As the holiday season approaches, the halls of the Westminster Middle School begin to buzz with excitement. It’s not just the anticipation of a well-deserved break from classes, but also the cherished holiday traditions that make this time of year truly special. From the holiday songs to the festive decorations on every corner, these traditions bring our school community together in a unique and heartwarming way. Here are some traditions both students and faculty in our school participate in.
8th grader Zevi Berlin celebrates the winter season by celebrating Hanukkah with his family and decorating his home. “Every day I light candles, get gifts, and decorate my house,” he says. Berlin also celebrates Christmas with his friends at their house and enjoys celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah. Berlin celebrates just like any other Jewish person during the winter season. “Being Jewish means a lot to me and my values,” he says.
Vielka Reina, the Assistant Head of Middle School also values her traditions. “Keeping our cultural traditions alive [is important to me], especially since I no longer live in Panama,” she says. She lived in Panama most of her life when she was younger and thinks that her kids should know the traditions that come from her home country. Reina celebrates Christmas but she mostly celebrates Nochebuena, which is Christmas Eve. “A lot of celebrations happen on Nochebuena. We have a big feast and families come over. It depends on some families, but some people have a tradition of some kids being able to open presents right at midnight.” One of Reina’s favorite memories is with her sister when they were kids and they lived in Panama. “One Christmas, somebody had styrofoam in one of their presents so my sister and I took that out and ground it against the concrete sidewalks and so we had little balls of styrofoam that looked like snow”, she says. “Then we pretended it was snow. We threw it everywhere and it stuck everywhere.”
In a world where holiday traditions often revolve around familiar songs, movies, and family gatherings, there’s one individual who has found joy in the unconventional. Chinese language teacher Pearl Zhu said she and her family celebrate by wearing red underwear when it is the year of your zodiac. The year of the zodiac, also known as the Chinese Zodiac, is a repeating cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal sign. For example, if you were born in 2000, you were born in the Year of the Dragon. “We wear red underwear when it is the year of our zodiac sign because it helps with warding away evil spirits,” she says.
Finally, one last person 8th grader Stella Cronan has an unusual tradition. “On Christmas Eve my parents will hide a little pickle ornament on the tree, and whoever finds it gets to open the first present on Christmas day.” This may be strange but it brings joy to her family and has been a tradition for a long time. Cronan also enjoys being with her family and making memories together with them. “Spending time with family is important to me and that’s one of the things that I do around the holidays. Making memories together [is important to me].”
These traditions, no matter how unusual they may seem to outsiders, bring families and communities together, creating memories that last a lifetime. They remind us that despite our differences, the spirit of celebration and togetherness is universal.