Winter- the holiday season!  It’s a fun, frosty time of the year, and is definitely the best out of all the seasons, both logically and sentimentally.

There are so many holidays that are going on during winter that really gives that time of the year spirit, and a festive atmosphere.  There are holidays like Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve and Day, Christmas, and Groundhog Day, just to list a few.  Who doesn’t love to celebrate and see all the fun decorations people put outside?!

With the many holidays also comes the winter break!  The break allows students and teachers to take a much-needed hiatus from schoolwork.  Abby Siegel, ‘21, shares, “During the winter break, I like to spend time with family members I don’t get to see a lot.”  The time off gives the staff and students the opportunity to go on a vacation, visit family members, celebrate all the holidays, and catch up on sleep.

The break from their busy work schedules offers a chance for the students and staff to recuperate and just relax.  Academics and extracurriculars can be stressful and the winter break is the optimal time to do the things that you love, but don’t usually have the time for.  Whether you are lying on a far-off beach, curled up in bed all day, and anything in between, the winter break gives you freedom to do something other than work all day in school.

Not to mention, all the holidays make winter arguably the best season.  Christmas is the most widely known holiday in the United States, even to the non-religious.  It has become a symbol of joy and charity because of the giving of gifts, which definitely explains the appeal and acceptance of Christmas by many different people from diverse backgrounds.  In many families, decorating a tree to put gifts under has become a family tradition and a fun way to express creativity.  

Winter is also significant in the sense that two separate and very different New Year celebrations take place during the snowy season.  New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year both land on days during the winter.  Perhaps something about the snow blanketing the western hemisphere, and the new flowers that will blossom after the icy ground thaws, may contribute to the message of a fresh start that is prominent in both holidays.

In contrast to the picturesque vision that is always portrayed when we think about the wintertime, there can be some frightful storms.  Kevin Li, ‘20, opines, “Personally, winter isn’t my favorite season because of all the bad weather. But, I guess some of the holidays are good.”  For most, snowstorms, hail, and other winter storms are definitely a reason to dislike the season, but all the cold weather can provide a great excuse to stay in and rest.  That time can be used to sleep in, to have some quality time with your family, or to escape to a warm beach!

Even though snow can be seen as a negative, it has many advantages as well. With a heavy snowfall comes an amazing opportunity to go skiing or snowboarding.  In addition, snow has some environmental values.  Snow acts as an insulator for the soil to keep the ground from freezing through so that the roots and the bulbs of trees and flowers do not become damaged and die.  Unsurprisingly, the bright white of the snow also brings out the rich coloring of the foliage.  It’s what makes winter look magical, and the feeling of magic brings out the inner child in everyone.  With high spirits, every single person of every single age is able to find joy in the holidays and being around friends and family.  The frosty time of the year is also a time of reflection and deep appreciation for the things that we have been fortunate enough to have, and the things that we have earned and lost in life.

Winter definitely outshines the other seasons for its variety of significant holidays, and the fact that it contains a long break that gives the students and the staff a much needed and appreciated break from the hectic school schedule.  

The days after a fresh snowfall are absolutely breathtaking and pure, that one could just find joy by simply admiring the landscape.  Nothing can top the ultimate holiday season, and during the treasured break, let it snow!