December. The month of Christmas, but what does the month of December really contain? December is packed full with delicious foods and holiday events, family get-togethers and tree lightings. But does everyone focus on just Christmas? Or do some take delight in holidays like Hanukkah. Kwanzaa, boxing day etc.
The different holidays celebrated all over the world can mean many different things to each individual. Not only are they celebrated in different parts of the world, but they may be celebrated as close as your neighbor’s house or the kid you sit next to in math class. Whether you were raised into it or you discover it on your own, holidays share meaningful traditions, memories, connections and food.
“It means I’d say kind of a day for some of the family members that I don’t get to see a ton to kind of come together and we have a day to celebrate festivities and just have a great day overall,” Cooper Case (‘26) said.
But we can’t forget about Christmas entirely. Christmas is celebrated by over 2 billion people in the world and is considered a very big holiday. Some celebrate the religious factor, and some celebrate it as a time to decorate, bake cookies, watch movies, and spend time with family and friends.
“We just have a lot of food, like unnecessary food, but I’m grateful for it. [We eat] chicken, rice, and we have some barbecue skewers. [We decorate with] Mistletoes, garland, we have balloons for some reason,” Elijah Climacosa (‘28) said.
To some who may have not grown up with a religious family, finding your own path can be a rewarding task, through celebrating holidays you can find a community and a whole new history. The many traditions that come with the holiday can be there to remind everyone to celebrate where we are at but also to remember where we came from.
“Well, for Hanukkah, you light the menorah, which is a representation of the persecution of the Jews when they were executed, and they had an internal candle, and then it was only meant to last one day, but it ended up lasting seven, so they have the menorah to represent that. For me, it’s finding my way with God. I didn’t grow up religious, but now I’m kind of finding my path, and it’s really helped me in my self-consciousness and how I want to grow as a person,” Alex Philips (‘27) said.
