Today is the first day of December. Though Thanksgiving gives us a taste, it is now the time when many people begin to celebrate the holiday season, and with the holiday season comes numerous traditions. These are some of our Editorial Board’s favorite holiday traditions.
Taking a rest — Anna Falk, Scene Editor
Winter break is usually the only time during the year when I have absolutely nothing to do, and it is a tradition I intend to keep this year. Busyness is the antithesis of rest, yet that’s what all my other breaks are filled with. Fall and spring breaks are packed with homework, short weekend trips are just that — short — and summer break is generally jam-packed with internship and research opportunities. I hate it. Winter break allows me to finally sleep, talk with friends and family and find my passions again. Even though it is not easy to slow down after months of constant work, this time of rest is necessary.
Watching “It’s a Wonderful Life“ — Emma Duffy, Social Media Editor
My favorite holiday tradition used to be my least favorite. “It’s a Wonderful Life” has always been my mother’s favorite movie. Because of this, she started a tradition that we would watch it every Christmas night once the festivities had ended. When I was younger, I thought the movie was boring, and I just wanted to play with my toys. Now that I am older, the movie has also become my favorite. This film will remind you why it is important to be the best person you can be because you never know the impact it will have on somebody else’s life. Plus, it will put you right into the Christmas spirit!
Decorating the Christmas tree — Claire Lyons, Viewpoint Editor
Here’s a list of my favorite things hanging from the Christmas tree at my family’s house: silver and glass baby boots marked with the year 2004, picture frames with my brother’s face and a handcrafted sparkly clay Christmas tree. I’m a firm believer that your collection of Christmas ornaments is a small glimpse into your soul. Each one is a sentimental artifact of a life lived. What a joy to put my ornaments up next to yours.
Shoveling the sidewalk — Maggie Eastland, Editor-in-Chief
Hot take: Shoveling the sidewalk is fun, especially during the Christmas and holiday season. Suiting up in wool mittens and clunky boots to heave some fresh powder usually means one thing: guests are on the way. There’s no better way to build anticipation and fill your face with color like shoveling the driveway. For added fun, invite your siblings to join (yes, this is a competition, and yes snowballs will fly) or blast “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” in your earbuds. Shoveling snow is an underdog Christmas tradition, but it’s a winner in my book.
Christmaslights — Christina Sayut, Graphics Editor
Anything that has to do with Christmas lights is my favorite part of the holiday season. Most importantly, the daily 5 p.m. golf cart rides that I am going to take with my family where we look at the lights around our neighborhood. I am a HUGE fan of Christmas lights, whether they are on a tree or on a house. I love seeing how creative people can get with their lights, but nothing will top the 15-foot-tall Christmas tree that my mom and dad assembled out of a string of lights and a flagpole. Email me if you want to go look at Christmas lights in the South Bend area!
Christmas Eve — José Sánchez Córdova, Assistant Managing Editor
I adore Christmas Eve. My family hosts a dinner party with my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents that I always look forward to. Christmas music, good food and the people I love are everything I need to be happy. As a kid I also loved intently following NORAD’s Santa Tracker on the family desktop. I don’t do that anymore. Instead, my sister and I have started going to a vigil Mass with beautiful candles and festive caroling. All of it just makes for such a lovely time. And that’s without mentioning the excitement and anticipation of Christmas morning.
Sports events and familytime — Andrew McGuinness, Sports Editor
Honestly, my family usually has pretty lowkey holidays. We are planning to go to the third straight Philly sports event home game on Christmas (Raiders vs. Eagles in 2017, Bucks vs. 76ers in 2019, Giants vs. Eagles in 2023). I don’t know if that counts as a tradition, but maybe it’s slowly becoming one.
Basically, the only constant is we go to my cousins’ house on either Dec. 23 or 24 (my not-so-little-anymore cousin Katie’s birthday is the 23rd) and have dinner. That’s become a little bit more special as my cousins have added two adorable young daughters to their family in the last few years. I will also decline my chance to cover Notre Dame’s bowl game if it winds up on Jan. 1 to spend New Year’s Eve with my high school friends for the fifth straight year. As seniors, it’s sad to think this could be our last (or at least it may look much different next year), but that will just make this year’s celebration extra special.
