December is the month that brings bright lights, yummy treats and, most important of all, the memories made with family and friends.
As the holiday season approaches, bringing a festive mood along with it, now is the perfect time to spend time with loved ones.
“Christmas is my favorite holiday,” sophomore Siya Depu said. “I love the decorations and lights. I feel like there’s a lot of joy and happiness in this holiday.”
Christmas is common worldwide, and it is a holiday that is significant in Christianity. It marks the birth of Jesus Christ, and it also brings people together, focusing on generosity and gratitude.
Most families have unique traditions during the holidays including caroling, Christmas tree decorating and many other customs that make the season feel special.
“My younger brother’s birthday is actually Christmas Eve, so one of our traditions is to go out to a restaurant for his birthday dinner,” freshman Yue-Lin Chen said. “My family decorates a Christmas tree, and I recently added the tradition of baking holiday-themed cookies.”
Other holidays during this time of year include Hanukkah, Kwanza, and New Years.
“During Hanukkah, we light candles on the menorah at sunset every night for eight nights, adding another candle each night. We then recite a blessing in Hebrew and let the candles burn all the way down.” freshmen Mya Gadell said. “Sometimes my family makes guesses on which one will burn out last! Some foods we eat include latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts).”
Students and staff at Ocean Lakes celebrate the holidays in many different ways, depending on their beliefs and traditions.
“Christmas is my favorite holiday because my parents always made the holiday season special,” English teacher Ashley Adams said. “They instilled in us that the season was not about gifts, but more about giving.”
