Lights of many colors frame houses, snow covers the ground, and 105.7 is playing Christmas hits. All in perfect timing, Christmas is only thirty-seven days away and Christmas trees are already going up.

“[My mom] already put up our Christmas tree and our lights,” Freshman Mackenzie Roy said. “We always put our Christmas tree up a little earlier. My mom is huge into Christmas.”

Decorating Christmas trees is a huge deal, right along with setting them up; there are so many different kinds of ornaments that can be placed on each branch. Some of these ornaments can mean a lot to families. 

“My family and I always put up our Christmas tree,” sophomore Madeline Weaver said. “We don’t have a set time we do that, but we always have our family ornaments that have been passed down from my parents’ families.”

A huge Christmas tree, covered from the very top to the very bottom with ornaments, some filled with special value or memories, others that are gifts from family friends, others that were made from five-year-old toddler hands.

And right along with old ornaments, there are new ones that hold a completely different meaning.

“I’m a dancer,” Madeline said. “I’ve been dancing since I was three. So when I was really young, my mom got me an ornament of a girl in a pink tutu, and that has been on our tree since I was very little.”

Getting new ornaments that have special meanings or memories are unforgettable, but also passing down ornaments through family generations is something that families cherish.

“We have this one [ornament] that my great-grandma used to have,” Mackenzie said. “When she passed away she had told my mom to give it to the oldest daughter, me, and every year since I was a baby I always put it on the Christmas tree.”

Grandparents also have a huge impact on Christmas traditions.

 Christmas is a time to come together as a family and honor the oldest of the families and give thanks and create happy memories with those around us.

“We usually go to church first,” freshman Everett Phipps said, “and then we do our Christmas and then we go to our grandparent’s house.”

Some traditions are the same as other families, but there are also traditions that are a little different from others, making these ones very special.

“At my Grandmother’s house,” Everett said, “we have this [tradition] where the kids will write their names on little pieces of paper. Uncles, aunts, and grandparents will draw a card to see who they get a present for, and on Christmas, our Grandpa will hand out the presents acting as Santa.”

And of course, waking up to presents under the tree on Christmas morning can be exhilarating. 

“Every morning [my family and I] have to wear pajamas,” Mackenzie said. “and if we don’t we can’t get our presents.” 

Traditions do not always have to be with just immediate family, or family at all, the holidays can also be spent with friends. 

“My mom makes cookies every year with her friend,” Madeline said. “[They] make German cookies, which are our family-friend’s recipe, and they also make just sugar cookies and we decorate them.”

It doesn’t take Christmas dinner to be able to enjoy holiday foods, but also being able to make snacks to eat throughout the season can be super memorable.

From Christmas themed cookies to gingerbread houses, there are so many options for baked goods around the holiday season.

“What we do is we make my mom’s famous cinnamon rolls and we always have some nice cookies with that,” Mackenzie said. “And we make cookies and gingerbread houses; we eat a lot during Christmas.”

Even though these traditions are taking place now, there is always a future for them and they will get passed down to more and more generations.

“When I’m older I want to go to my grandparent’s house or probably my mom and dad when they become grandparents,” Mackenzie said, “and I would definitely have my great-grandma’s ornament. Of course [my children] would have to do the dance, and I’ll keep the onesies of course. I would definitely [pass on the ornament to my children.]”