Christmas Reflection: Holiday Traditions!

written by Rachel W.

The holidays are a source of happiness for people across the globe. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday, the memories and traditions of this time of year bring cheer and happiness to share.

To me, the most important aspect of the holidays is family. Whether your family is super close or only sees each other a few times a year, the holidays bring everyone closer together to laugh and have fun while celebrating something that is religiously important. Every year, my family gets together on Christmas Eve to spend time together, exchange presents, play games, and go to Mass. One of my favorite memories from Christmas came from one of these parties about 10 years ago; my uncle dressed up as Santa and waved at my cousins and I through the window! The rest of the night we were so excited to have seen Santa, and years later we still bring it up every Christmas Eve. I also really enjoy going to Mass with my family, because even though we all go to different churches throughout the year, we go to the same parish together on Christmas Eve night. These traditions and stories bring us all so much joy during this time of year, and getting to share that with the people I love is what makes the holidays so great for me.

Another aspect of the holidays that I love is getting more time to spend with friends. We can all agree that school, especially leading up to break, can be extremely stressful, so being able to hang out when we’re off school is great. Being able to do fun holiday activities is great, too! Ice skating, baking cookies, or having a gift exchange are all fun ways you and your friends can spread holiday cheer. Or, if the craziness of the Christmas season is too much, just hanging out with your friends is a good way to enjoy the time off and relax.

Holiday decorations are another way to show your love for the holidays. One of my favorite traditions is decorating the Christmas tree with my parents and my brother the weekend after Thanksgiving. Even though my brother can only reach the lower branches (he’s 5 years old), the joy he gets from knowing he is helping makes me so happy – even if my mom and I have to go back when he goes to bed to rearrange the ornaments! Our tree is full of sentimental ornaments, from both mine and my brother’s baby ornaments, to the ornament my parents got for their wedding, and every homemade reindeer and candy cane in between. Seeing what we have accumulated over the years is a good reminder of what I am thankful for over the holidays.

I asked some friends and family members to share what their favorite holiday traditions and memories are. Here’s what they had to say:

“My dad would always say, ‘Keep away from the presents!’ But by the time Christmas Eve would roll around, he would always ask my mom if we could open just one!”

“My favorite memory is going to midnight Mass as a kid with my parents and my siblings. When we got home, my mom cooked a big breakfast with all the fixings.”

“It’s great having tons of homemade cookies readily available at all times.”

“My favorite holiday tradition is going to my grandparents on Christmas Eve night, then afterwards coming home and having a sleepover in my brother’s room. While my parents wrap presents in the basement, we stay up all night playing video games together!”

“I love going around town and looking at all the Christmas lights!”

“One year, my dog decided it would be a good idea to get into what was under the tree before we woke up on Christmas morning. I was so upset at the time, but looking back it makes for a good memory and a funny story.”

I hope everyone has a safe and fun-filled holiday season! Make memories, eat some good food, and don’t forget to spread holiday cheer wherever you go!