Picture this: It’s December 22nd, the day before Christmas break in elementary school. You wake up and put on your pajamas for pajama day; oh, and don’t forget to grab your Santa hat! You step outside as the crisp air hits your face. It is so cold that you can see your breath in front of you and as you look down, see the grass coated with an icy layer from the cold night before. You go to class and the classroom is filled with cookies and hot chocolate as The Polar Express plays in the background. It’s time for recess and you play on the playground for a while until you feel the rain start pouring. You run back into class, still wet, and your teacher calls for indoor recess! You play holiday games and your teacher reads you Christmas stories such as How The Grinch Stole Christmas. You finish up the day by playing with your friends until it’s time to go home. Overall, it was a perfect day.
For many students at Willow Glen High School, that day was a universal experience that many wish they could relive. Throughout the years, students believe that the holiday season has changed. Some have a negative outlook, some positive. Ethan Loya (‘25) explains that his mindset has changed and he “enjoy[s] the holidays more.” He emphasizes that, “time is key” as he grows older and he “has started not to take it for granted and learned to appreciate the holidays.” As we have gotten older, we become more busy and tend to forget about what the holidays are all about. We crave that feeling of nostalgia to bring us a memory of peace and comfort. Ruby Natividad (‘26) passionately claims that she “feels sixteen now, but [the holidays] still give the same comfort as if I were six.” This warm feeling that the holidays bring is felt by many and is what brings the magic to the air during the special month of December.
In contrast to students filled with holiday cheer, there are some who resemble Scrooge. Tyler Maisel (‘26) says the holidays are “less exciting because [he believes] Santa isn’t real.” He explains that to him, the holidays do not stand out from any other part of the year. This is due to the “magic” from his elementary school years shifting as the years go by. This shows that as we grow up, student’s perception of the holidays shifts but the community stays the same.
Even though everyone has different interpretations of the holidays, the common experience of Polar Express and PJ’s in the classroom growing up, is what brings us together. The memories that originate in elementary school stick with people throughout their life. One of the changes that is the hardest for those growing up is the realization of it being the last Christmas at home. Ellie Wallace (‘25) explains the feeling of being sad because she realizes this will be her “last time home for the holidays before college.” This universal feeling is common for seniors in high school and these feelings evoke the nostalgic memories made in elementary school. Although we may come from different backgrounds, that common feeling of nostalgia that we get from that day on December 22nd will always be a memory we can all share.
