DHS students tell about their Christmas traditions
In December, junior Cara Meadows-Smith’s days are filled with, “Decorating, family bonding at the Christmas tree lighting, packing for England, singing Christmas carols while playing piano, wrapping presents and spending ridiculous amounts of money on them.” All these things are only some of the ways DHS students prepare for Christmas Day, and a significant part of preparing is family.
Junior Andrew Croft prepares for Christmas Day like many other DHS students with the traditional decorating. “Getting the lights up for the house, getting a Christmas tree and decorating it, putting the stockings on the mantle, and getting the collection of Santas out,” Croft said.
With the quick response and heavier excitement, it is apparent how important Croft’s family is during Christmas. “My favorite part of getting ready for Christmas is probably just thinking about being with family,” Croft said. “Every year we go up to my grandparents to celebrate a little bit before Christmas day to help around the house, decorate and get food ready.”
For junior Melissa Arthur, Christmas is the time of the year to enjoy eating holiday treats. “I’m like the woman version of Santa Claus so of course I love the food,” Arthur said.. “Probably fudge mostly,” Arthur said with a pleased grin.
But food isn’t the only holiday aspect Arthur enjoys. She participates in many family traditions. “Me and my grandma would have a tradition to ring peoples doorbells and leave a fruit cobbler on their doorstep,” Arthur said.
Decorations are also a Christmas tradition Arthur enjoys. “We decorate our house from head to toe,” Arthur said. From multiple Santas with giant nutcrackers to hand-made painted houses her grandma painted, she goes all out with the decorations.
House lights and Christmas trees are Arthur’s specialties. “Between decorating the house lights and picking out the Christmas tree, it’s a tie. I love things that light up, but I also love the smell of the trees,” Arthur said. “I go for the ones [Christmas Trees] with meat on it. You don’t want any bald spots like a man’s head.”
Cara Meadows-Smith has many family traditions for preparing for Christmas, and decorating is only part of it. “We go all out with the decorations. My dad’s obsessed. He gets all different green and gold holly mistletoe and these acorn things and usually we have streamers on the ceiling,” Meadows-Smith said, shaking her head with embarrassment.
Meadows-Smith and her family go to the Christmas Tree Lighting where the cheerleaders and Madrigals come together downtown to light the Christmas tree for the first time. “We watch then walk around and get hot chocolate, sometimes walk home together,” Meadows-Smith said.
Meadows-Smith also traditionally takes a vacation to England where her family is. “We visit family and friends, go to church, and play family games,” Meadows-Smith said. “It’s like a big family love fest.”
Junior Dajon Beltran and his family traditionally take vacations over winter break just before Christmas. “Usually we go camping and little trips like that. Or if its extreme we go to Hawaii. It’s a great time to sit back and kick it with the family,” Beltran said.
Beltran sees himself as a big Christmas person, putting up the decorations, buying and receiving presents all excite him.
“We don’t have many traditions but I love the feeling of opening presents and being with family,” Beltran said.
One of Beltran’s favorite parts of preparing for Christmas is giving presents to others. “Usually I ask my family and friends what they like for Christmas and try to make a list of things to buy,” Beltran said. “I get them anything as long as it’s under $20.”
Junior Alex Sanders has her own ways of getting into the Christmas spirit. “I usually look around on Black Friday for most of my presents for people because everything is cheap but I also figure out what people want and wait for an opportunity for it to be on sale or not so expensive,” Sanders said.
Other traditions Sanders has include decorating her house colorful Christmas lights and watching Christmas movies like “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
“My favorite part of Christmas is the weather and the Christmas music. And everything that’s on TV that is Christmas-y. The Christmas spirit builds up my excitement,” Sanders said.
Although many students celebrate Christmas, students like junior Akilah Young celebrate Kwanzaa. She explains with a slight hint of annoyance her stance with the excitement over Christmas, “I get really annoyed. It seems like an annual issue having to tell people that I don’t celebrate Christmas and then they ask if I’m Jewish,” Young said.
But Christmas is still enjoyable for Young. “It’s weird, I love Christmas music. It’s [Christmas] so peaceful and makes me love more people,” Young said.
