By. David Rosa Da Costa

Mt. Hebron embraces the holiday spirit by sharing an inside scoop of the untraditional traditions here at Mt. Hebron. Let’s look at the different celebrations that make Mt. Hebron untraditional. 

Various religious holidays, such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Hanukkah, are observed throughout the holiday season. Here’s a glimpse into what those holidays look like at Mt. Hebron. 

“The only holiday I celebrate around this season is Hanukkah. I don’t come from a very religious family, so we just use time to have family over and light the menorah every night. After we do all of our blessings, we tend to do a gift exchange, similar to that of what you would do on Christmas, just split up into eight different days,” said Mt. Hebron senior Jake Foreman.

The traditions that family, students and staff attach to these holidays make them truly special and unique. Mt. Hebron rejoices in the presence of others and spends time with the ones we love. 

Mt. Hebron teacher Mrs. Smith stated, “Christmas Eve, we used to spray reindeer dust, and then the elves would ring the doorbell, and they would give them [Ms. Smith’s kids] a package that had candy canes, hot cocoa, and reindeer dust and they had to mix their special candy cane concoction cause it was supposed to make them sleepy and then sprinkle their dust where Rudolf and the sleigh could land and then we would set the table and a plate for Santa and his cookies and treats and such and the reindeer got carrots. Then we would go up to bed and read Twas the Night Before Christmas.” 

“It’s fun, a good holiday. The fireworks are fun, and we usually have good food and meet up with family,” stated senior Praneeth Idamakanti, who celebrates Diwali. 

“Largely, I like a European sort of Christmas, where Christmas goes for 12 days from the 25th to the 6th of January, and in Europe, they spend a lot of that time just walking around on the street and going to pubs and restaurants. Having convivial time with friends,” explained Mt. Hebron teacher Vann Prime.

Students and staff at Mt. Hebron take advantage of the break-off, a week-long break filled with festivities and quality time. 

“December is usually the most relaxed time of year for me because I can look forward to winter break. Although my family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, we still use this day to spend time with each other,” said Foreman. 

“My favorite thing to do is probably playing games with the kids and making stuff like crabs or food,” stated Ms. Smith.

“We decorate the house, put the Christmas tree up, and celebrate Christmas by opening presents.” said senior Steven Fenton

Looking back on the 2023 winter break, we welcome the 2024 school year. Celebrating those untraditional traditions that make Mt. Hebron exciting, unique and diverse.