During the holiday season, finding something to celebrate is never in question. The infatuation with gift exchanges, family gatherings, and festivals cultivates the high spirits during this time of the year. However, creating an environment to celebrate the joy of the season tends to be a lacking characteristic for high school settings. The Bagpiper staff believes high schools should do more to recognize the different festivities of the holiday season.
Many classrooms always acknowledge this season by decorating their rooms with some kind of holiday element into their classes. Most elementary schools and younger grades celebrate this time by having a holiday party, while high schoolers are stuck dealing with the stress of passing their final exams. To relieve this stress, it is vital that teenagers get to relax and enjoy what comes after, and library media specialist Tim Romig mentioned how the library always puts out coloring sheets and creates competitions with decor, bookmarks, and ornaments. This is just one of many ways to relieve anxiety and provide a distraction to students during an academically stressful time of year.
It is also important to note that holiday activities should not be strictly Christmas-related. This is because not every student and teacher celebrates Christmas, so we should celebrate the diversity of holiday traditions that exist alongside Christmas. Doing this ensures that each student feels represented and included in what is important to them since winter holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Solstice are usually glossed over and underrepresented in most school settings. Every student at FC deserves to feel represented and celebrated no matter their background, especially during the holiday times.
This point was made further by English teacher Lindsay Peden’s discussion of her holiday traditions in the classroom. Peden explained how she tries to be mindful and respectful in recognizing that not all students in her class celebrate Christmas. She puts up lights in her room, rather than a Christmas tree, which shows that she can still create a more fun and magical environment during the holidays without it being strictly about Christmas.
Ultimately, during the holiday times with end-of-the-year finals and assignments, burnout can be very common among high school students. With the stress of final exams and constant school work leading up to the winter break, it can become increasingly harder for students to give all of their focus to their work. Spreading holiday cheer in the midst of assignments can provide students with a more positive learning environment.
This is why it is extremely important to allow students to have a break during this stressful time of year to celebrate the joy of what this season brings. By doing this, it can remind students that the holidays can be a time to give thanks, be grateful for what they have, and have a good time.