Photo Credits: Rodion Kutsaiev, Unsplash
As temperatures drop, holiday spirits rise, and the High Country is preparing itself for a variety of festive activities, students at Watauga High School are looking forward to events both at school and throughout the county. From the holiday door contest at school to decorating the Christmas tree at home or watching the parades downtown, Watauga County is bursting with holiday spirit.
Senior Hailey Harmon is looking forward to the Christmas spirit filling her community. During the holiday season, she loves to “go to the Christmas parade downtown and see all the Christmas light shows.” She also enjoys more casual pastimes at home.
“I love being together with my family and watching a bunch of Hallmark Christmas movies,” Harmon said.
Watauga High School itself has no shortage of holiday events for students to participate in. Many people enjoyed watching or participating in Mr. WHS on December 2 and the Choir, Band, and Orchestra departments’ Kaleidoscope concert last week. Students like Adrianna Chavez-Jasso, sophomore, are excited for the “Snowball Fight” dodgeball tournament that will take place December 12 and 15. Others, such as freshman Scotty Pulliam, are eager for the Mountain Alliance ski trip.
Freshman Emma Lehman says she is excited for the crepe party in French class while Jeralyn Gonzalez, freshman, is looking forward to the MCJROTC Winter Lock-In.
Watauga High students are grateful for the opportunities teachers and administrators offer to celebrate the holidays at school.
The entirety of Watauga County is an exciting place to be during the holiday season, and there are a variety of things to see and do in the next few weeks. Students love snowboarding, skiing, and ice skating of course, but also enjoy “going to the Jones House Christmas Tree Lighting,” said sophomore Lila Page.
Freshman Winter Shaw said, “I love to ski and snowboard at App Ski, go sledding just about anywhere, get coffee or hot cocoa at local coffee shops, hike, and best of all, build an igloo.”
In Boone, winter activities largely revolve around our beautiful natural environment.
“I love hiking along the parkway and along the AT to get a good view of the mountains. Then, you can come back to hot apple cider off the stove,” Sara Smith, junior, said.
Many Watauga High School dancers are busy with Studio K’s “Nutcracker” performance during the holidays.
Freshman Grace Young said, “I am in ‘The Nutcracker,’ and it is my favorite part of the holiday season!”
Between Christmas shopping and parties, it can be hard to remember to take a break from all the excitement and relax at home with a cup of hot cocoa, a good holiday movie, and family.
“I love baking Christmas cookies with my mom and brother and watching Christmas movies on repeat," said Lehman. "I also love listening to Christmas music when we decorate our Christmas tree.”
In addition to her French class’s crepe party, Gonzalez also treasures her time at home.
“As a family tradition, we all gather at my grandma's house and have a bunch of food and do a small family party,” Gonzalez said.
Over Christmas break, Smith enjoys baking holiday treats. Some of her confections include, “gingerbread cookies, pumpkin rolls, hot cocoa, egg nog, and, of course, sugar cookies!”
While we can all agree there’s nothing better than a good Christmas movie, it’s hard to settle on which winter flick is the best.
“My family and I always watch A Christmas Story on Christmas day,” said Maddie Presnell, freshman.
Isabella Battern, freshman, also watches A Charlie Brown Christmas, and other students, like Young watch Will Ferrell in Elf as a sacred tradition.
But Christmas isn’t the only holiday on the calendar.
“I love to make my yule log, which is a tradition with the pagan holiday, Yule,” said Roman Dow, freshman.
The yule log is a tradition originating in Scandinavia where people carve a wooden log and then burn it in the fireplace. This is supposed to represent the lengthening of the days as the year ends.
Other students, like Rosalyn Rabinowitz, freshman, celebrate Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday.
“Some of my favorite traditions entail eating latkes, eating coffee cake Christmas morning, and watching 'White Christmas' on Christmas.” Rabinowitz said.
Hanukkah is a holiday known as “The Festival of Lights” and participants light candles on a menorah, a traditional Hebrew caldera, for eight nights. This symbolizes when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple of Jerusalem, and their lamp’s oil lasted for eight whole nights. Latkes, potato pancakes are a traditional food of Hanukkah.
Whether you plan to spend your winter break snowboarding at App Ski, curled up with hot cocoa watching Elf, or shopping all the great holiday deals at the Boone Mall, every student at Watauga is sure to find events and traditions that are special to them this Christmas season. Happy holidays Watauga!
Commentaires