Celebrating the season at home
The stress of finals has many students anxious to go home and enjoy the holiday season including freshman business management major Elizabeth Bryant.
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“I’m going home for the first time since labor day,” Elizabeth said. “I’m excited about seeing my friends and family that I haven’t seen in a while.”
The instability in gas prices and the fluctuation of the economy have caused many students to return home for the first or second time in the semester.
According to the US Department of Energy, the average price for a gallon of gas in the US was $1.79 as of Dec. 1, 2008. Since gas prices have not been this low since Oct. 2005, many students feel traveling home this year will be easier on their wallets.
This time last year, as students traveled home for the holidays, it typically cost them $2.27 a gallon.
Things have changed this season, as students such as sophomore psychology and mass communication major, Evin Winkelman, go places as far as Pennsylvania to return home.
“I’m flying home to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania to spend the holidays with my family, I’m really excited about seeing them because I’ve only seen them once this semester,” Winkelman said.
The economic problems that America faces also affect sophomore history major Peter Robertson’s plans for the break as well.
“I wanted to get a job, so I could pay to go study abroad in Italy over the summer, but no one is hiring so I’ll probably just work around the house and make money off my parents over the break,” Robertson said. “I am possibly flying down to Florida to visit my grandparents through Airtran’s student ticket program but I might not since everything is so expensive right now.”
Despite the economic issues, students are still choosing to spend the holiday in their traditional ways.
“I’m really looking forward to having time off from school, spending time with my family and playing in the snow,” Winkelman said. “My mom and I spend the holiday making homemade candy and other desserts for our neighbors, but my favorite Christmas tradition is my dad reading the Christmas story from the Bible each Christmas Eve.”
Becca Dinoff, sophomore mass communication major, is looking forward to celebrating Hanukkah when she returns home after finals.
“Every year we have a huge party where we invite all of our friends. My dad plays guitar and we all sing Hanukkah songs,” Dinoff said. “Another tradition we have is that during the party, one person from each family lights a candle so every family is represented. On Christmas day we always go out for Chinese food and a movie.”
Sophomore mass communication major Abby Bryant also looks forward to family traditions this holiday season.
“I love going home for Christmas,” Abby said. “The smell of the Christmas tree in our home, fireside chats with friends, and sipping on hot cocoa to keep warm are all things that I look forward to. Every year, my mom bakes cookies and I invite my close friends over; we call it the cookie party.”
Abby and her family also appreciate the spiritual implications behind the holiday and take time to remember them.
“I love Christmas decorations, and my favorite [tradition] of them all is our Nativity Scene. It is a good reminder of the reason for the season,” Abby said.
Sophomore exercise science major Amanda Smith’s most memorable part of the holiday is also a tradition she has every year.
“My favorite part about Christmas is decorating the tree. My family has two trees, one traditional and one to hold all of my ballet ornaments,” Smith said. “I have participated in my dance company’s performance of the Nutcracker every year since I was really young and that is always one of my favorite parts of the season.”
So whether you are lighting candles, decorating trees or just relaxing this winter break, be sure to enjoy in the season and a much needed academic break.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Dec 5 2008. Filed under News.
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