to the eighth, and on the eighth night, we get a bigger present. I usually get candy and clothes leading up, and one year I got a laptop on the big night,” senior Elaine Medina said.
An exciting part of the holiday season is observing all of the different kinds of celebrations.
“It’s fun being in my family because we are so diverse. All kinds of different things are going on because my uncle is Jewish, one of my grandmas is Catholic, the other is Christian, and my dad is Hispanic so there are all different types of cultures celebrating at the same time” Medina said.
Christmas traditions and activities can begin to add up during the holidays, but spending time with family and friends is one of the most important parts of the season.
“I love Christmas because it is a time to be together with your family and friends. Christmas for me is the one time of the year where you have so much to do but nothing to worry about because of what the holiday is about,” junior Novalee Simms said.
