Pinelands’ Student Body’s Christmas Traditions

By Jessica Capriglione

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see what holds a family together? To watch the joy spread across faces that you never knew could feel such emotion? Holiday traditions are the very fibers that hold families together, not just through distance but through generations. Strings that attach us to those who aren’t around anymore, the strings that make us human. Join me today to learn about some of our Wildcat family's greatest and most meaningful holiday traditions.

Johanna Smith describes holiday traditions as “Things that were just fun, things we did on Christmas that built up into something more.” She talked about her family breakfasts and how connected she felt to the people around her. We often take for granted the lives that surround us and the holiday season is a great time to remember to find the beauty in the little things.

For Caitlyn Barton, a senior here at Pinelands, Christmas season is a unique time for her family. Barton has two older brothers, one who had spent most of her life living in Texas and who now lives farther away, and the other who as of now is living in Colorado, after spending some time stationed overseas. Caitlyn’s one brother left around the holidays, causing her to fear losing her favorite tradition, baking cookies and opening each other’s gifts together. When I asked her how she managed to let it go, she said she didn’t. To them it was too important to let go so they would facetime each other at the same time (eastern time) every year, no matter the time zone difference. This is a tradition her and her brother have kept up since he first left for the army all those years ago.

A common theme surrounding our holiday traditions is the importance it shines on our families. For Victoria Lund, her favorite holiday tradition is simply rushing from her cousin’s house to make it to midnight mass with her family. Kayla Stallard‘s favorite tradition is her family’s White Elephant that they do every year. When asked why it was so important to them, they both replied with the same response, “It brings our family closer together.” There tends to be so much joy in the magic that your family and friends provide.

While working on this article, I had the chance to ask dozens of different people what they loved the most about Christmas time and what traditions have grown and stuck with them. Kierstin Northup’s favorite holiday tradition is decorating her rainbow Christmas tree, Heron Boyd’s is having a big breakfast while decorating his family in their favorite Christmas accessories. For our Wildcat family, the biggest and greatest gift anybody could receive is the love and joy our families bring to our holidays and traditions.