Christmas celebrations are family-focused for both religious and secular students

PHOTO: Many DHS students have fond memories they associate with their favorite Christmas tree ornaments.

By Declan Fee,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Christmas trees, mistletoe, lights, presents — as the holiday season approaches, many families begin to decorate their homes and perform annual traditions to get in the holiday spirit.

Early Europeans first started celebrating during this time of year as a way to get through the dark winter days. Many designated Dec. 21, the winter solstice, as a holiday. People would hold large celebrations, gathering with friends and family and exchanging gifts to honor light and day.

Today, virtually all Davis High students who celebrate Christmas do so with some of these community-based traditions.

“I always go to my grandparents’ house, and my siblings and I have a gingerbread house competition,” junior Reese Quick said.

Gathering with family and friends has become common for many people during the holidays, regardless of their religious beliefs.

“I get together with all my relatives, and we make special foods and exchange presents,” junior Mick Dunning said.

For some families though, Christmas holds more significance. In the fourth century, the Christian Church introduced the birth of Jesus into the existing pagan winter celebrations of the solstice, establishing Dec. 25 as Christmas. This means that for some, Christmas entails more religious traditions.

“For our family, Christmas is a celebration of when Jesus came into the world. It is a reminder of the hope he has given us,” sophomore Anya Dejong said. “I love the joy that comes with Christmas.”

Part of junior Ethan Lujan’s Christmas celebrations include attending a special Christmas Eve service. “While the other sermons are about the rest of the Bible… this one is about the birth of Jesus and the story surrounding the time of his birth,” Lujan said.

Despite seeing Christmas as a religious holiday, many religious families still celebrate with the same traditions as non-religious families.

“Our family spends our Christmas with our immediate family and extended family… My grandpa always dresses up as Santa,” said Dejong.