From leaving cookies and milk out for Santa Claus the night before Christmas or watching the same comforting movies the same time every year, Christmas traditions have always been a very prominent part of the celebration of the holiday. Traditions can make the season feel more warm and cozy, creating nostalgic feelings tied to memories, making the holiday be the favorite for most people. Traditions can contribute to the overall vibe of Christmas, creating that warm cozy, warm light environment that people cling to this time of year. So what traditions affect a person’s enjoyment of the Christmas season? What traditions are most prominent?
Many people enjoy watching the same classic Christmas movies every year, from movies like Elf, Home alone, or even Polar Express, movies play a big role in family traditions during the Christmas season. Sophomore Ryan Kaiser said, “My family and I always watch Elf the movie on Christmas Eve and we have done that forever.” It sounds like this is a common thing for families to do.
But Christmas movies aren’t mostly just watched on christmas eve, pretty much as soon as thanksgiving ends or even the beginning of November the holiday season seems to kickstart. From tv stations and streaming services headlining the best christmas movies or the classic Hallmark christmas channel that produces the many movies every year, binging christmas movies is one of the most nostalgic and common christmas traditions throughout families and people.
Another common tradition is to open presents or a present on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas. Many families like to open presents on christmas eve, containing items to be used for the following day. One common thing is for families to open their christmas pajamas and wear them to sleep to wake up the next morning and open presents in the pajamas. Avery Neilson class of 2026 has said “we all open up one christmas present on christmas eve and it’s really fun”. Some other non-traditional christmas traditions are hiding a pickle in the tree christmas morning and the first person to find it determines who gets to open their presents first. This is a fun tradition that can definitely cause some intrigue and drama Christmas morning.
Another tradition comes from Senior Alana Hunt who said “we don’t do anything religious but on christmas we put the little oranges in the stockings because it’s like back in the day people was poor and stuff so fruit was like a real necessity and we do that now we been doing that since I was little so that’s like a tradition that we do”. With all the beautiful traditions that each family has even a simple Christmas can be very enjoyable. Sophomore Kyland Ryon expressed his love for a calm christmas saying “around christmas time me and my family it’s just me and my mom, my grandmas we relax at home and we would open presents on christmas eve we would stay up late night”.
