With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas countdowns starting, the holiday season is about to begin. Whether it is the warm apple pie or the filling mashed potatoes drowned in gravy, or possibly the unlimited chatter of family and friends, our favorite part of the holidays, varies from person to person.  

Traditions are something that everyone looks forward to, but some of our students and staff have unique traditions that are much different than just your usual get together with your family. Dinner is not your usual turkey dinner, for some it consists of 18 courses and for some it is not even emphasizing the dinner portion of the holiday.

Many of the students know our new librarian Donald Dow. What some might not know about him is that he celebrates Thanksgiving in a unique way. “ I always have Thanksgiving with my friends from college and we play Monopoly,” said Dow.

One of our own staff writers, Owen Heffernan observes some of the strangest holiday traditions. “Every year we eat from The Jewel in the Crown in Newburyport for Christmas Eve,  indian food, but just my immediate family.” Instead of a fancy dinner or a nice warm home cooked meal, his family eats Indian takeout food.

Christmas Eve for Amanda Sheehan is a bit more traditional. “ We go to my Nana’s house on mom’s side to have a traditional Italian dinner which consists of lobsters, pasta and sauce as well as calamari, clams, and the Feast of the Seven Fishes”. The plentiful amount of fish is because of the abstinence of the red meat until Christmas day.

The night before Christmas consists of several last minute little traditions that for some are a little superstitious in hopes that Santa will leave more presents. For Caitie Rooney’s family, her dad reads a book that said she believes is  by Jack Frost to her whole family the night before Christmas. For others it is a little last minute decorating that really adds to the enjoyment of the holiday. “We always buy our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve,” said Haley Morgan. Not only is the time that some cut their trees tradition, but also where specifically they get it from. Anna Berringer and her family cut their Christmas tree from their own backyard, and haul it into the house to decorate. Cookies as well as a big glass of milk are what most families leave out for Santa, but the Heffernan’s leave out a pickle to represent their polish heritage. “The pickle is then moved to the tree by Santa, and in the morning whoever is able to find the pickle gets to open a small gift for the family, such as a board game,” said Heffernan.

Christmas morning is a special time for all because it is when you finally get to see what you’ve been waiting for. Whether you wait all night or sneak a peak in the early morning, to see what presents you received, for most Christmas contains some sense of mystery. Christmas day is a special time reserved for family and friends. “Every Christmas and Thanksgiving my family has a huge cribbage tournament,” said junior Elisabeth Lindholm. For Gabby Doucot Christmas is filled with a sport, rather than relaxation.“We go over my neighbor’s house and play volleyball outside because they have a net. We will even shovel if there is snow,” said Doucot.

The last holiday is New Years. Most families celebrate by huddling around the T.V., watching the ball drop in Times Square. Some will go to see fireworks, and of course like every other holiday enjoy some food. The most intense menu is the one that the Heffernan’s indulge in on New Years. “My dad will make the amount of courses that matches the amount of years it has been since 2000, for example last year we had 17 courses”, said Heffernan.

Holidays seem that for most are not just the normal dinner and family get-together, and that they are becoming more modernized, and less family centered. Becoming less about the family aspect of the event, and more the the unity and enjoyment of company.