Winter Celebrations by Lauren Wilson https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh Do you have a special holiday tradition, a favorite winter recipe, or something you love most about the winter season? Please share! Don't forget to add your name at the bottom of your post! en-us 2021-11-11 20:08:51 UTC 2025-03-02 19:50:11 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/26c4.png One of my favorite traditions is spending a day making cookies with my whole family! Everyone brings different recipes and we bake all day! My favorite is peanut butter blossoms! Robin Hartman K-5 PLC lwilson219 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1885083448 2021-11-11 20:25:48 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1885083448 We have a family traditions of inviting international students from local universities to spend Thanksgiving with us. Universities are usually closed over Thanksgiving, and students from the United States spend time with their families. Students who are here from other countries usually cannot head home for break. Therefore, we host them in our home. We have had students from China, Pakistan, Bolivia, India, and Japan. It's wonderful to learn about their culture, while sharing our own. -- John Thomas, 6-8 PLC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910578028 2021-11-24 13:16:11 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910578028 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910579653 My favorite tradition is going to New York City every year around Christmas time with my family! It's so beautiful and fun! -Melissa Mangano, Grade 4 ELA]]> 2021-11-24 13:17:02 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910579653 Decorating! My children are still very young and it is all so magical for them still. They love to help set up the tree and decorate every room in our house. We make an entire day of it and watch Christmas movies afterwards! - Melissa https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910581769 2021-11-24 13:18:00 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910581769 One of my favorite traditions occurs every year on Christmas Eve. I read The Night Before Christmas to my children. My mother used to read it each year to me and my sisters and I am so happy to keep this tradition going. - Meredith Conway mconway39 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910585228 2021-11-24 13:19:39 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910585228 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910589623 Our tradition is spending as much family time together starting with Thanksgiving!  Now that my children are grown and live far away, it's difficult.  My husband and I love decorating and doing the Christmas markets.  I love listening to the Nutcracker and watching all the old Christmas movies over and over again.  Charlie and I also try to arrange some travel or see some shows over the holiday. The holidays always make me recall good memories and I am grateful for all the old times and the new ones to come.
Gina Mallon]]> 2021-11-24 13:21:50 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910589623 In the month of December my family likes to look at holiday light displays. When we are driving home from somewhere we will take a detour though neighborhoods to see their decorations. We take some evening walks around our own neighborhood to enjoy the lights. We usually turn on Christmas music in the car. Jill Buck 3rd Grade Math https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910592302 2021-11-24 13:23:15 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910592302 So many favorite traditions... Baking cookies, decorating Gingerbread houses, decorating the house, putting up the Christmas tree- the kids, even as teens, love putting up ornaments that they made in pre-school, seeing the lights at Longwood Gardens. It is a magical time! Kim Strong- 5th grade math. https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910593499 2021-11-24 13:23:52 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910593499 Lights tkozak2 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910595435 Every year we go to Oglebay in Wheeling, WV to see the Festival of Lights. We stop at some shops, tour the mansion, and eat dinner after. It is always a great day with my husband, daughter and son. -Tamara Kozak]]> 2021-11-24 13:24:51 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910595435 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910597051 Throughout December we do acts of kindness and write them down on a note and keep it in a sparkle box under the tree. On Christmas morning we start by being thankful for all the ways we were able to help throughout the holiday season and all the wonderful things we have in our live. (Based on the book The Sparkle Box)]]> 2021-11-24 13:25:24 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910597051 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910598754 I am Italian so Christmas Eve involves getting the whole family together at my sister's house to celebrate the feast of the seven fishes. It is my favorite day of the entire year as we carry on the traditions of our family. Kelli Moreno-5th grade science]]> 2021-11-24 13:26:16 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910598754 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910601247 In our house, we love the Muppets! Every year on Christmas Eve, we watch, "The Muppet Christmas Carol," before bed. Steve Nugent, HS PLC]]> 2021-11-24 13:27:33 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910601247 hmccormick https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910601968 Each holiday season, we enjoy baking cookies, watching Christmas movies, decorating gingerbread houses, chopping down our Christmas tree, donating gifts for children in need, and going to a Christmas show at Lancaster's American Music Theater.  On Christmas Eve, we cook a traditional Slovak meal and enjoy the magic of the season with family!
~Heather McCormick HS Assistant Principal]]> 2021-11-24 13:27:54 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910601968 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910602435 One of my favorite traditions is to go to Peddler's Village with my husband and son to walk around and look at the beautiful lights and gingerbread houses that locals create.  
Laura Stapf- HS Special Ed]]> 2021-11-24 13:28:07 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910602435 We enjoy decorating our home over Thanksgiving break and watching as many Christmas movies as possible between that time and New Year's Day. We shop for Operation Christmas Child, our sponsored children and Angel Tree. We enjoy daily advent readings. We host my children's friends for a gingerbread house decorating night--complete with hot cocoa, crafts and The Star movie. It's a time to find joy and give to others. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, too! smcglothlin https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910604008 2021-11-24 13:28:52 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910604008 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910604833 I spend a lot of time with the Clarion Model Railroad Club for our annual mall show.  I really enjoy seeing the magic of the season in the faces of those that attend.  If you're in the area, stop by and if I'm not working my other job, chances are, I'll be there! :D 
~Sasha Young- HS Learning Support ]]> 2021-11-24 13:29:15 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910604833 One of my family's traditions, since I was little, is to buy Long John Silver's chicken and fish. My father's side is Slovak (my grandfather came over from Czechoslovakia), so we still have all the traditional Christmas dinner (we celebrate on Christmas Eve) plus Long John Silver. This year is going to be more special to see the Christmas magic in a 21-month-old's eyes. Janet Ulewicz- 1st grade Special Ed https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910604889 2021-11-24 13:29:17 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910604889 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910606264 December has always been my favorite month. We get to celebrate our wedding anniversary, my birthday and Christmas! I love to decorate early since this time of year tends to be crazy for us (working in retail) and we put up multiple trees. This year will be our daughters first Christmas so it will definitely be a magical one. ✨🎄 
-Jaclyn Scherrbaum ]]> 2021-11-24 13:29:55 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910606264 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910608481 Every year my Mom has the WHOLE family (which includes 4 generations)  over for a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas and we make Gingerbread Houses.  There are usually at least 25 of us and we have had up to 45!  We spend the day eating, catching up, relaxing, and of course building Gingerbread Houses (which have been made from anything from Rice Krispy Treats to Graham Crackers to mini loaves of bread to yes, even Gingerbread).  It's a great day to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season and connect.
-Holly Frederick - MS Computer Literacy]]> 2021-11-24 13:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910608481 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910617838 Farmer Bell's Tree farm, where Mr. Bell has an old 🤬 jeep, and he all hop in and cut down a Douglas Fur before heading back to the truck to load the tree and home to decorate. My brother, dad and I used to race up "the hill" at the farm to see who was the fastest. -Luke Lubich - MS Physical Education ]]> 2021-11-24 13:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910617838 We have so many traditions connected to our Christmas holidays! We start with certain decorations going in specific places. As we decorate our tree, we have an order to our decorations, beginning with my husband and my 1st Christmas ornament. being first on the tree. My husband and I have a relatively new tradition of making sure we get to Longwood Gardens to see their beautiful displays. I make cookies for each family member- they each choose one type because these are made normally only once a year (they're a lot of work!). The most popular are family favorites from my husband's family so we feel like we have many of our loved ones around us even when they can't be. We also get together with my dad's side of the family and have a BIG party at some point. Lots of little children running around, noise, and love. Linda Dupes, ELA 6th grade https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910619005 2021-11-24 13:35:50 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910619005 All of my grandparents came from Sweden, so we have some Swedish holiday traditions at our house. We always bring out the dala horse decorations, we make Swedish pancakes with lingonberries on Christmas Eve, and we watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas." -Caroline Killam, MS ELA https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910623758 2021-11-24 13:38:12 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910623758 Our Traditions https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910631618 Our traditions start on Thanksgiving when we drink hot chocolate (and coffee) and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade together.  When we see this commercial we know it's Christmas!  Then until the second week in January we see has many different light displays as we can.  We always make sure to go to Kennywoood's, Holiday Lights and Oglebay's, Festival of Lights.  - Arlene Sheffo, 7th Grade Math]]> 2021-11-24 13:42:05 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910631618 We have many traditions that start with Thanksgiving and continue through Christmas. Our traditions start with a Thanksgiving Day hike in the morning and a huge dinner. The weekend brings the Annual Old Fashioned Horse Parade and spending hours walking through the Christmas tree farm to find the perfect tree. We continue with cookie baking, gingerbread house decorating, making fresh wreaths for every door and window and gatherings of friends and family throughout December. The final tradition that is my favorite is reading "The Night Before Christmas" to my children. Although they are teenagers now, they still want to continue the tradition that started when I was a child. Sarah rau- HS Science srau1 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910634458 2021-11-24 13:43:26 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910634458 Every year in December, my family (including siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles) get together to make homemade ravioli that we eat on Christmas Day. The recipe has been passed down through generations on my dad's side of the family and we only ever eat them once a year since it is such a process to make them. It is my favorite meal of the year and coming together to make them is a special tradition. - Mary Walsh, LAC I English https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910635358 2021-11-24 13:43:50 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910635358 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910635394 We usually go to the Overly Country Christmas and see the lights! :) Chris Baker, ELA]]> 2021-11-24 13:43:51 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910635394 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910637809 A Christmas tradition we started last year in my family, and plan to continue, is Christmas Movie Mystery Dinners! We theme a dinner based on the movie we'll be watching that night. The decorations and food all relate to the Christmas movie and my children get to guess which movie we'll be watching.
Olivia Schwartz- Kindergarten]]> 2021-11-24 13:44:57 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910637809 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910640354 We go to the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade every year and sit at the same corner. We did this even when I was little, so all of my cousins, their kids, aunts/uncles all know where to gather. Now I get to bring my boys to it and keep the tradition alive :-) Then we go back to my parents and enjoy a day of just hanging out. For Christmas, we love baking cookies, going out and looking for the best light displays, jamming out in the car to our favorite Christmas songs, watching Norad for Santa, and ultimately waking up super early to find what he left.]]> 2021-11-24 13:46:06 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910640354 radams5 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910643796 We have many traditions in our household. We still have a younger child (7), so first thing first, the ELF returns. We then decorate on Black Friday as a family in our home. And as the weekend continues, we take the Santa train as a family, and get our live wreaths for outside and see Santa. (he loves trains since he was small). For the remainder of the year we do many Christmas light displays every weekend, enjoying the time with family and friends and celebrating. :)
Rebecca HS IC]]> 2021-11-24 13:47:37 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910643796 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910644756 Each year my kids, husband, and I make homemade ornaments for the tree! Every year we make a different one, and we write the year on the back to remember when it was made.
-Ashley Wise (2nd grade)]]> 2021-11-24 13:48:00 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910644756 Favorite Traditions adenham1 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910646790 We celebrate Christmas Eve with the Italian tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes.  This is a special day to me because we are carrying on a family tradition that has been in place for generations in my Dad's family.  Another favorite time of mine around the holidays is our after Christmas celebration.  My family comes together at my house to celebrate Christmas (a few days after).  It is a special day to me because I get to spend time with my siblings, cousins, nephews, and niece. My brother and his family stay with us for a few days so we spend time together watching movies and sports, playing games, listening to music, and having tons of fun together.  ~Mrs. Denham]]> 2021-11-24 13:48:59 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910646790 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910649472 Our family traditions are based on spending time with family, reflecting on being thankful for what we have, and giving back to others. We enjoy driving around and seeing the holiday decorations and light displays, putting up the Christmas tree and lights outside, making cookies, having the kids create "gingerbread house" displays, watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music (the kids love to sing). We always adopt a local older veteran which, as a family, we then shop for and pray over. The kids are in a Christmas show at church, including singing, reciting, and bells.  And we complete the holiday with a family dinner on Christmas Eve.
Have a wonderful Holiday Season!]]> 2021-11-24 13:50:10 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910649472 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910649732 We get our Christmas Tree the weekend after Thanksgiving.  We decorate the house and tree while we listen to Christmas music or watch a Christmas movie.  Our favorite is White Christmas.  We love to see Christmas light displays during the month of December and spend time with family and friends.
~Marcy HS Math]]> 2021-11-24 13:50:18 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910649732 Trisa Lesczynski, HS FACS teacher https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910650538 We celebrate a few traditions in our family.  One of my favorites is making homemade horseradish sauce.  OK... so all the men make it. But the women and kids make gingerbread houses, and make a ham to taste test the sauce after it is done.  We also like to tease the men because as they grate the horseradish, they always "cry".  LOL
On Christmas Eve, we continued the tradition with the Italian seven fishes in honor of my grandfather who was full Italian.  And on Christmas Day, we have pork and dumplings which was my grandmother's favorite dish as a kid.  She was Polish.  
I also love to bake so I make cookie trays for all my neighbors and friends as a thank you for just being our friends and neighbors.  
Trisa Lesczynski: HS Family & Consumer Science teacher]]> 2021-11-24 13:50:42 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910650538 I grew up on a Christmas tree farm. I grew up on a Christmas tree farm. So ours was always the last tree cut on Christmas Eve. My mom and dad began the tradition with us saying that Santa decorated the tree on Christmas Eve - so we would cut the tree, get it set up, and then when we woke Christmas morning it would be decorated. I never realized how much work this was till my sister started the tradition with her family. She lives across the street from my parents house - so we then had TWO trees to decorate Christmas Eve! We also always had a smaller tree that was the "candy" tree - it would be loaded with rock candy pops, candy canes, home made gingerbread, ribbon candy and all sorts of other treats. We still have a "candy" tree in my house, though since my kids are in 11th grade they asked if it could be a "money" tree this year. :) Beth Ann Stevens, 4th Grade Math Specialist https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910654924 2021-11-24 13:52:46 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910654924 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910666496 My favorite tradition is visiting Santa on the train. He gives out cookies, reads a story and collects Christmas lists from the children. We also enjoy eating seafood on Christmas Eve. I love spending quality time with my family and friends during the holidays. - Mia Jafarian (School Counselor) ]]> 2021-11-24 13:58:12 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910666496 Visiting Longwood Gardens! https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910673234 2021-11-24 14:01:20 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910673234 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910682689 Our family loves holiday lights, so we pick a different display to visit each year.  We pack the car with family and friends, snacks and hot chocolate and play holiday music. It's the one tradition I look forward to every year!
--Angie Taggart]]> 2021-11-24 14:05:43 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910682689 Macuga Holiday Traditions https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910684380 My 3 kids and I love to bake cookies and deliver them to our neighbors every Christmas. They feel immense pride delivering the cookies, and I love seeing their joy in thinking of others. It's truly the best gift! Mrs. Erica Macuga, HS American Literature]]> 2021-11-24 14:06:29 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910684380 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910698907 My favorite holiday tradition is decorating our Christmas tree!  Ever since my husband was little, his mom would give him and his siblings one special Hallmark ornament as a gift on Thanksgiving.  We continued that tradition once we started our own family.  It is so much fun decorating the tree each year as a family and talking about all of the special ornaments!
Bridget Ellis, 8th Grade Special Ed]]> 2021-11-24 14:13:14 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910698907 Connelly Family Holiday Traditions jconnelly10 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910707437 Our family does a few little traditions throughout the holiday season. We decorate gingerbread cookies at Poppy and GiGi's and vote for our favorite one. During thanksgiving, my seven year old brings out her turkey basket to hold the napkins with a thanksgiving poem of thankfulness. Apparently, we decorate our tree and house before Thanksgiving now because my five year old loves decorating and the holidays. We visit Phipp's Festival of Lights each year and it is quite beautiful! Sometimes we make cookies with Aunt  Nooch. On Christmas Eve we eat manicotti and on Christmas day, we usually have homemade pierogies and haluski. We do a white elephant at Christmas, too. We also do various gift exchanges. Additionally, we start to collect donations and get ready for Girl Scout cookie season as we collect boxes of cookies for an elderly residence down the street from where we live. Since my son loves crafts, every holiday, we make holiday crafts and hang them all around the house. During fall break, we make a gingerbread house together as a family (we pick a new one each year). We must watch The Grinch (kid's favorite) and Christmas Vacation paired with The Christmas Story! Down the street from our house, we sit and watch our neighbor's light show! These are just a few of the many traditions we incorporate during the holiday seasons. Happy Holidays, everyone! ]]> 2021-11-24 14:17:11 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910707437 dkiger https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910717916 The thing I look forward to the most every year is baking and decorating snowman cookies with my mom. 
-Darian Kiger, HS English]]> 2021-11-24 14:22:04 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910717916 Holiday Traditions jgruber3 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910717943 The Gruber's walk up the street to a local Mom & Pop Greenhouse and carry or throw the tree on the wagon and then prep to decorate! We decorate our Christmas tree while listening to Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas on a record player! Another favorite that my kids love is our holiday light walk! As the holiday décor goes up around the neighborhood we pile on the layers of warm clothing, get the kids in the wagon with blankets, grab some hot chocolate and walk around the neighborhood after dinner to check out the lights. Sometimes our neighbor buddies join us. Jenna Gruber, Middle School Art]]> 2021-11-24 14:22:05 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910717943 Christmas Cookie Baking Tradition lwilson250 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910735964 My best friend and I bake cookies in December each year. This is something that we started in high school and continue each year so it has been decades now that we have done this. We make cut-outs using her grandmothers recipe and over the years we have perfected our system. We each mix our dough the night before and then we meet at one of our houses to bake for the day. We have cookie cutters that are antique to new and our kids always ask when the cookie baking day is scheduled because we have a ton of cookies! We do bake other recipes throughout the year as well and all of our kids have their favorites that they ask for specifically. It is one of the things that we all look forward to doing whether it is the baking or the eating. ~ Lynn Wilson, DCA administrator]]> 2021-11-24 14:30:09 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910735964 acanonge https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910742133 I love this time of year!  My girls are still very young, so they are enjoying every minute. From decorating, to baking cookies, and watching our favorite Christmas movies, it's such a magical time of year! -Andrea Canonge, 5th Grade Math]]> 2021-11-24 14:32:58 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910742133 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910745640 My parents have Christmas ornaments that open, and one of our traditions is for them to hide money inside!  My brother and I and our spouses all pick a number to determine what order we will go in.  One by one, we find the ornaments on the tree and watch with anticipation as they get opened up.  They mostly contain small bills, but we know there is always one with a big bill in it!  It is really fun to see who wins the big one.  
With my children, we have made it a tradition to tour the area to see holiday light displays with music.  There are several homes within a half hour that really go all out, and it super fun to spend the night driving around and seeing them!
Lastly, during Hanukkah, we light our menorah each night. We started this tradition a few years ago when my kids learned about it at school, and they really like lighting them and saying the traditional prayers together.
Ericka Nicol - hs science]]> 2021-11-24 14:34:37 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910745640 During Thanksgiving, my twin sister and I cook all day at her house, we listen to Christmas music, eat appetizers and talk. We LOVE spending that time together - something that we don't often get to do. It's a really nice day! https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910747323 2021-11-24 14:35:24 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910747323 bryen https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910772578 We love to go out as a family to cut down our Christmas tree! We also have fun making and decorating homemade salt dough ornaments. Baking cookies, watching Christmas movies, and caroling with our church family are some of our other holiday favorites! 
~Bri Ryen, MS Instructional Coach]]> 2021-11-24 14:47:06 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910772578 Winter Decorating https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910805687 We have a family tradition of decorating for Christmas outside.  Our outdoor lights are transformed into a winter wonderland display when the snow softly falls.  
Ronda Pust, First Grade ]]> 2021-11-24 15:03:09 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910805687 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910820738 One of my favorite holiday traditions is walking downtown for our town's Christmas tree lighting in early December. There's holiday music from our high school chorus, local vendors, and hot chocolate. It's so great to see the whole community get together to celebrate the start of the holiday season! We also enjoy going to our town's Christmas parade, riding on the Santa train, and watching our favorite Christmas movies every year.
-Erica Lee, High School Counselor  ]]> 2021-11-24 15:10:42 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910820738 I wrote a children's book in college (Unpublished). My Christmas List- its an ABC list/rhyming book. My children say they HATE when I read it at our big family gatherings, and they are a bit embarrassed. However, I know they really LOVE it and will always cherish my drawings and rhyming talents and always think of this story around the holidays! - Mrs. Jessica Hill- 8th Grade Career & NJHS Advisor! jhill248 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910881926 2021-11-24 15:42:03 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910881926 We host Christmas Eve at our house. It begins with making pierogies for that night(we just did that weekend). On Christmas Eve we start with a family party. It has turned into an open house later on. For years now the parents of our kid's friends come over after their family parties. We always track Santa...it is funny now when the twenty somethings ask where the computer is to track him! We keep a Christmas story playing on the TV. As the years went by the kids began helping me to set up for our younger one. Different ones stop by as Santa. Now that they are grown they all still stop by. This year will be the first that there is a new baby in my kid's friend group! I hope that it will continue with the new generation. It is such a magical night never knowing who might stop in! Carol Bryan gr 3 SS https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910911254 2021-11-24 15:58:16 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910911254 Our favorite family tradition is sharing our gratitude "moment" with one another; we each take turns voicing what we are grateful for. We also enjoy our flag football game and serving meals to those in our community. -Mike Scheirer (HS Instructional Coach) https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910920605 2021-11-24 16:03:32 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910920605 Christmas Eve Dinner aanderson287 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910929376 For the last 6-7 years we've starting doing a Christmas Eve dinner that celebrates food and experiences--music, poetry, etc. from other cultures. From a culinary perspective, it is challenging to work with ingredients and techniques that you don't usually use, but the experience itself is a gift and it's really the only time during the year that I cook in this way and get away with it, lol. 
Aisha A (HS English Teacher)]]> 2021-11-24 16:08:24 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910929376 Thomas Family Holiday Traditions https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910929656 Our family looks forward to the Winter Light Spectacular display at the Lehigh Valley Zoo each year. Can't wait to go back after missing it in 2020! We bake Christmas cookies, always decorate the tree the day after Thanksgiving, and our lights go on Thanksgiving night! My kids help decorate the inside of the house the day after Thanksgiving as well. We usually try to make it to Lehigh Valley Phantoms Hockey game, and go see the lights in the Allentown Parkway! Enjoy the holidays everyone!
~Jennine Thomas

]]> 2021-11-24 16:08:31 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910929656 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910938000 We love lights and holiday movies!  Each year, we pick a night to show a movie on the big screen (we use a projector) in our living room.  The little kids get a decorated shoe box that has pajamas, cocoa, snacks, fun socks, etc. and we cover the floor with blankets and pillows.  Another night we go to see the lights, depending on where we are: Longwood, Hershey, Norfolk Botanical Gardens (VA), Newport News park (VA).
We also spend a night shopping for the Angel tree for my daughter's school.  When we're all together on Christmas morning, we (the big kids) do stockings that everyone has to put something small into each one.  Santa takes care of the stockings for the little kids ;)  When we decorate, someone hides the baby Jesus from the nativity, and then he magically appears on Christmas morning.  Only one year someone forgot where they hid him, so we used an action figure :)  My family also celebrates little Christmas on January 6th with a small gift and my grandmother's pork pie recipe (it's a French Canadian thing).  Decorations must remain up until after that date! All in all, it really is about being together.. and now that our kids are adults, it warms my heart that they want to continue these things for their kids, while adding in new traditions.

Heidi Lucier MS Science]]> 2021-11-24 16:13:27 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910938000 swhitten https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910970544 The day after Thanksgiving we always go get our tree and take down the fall decor and put up the Christmas decorations! Music is blaring and I start the first round of cookie baking to get the house smelling good. Usually peanut butter blossoms are the first batch! Around mid December is our favorite holiday tradition where we all make gingerbread houses and post online for votes. This year there is a 4 way tie where each participants have 2 votes. Big tie breaker year!! Picture is of last year's winner! Note the cotton candy smoke on the chimney. - Starr Whitten]]> 2021-11-24 16:32:56 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910970544 Stalebrink traditions span Hanukkah and Christmas with a stop over in Sweden! https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910981439 My family is full of traditions from many cultures including Jewish and Christian family members. My husband is Swedish so we also do special Swedish traditions like Lucia Day and LOTS of special food that we only have in December! ]]> 2021-11-24 16:39:01 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1910981439 jshaffer24 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1911001644 One of my favorite traditions is selecting a Christmas tree with my daughter, Makenzee.  We usually wait until close to Christmas and then search for the tree that nobody else wanted.  It usually has a lot of flaws, but it's our very own Charlie Brown Christmas tree!
-Jamie Shaffer, 3rd grade ELA teacher]]> 2021-11-24 16:51:53 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1911001644 Family Christmas Eve https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1911019032 We have a VERY musical family. The favorite event happens every Christmas Eve when "Grandpa" breaks out his guitar. Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all join in the fun of breaking  into Christmas Carols and family favorites. 
Mrs. Barber]]> 2021-11-24 17:03:13 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1911019032 https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1917818590 We have so many traditions.  My favorite tradition is that we have the whole family over to our house on Christmas Eve. We start the evening off with a birthday cake. My birthday is on the 23rd. Then with in minutes we are into Christmas. We are decorating gingerbread houses, cookies and playing game. The best part is have nine little nieces running through the house. I love nothing more then having a full house with family and friends. Jonna Short, First Grade ]]> 2021-11-29 13:07:47 UTC https://padlet.com/lwilson219/sj7mau88w0nqfkhh/wish/1917818590