Beginning December 18 through January 4, students get to embrace the holiday spirit as they get a break from school to stay home with family and friends. Students get to experience the true meaning of the holidays in such a year where fear and pain were such a dominant character.

“Christmas has a special place in my heart because it is the time of the year where loved ones walk through the house doors with a smile on their face,” sophomore Chelsea Flanigan said. “We get to embrace the fact that we are a complete whole family. My little sister’s birthday is over the winter break, so the two-week period gives the family, including myself, time to celebrate her and shower her with as much love as a family can.”

Everyone has a different definition of the meaning of the holidays. Regardless of age, grade, and transitions, we all understand the hidden spirit behind Christmas in which we love, laugh, and give.

“Whenever I feel the spirit of Christmas, my first instinct is to get in the car, turn Christmas music on full blast, and find stunning sights of holiday lights,” sophomore Julianne Garlin said. “Then deep down my heart knows Christmas has arrived. Souls that make up the heart of my family happen to live miles away from me, but when the holidays come into sight, I know I get to physically hold them in place of hugging through a screen!“

Family is believed to be overlooked throughout the year, but having a time such as the holidays gives students a beautiful chance to see what they have and give those members the recognition they deserve.

“Christmas is a holiday filled with the love of family and that is how I see it,” freshman Elizabeth Franco said. “Loving one another, enjoying the living presence of loved ones–it is such a beautiful time of year for my family and myself. Every year we as a family stay up on Christmas Eve, and at midnight we open presents with one another. Also, during the joyful time of year we sit together and sip hot chocolate, and eat homemade cookies, watching The Grinch.”

May the holidays give students the sensation of love that surrounds them. Give them a fraction of time with peace in the mind, and time to hold loved ones tightly. May the approaching holidays be filled with everything merry and bright.