Winter is usually a time of celebrations and traditions for most, however traditions typically vary from family to family. The student body represents a variety of traditions as well.

Freshman Caitlyn Barnes said her favorite holiday tradition is her Christmas Eve to Christmas day traditions. 

“On Christmas Eve, we open one of our gifts, and then we all get matching PJs,” Barnes said. “And then on Christmas morning, we all sit on the stairs and take pictures, then we all go downstairs and open our stockings first before all our Christmas presents.” 

Barnes’s house is decorated with the holiday spirit. More specifically, the stairs, so that they have cute pictures to look back on. 

Barnes grew up with this tradition, therefore it is kept as a cherished one to her. 

“It’s just something I grew up with, so I think it’s kinda special and nostalgic,” said Barnes.

Sophomore Amaya Berka said her favorite holiday tradition is her family’s Christmas Eve Eve.

“The day before Christmas Eve, my family goes to my great grandma’s house that we never see,” Berka said. “There’s, like, a lot of us, and we eat Mama’s Pizza, and we just see family we don’t usually see.” 

Berka said she enjoys catching up with her family and spending quality time with them, especially because the time with this side of the family is infrequent. 

“I get to catch up with them and bond, and the pizza’s good,” Berka said. 

Junior Olivia Davis’s favorite holiday tradition is her family’s annual white elephant exchange. 

“We pass around presents, and if you don’t want it you pass it on to the next person,” Davis said. “And then if you open a present you have to keep that one.” 

Davis hosts this event at her house with a large number of family members attending, Davis said her mom always has the house decorated.

“I love it because I get something out of it,”  Davis said. 

Senior Mamie Litz sets up a nativity scene with her family every Christmas. 

“Everybody has like a part to the nativity scene,” Litz said. “One person gets to be the angel, one person gets to be Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, then we all take our turn putting the people in the scene.” 

Litz said they still make and set out cookies for Santa even though not everyone in the family still believes In Santa. This family tradition brings them together to bond. 

“It brings the family together once a year at least to just enjoy our favorite holiday,” Litz said.