Written By: Olivia Pierry

It’s that time of the year again–cinammon lingers in the air, snow flutters down, and Christmas carols play from the radio. Whether you’re snuggled up on your couch holding a steaming cup of hot chocolate while watching a feel-good movie or racing siblings down a steep, snowy hill, a magical feeling radiates in the air. 

Nina Krishnan ‘29 explains how she and her family get in the holiday spirit in the weeks leading up to winter break. “It all begins the day after Thanksgiving,” Krishnan comments. She, alongside her older sister and parents, visits a Christmas tree farm to pick out the perfect tree, which they decorate together in the weeks leading up to Christmas. “Another Christmas tree tradition,” Krishnan adds, “is how the weekend before break arrives, my family and I attend Bryant Park and visit the Rockefeller tree.”

Located in Midtown Manhattan, Bryant Park hosts a large market open exclusively during the winter months. The market offers a variety of goods, ranging from ornaments and jewelry to hot cocoa and hand rolled pasta, making it a very festive way to celebrate the holidays. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, lit up on the third of December this year, offers an iconic view, justifying the amount of people gathered around it at any given time. 

While Krishnan begins her celebration towards the end of November, Ishana Kumar ‘26 begins celebrating even earlier, in late October. Kumar and her family celebrate both Diwali and Thanksgiving in the weeks leading up to winter break. To get in the holiday spirit, Kumar puts up a Christmas tree and decorates it with holiday cards and ornaments collected from the places she and her family have traveled. 

Once school lets out for two weeks, Krishnan explains how she relaxes with her family by baking delicious cookies, watching cozy Christmas movies, and sipping warm apple cider in front of the fireplace. On December 25, Krishnan visits her dad’s side of the family for a joint lunch and gift exchange. Similarly, Kumar explains, “My family and I celebrate Christmas with a joint dinner.” 

Finally, after days of basking in the holiday spirit, New Years arrives, bringing more fun traditions. Krishnan describes staple food items such as sparkling apple cider and 12 grapes, eaten to bring good luck in the upcoming year. Like many others, she also writes New Year’s resolutions as a way to reflect on the past year and set goals for the next. Furthermore, while not a tradition, Krishnan excitedly explains how she and her family gathered to watch the much awaited Stranger Things Finale on New Year’s Eve this year. As a testament to the show’s popularity, Netflix reportedly crashed once the clock hit eight pm as its fans eagerly attempted to watch it. 

When asked about the evolution of holiday traditions, Krishnan says that a childhood tradition used to be decorating gingerbread houses. While she explains that she still enjoys it, it has faded as a tradition. On the other hand, Kumar states that her holiday traditions have remained constant; gathering with family every year to enjoy meals together. No matter how celebrated, winter holiday traditions bring people together, channeling warmth in the coldest of weather.