Tradition is an idea many are holding onto this year, despite this holiday season being unconventional. Whether it is the big family dinner, lighting the candles, or opening presents, everyone has a favorite that they refuse to let go of, no matter how crazy the world gets. 

      One holiday, celebrated by most in the North Harford area is Christmas. Every year it is anticipated for and is classically known as the “most wonderful time of the year”. The uniqueness of Christmas comes down to the number of traditions, and every family has its variation and favorites. Activities include stuffing stockings, family breakfast or dinner, opening and wrapping presents, visiting family, decorating the tree- the list goes on. 

     Junior Isabella Silvestri claims it is her favorite holiday and opens up about her favorite tradition from her childhood: the suspense of waiting for her parents to let her down to open presents in the morning.” My brother would rush into my room, wake me up, and we’d wait for my parents to wake up and drink their coffee,” she describes, “we would sit on the top on the stairs for what felt like forever.” Only after they were done were they allowed to rush down and spend the morning all together.

     Christmas is significant because it is a gateway for genuine happy family memories, like Silvestri’s, that are remembered for a lifetime. She hopes to continue to celebrate this with her children in the future. 

     However, Christmas is not the only holiday being celebrated during this time. Hanukkah is also coming up, bringing another set of widely loved traditions. Clare Cummings, North Harford Junior, actually celebrates both holidays. Half of her family is Christian, and the other half Jewish, so her family combines the two during the winter season. She gets to spend some nights of Hanukkah with her grandparents, lighting candles and opening presents for all eight nights. Then she gets to go on the other side of the family and open presents for Christmas. 

     Out of all the amazing traditions she gets to partake in, Cummings says that her favorite is the food. “We have Christmas dinner, which is always so good,” she describes, “but then we also make latkes, which is so good.” Latkes are a form of potato pancakes, Cummings clarifies. 

     She says that she loves the variety of traditions that she gets to celebrate every year, and how she can spend it all with her family. Even though this year she has to spend it at home with her immediate family members, it will not hold her back from her latkes.