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PilotNews > Features
> How to Have a Happy Holiday Season
How to Have a Happy Holiday Season
Limiting ‘Bah-Humbugs’ Throwing Stress Out the Window
Sarah Howard
Allison Tripolitis
Dec 16, 2005
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| ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL BICK |
Winter holidays can be a very hectic time for many, and it begins the day after Thanksgiving. Suddenly, everyone is in a flurry to find the best gift for friends, family, and that special someone who would be perfect to meet under the mistletoe. In an effort to ease the pain of suffering through the holiday rush, here are numerous ideas that will keep people everywhere jolly throughout the season.
...Celebrate other faiths
Whatever faith, it cannot be denied that the month of December is a special time for bringing family and friends together. Besides Christmas, which the majority of LHS students celebrate, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are the two best known winter festivities.
Hanukkah is an eight day celebration commemorating the eight days that oil miraculously burned in the Jewish temple when there was only enough left for one day. Nowadays, a candle on the menorah is lit each day for eight days. Also a present is recieved each day throughout the holiday.
Kwanzaa, on the other hand, was created in 1966 to bring together the diverse culture of African Americans. It is non-religious and focuses on the celebration of family and community.
...Exchange gifts
Shopping for the holidays can put a major dent in wallets, but it doesn’t have to. Many shortcuts can be used to ensure all friends and family feel remembered.
Secret Santa and Rob Your Neighbor are fun and easy ways make sure all friends receive a gift.
A few weeks before Christmas, gather all the friends together and put everyones’ names into a big hat. Next, everyone should choose a name and buy a gift for them within a set price limit.
“Secret Santas are fun because you don’t have to spend a lot of money, and then everyone receives a present,” said Rachel Strathman (9).
To play Rob Your Neighbor, invite a group of friends to get together and tell them to buy a $5 white elephant gift.
A white elephant is a ridiculous and funny gift that no one would want. It is not meant to please the recipient, rather it is more of a competition for who can come up with the most outrageous and funny gift.
Once everyone gets together, have them sit in a circle and place the presents in the center. Next, pass around a pair of dice. Each person will roll the dice and if a person rolls a five or a
one, then they may choose a present out of the middle. Once a few people have gifts, a five or a one can mean robbing their neighbor by stealing their gift. It then becomes a competition to get the gift back, and in the end finding out what everyone came up with can be hilarious.
Students also worry because of the amount of money they may have to spend to buy the perfect present for family and friends.
Solving this problem is simpler than it seems. The easiest way is to make baked goods like cookies, fudge, brownies, or anything else that is easy, fast, and inexpensive.
Another fun idea is to buy some picture frames from the dollar store and put goofy pictures of the giver and the receiver in them. These are more personal then just another gift certificate and will have an honorary place on the repcient’s night stand.
...Get on Santa’s “nice” list
One option that will be a definite way of getting on Santa’s nice list is to donate to a charity. Many have representatives in public places that are available for receiving donations, and of course the most famous is the Salvation Army. Their bells can be heard ringing merrily in front of various stores throughout the season. Donations to this organization will allow more than 50,000 toys to be distributed to local children from less fortunate families.
If you have done something extremely unforgivable, it might not hurt to send Santa a nice little note with some cookies inside (see recipe). It is well known that ol’ Kris Kringle loves his sweets and he will not object to any early gifts. Don’t let Mrs. Claus know, she’s worried about his figure but Santa refuses to go on Atkins because he loves his carbs too much.
Santa is also quite fond of his reindeer. Everyone knows Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen. They also know Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, and of course everyone recalls the most famous of all: Rudolph. What is not well known is that these reindeer are as hungry for treats as Santa. They do all of the work while Santa sits in his sleigh and they would enjoy some payoff. Send them an early gift and they may be able to put in a good word with the big man.
“I put reindeer food on my lawn so the reindeer and Santa can find my house,” Gretchen Mueller (9) said.
...Get a sweetie under the mistletoe
With chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and Jack Frost nipping at your nose, the search for someone to spend those cold winter nights with is sought after more than usual. Finding that perfect someone can be tricky, but easily achieved.
“‘Accidentally’ drop something under the mistletoe while your sweetheart is close to the mistletoe and then pick it up and there ya go, you got your kiss,” suggests Alisha Bray (11).
Other solutions are to go out to a dinner where mistletoe is hung in the doorway. Also, invite him or her over being sure to have mistletoe hung in the door, or for that matter, all over the house. If all else fails, just wear a hat with mistletoe hanging off the front and the love will start pouring in.
...Get a Snow Day
1. Call up Frost, Jack Frost that is, and encourage him to disperse a little extra snow tonight.
2. Get up, Get out, and Get shakin’. Doing a little ‘snow dance’ never hurt anyone.
3. Create a chant or song. Bryanne Stotler (12) suggests this chant:
“Hey! Ho! Let’s Snow!”
4. “Everyone at my dance studio believes that if you wear your pajamas inside out, the next day will be a snow day,” said Lauren Haviland (11).
5. Find Dr. Sandfort’s house, drag a hose to his neighborhood, and FREEZE the street.
6. Take away all the bus drivers’ keys.
7. Make paper snowflakes and hang them around everywhere.
8. Write excessive letters to Santa Claus telling him dreams of white Christmas’ and snow days.
9. “I try to get the whole class to do the Calvin and Hobbes snow dance that is drawn on my wall,” said Jennifer Swift, math teacher.
10. Finally, no one show up to school.
...Accept an unwanted gift
Grandparents are oblivious to the fact that a high school student is no longer excited by a new Barbie doll or action figure. Remembering birthdays does not seem to be an issue, but finding age appropriate gifts obviously seems to be a difficult task.
No matter how many times it is subtly hinted that maybe just a simple gift certificate to a favorite store would be an amazing gift, grandparents never seem to come to grips with their grandchildren growing up.
“I got a bed when I wanted a dog or a car. I already had a bed, but I acted like I liked it,” said Katie Schaefer (10).
Knowing each year it will be the same thing can create a chance to be prepared. When presented with an unwanted gift, use these hints to make sure everyone ends up happy:
1. With a huge grin ear to ear say, “Thank you Aunt Hulga! It’s what I’ve always wanted!”
2. When receiving a gift twice smile and say, “I’ve always wanted/needed one of these!”
3. Whether it’s a repeat or childish gift, choose one of the above responses and after the holidays are over, dig out the scrap wrapping paper and re-wrap the gift for re-gifting.
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