Woodland’s Favorite Holiday Traditions

As the holiday season approaches, families come together to celebrate holiday cheer. When having family over for the season, many traditions come to life year after year. From cooking the same dishes, having the same activities, to having superstitions, families keep what they were taught alive, passing it down to the younger generations for them to cherish.  

“My favorite holiday tradition is going over to my Nonna and Papa’s house to make homemade ravioli,” says junior Emma DeGeorge. “We make it from scratch for soup every year and I am the only one in my family who knows the recipe”

In most families, grandparents are the reason some traditions are made and kept alive; Grandparents make the holidays special. They create memories that their family members will cherish for years to come. 

“My favorite holiday tradition is making my family’s traditional recipe of meatballs and sauce for the day,” said junior Caitlyn Braun. 

People all over the world also have the same traditions through what their ancestors created, and each tradition is special to each country and family that celebrates it. Italians have the feast of the seven fishes, where they make a fish related dish that represents the fish that Jesus created for the hungry peoples of Jerusalem. Families from other cultures eat ham, turkey or other foods from their home countries.

“My favorite holiday tradition is going over to my grandparents house and cooking all of the seafood for the feast of the seven fishes,” says senior Gabriella Volpe. “My other favorite tradition is getting our family Christmas tree and making it look all pretty.”

These recipes are passed down from generation to generation to keep the memories and foods alive. Most families also have the same way of doing things each year, slowly transforming into a tradition.

“My family always sits in the same seats every year,” said junior Emily Moore. “This way we always open presents in the same spot and nothing changes.” 

Throughout the different traditions, one thing stays constant; the way family comes together year after year, despite their differences and conflicts. They all find a way to celebrate with their families and to keep their holiday cheer. No matter what people are going through, the holiday cheer lifts their spirits and helps them search within for their nurtured morals and nostalgic memories. 

“My favorite holiday tradition is always eating monkey bread after we open presents in the morning,” says junior Payton Geary. 

Keeping these kinds of traditions can make people look forward to years to come. Other traditions include sending christmas cards, going to New York City for the Christmas tree, and even picking out the same tree at the same place every year. No matter what families do for the holiday seasons, the cheer and happiness are contagious and that is what makes the holiday season so special. 

+ posts