What defines a modern Christmas at a diverse school like Edison High? Instead of the traditional image of cozying up by the fireplace, many see the holiday as a mix of evolving traditions and lasting values: a chance for personal journeys, giving back, celebrating diverse cultures, and creating meaningful memories.
This year, EHS students and teachers have different Christmas plans, from traveling out of state to enjoying the festivities at home.
“Most Christmases, my family and I usually travel to Virginia or Maryland, or sometimes New York, to spend time with my cousins and their families,” said Aven Kunal ‘28. “As a large group, we may or may not get each other gifts, but we definitely watch a movie and enjoy at least one big lunch or dinner together.”
More commonly, though, EHS faculty and students stay local for their Christmas festivities, getting together with family and friends at a relative’s house.
“On Christmas Eve, we have dinner with close family. The morning of Christmas, we’re at the house opening gifts, and later on, we drive around to see Christmas lights and decorations,” said Pre-Calculus teacher Ms. Amanda Gonczi ‘06.
These get-togethers with family and friends are a very common aspect of celebration, not just for EHS teachers but also for students.
“Usually, for Christmas, I go to a family member’s house, so we celebrate together. Now that my grandparents are getting older, we try to spend as much time with them as possible,” said Shelsy Avila ‘26. “I hang out with my friends, but I spend more of my time with my family.”
The specifics of the gatherings, such as whether one spends more time with their family or with their close friends, often differ from student to student. Despite this, the primary theme of togetherness endures.
“On most Christmases, many members of my family come together at one of our relatives’ houses to have a party,” said Rohan Nayee ‘28. “There is a fairly large spruce tree, food, and many gifts awaiting to be given out to each other. I don’t do this every year, though, just occasionally.”
To many, Christmas isn’t solely a festive time, but rather, a time to celebrate a faith or religion. The holiday is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, for whom the day is named.
“I celebrate Christmas, Nochebuena, on the 24th as my culture dictates. My family and I stay up until 12:00 AM setting up the pesebre and eating dinner as a family,” said Ms. Alexandra Van De Wetering, a multilevel Spanish teacher. “After 12:00 AM, we open gifts and play music. On Christmas Day, we hang out and eat Chinese food, but the past few years have been different because of my son. Now we also open gifts on Christmas morning and play Elf on the Shelf.”
Nochebuena is predominantly celebrated by Hispanic, Latino, and Filipino cultures. The pesebre, also called the Nativity, is the scene of Christ’s birth. It is a key aspect of the holiday for many Christians.
Edison students also have unique styles of Christmas celebration, greatly influenced by their ethnicity and cultural traditions.
“We have an Advent wreath,” said Shannon Somes ‘27. “There are four candles, with one being lit each Sunday for the four Sundays before Christmas. Our family also has a Danish Christmas candle that we put in the middle and light on Christmas Day.”
A typical Danish Christmas involves lighting the Advent wreath on each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, among other Danish traditions. This candle tradition is largely celebrated by Lutherans, with a unique blend of roots in Nordic and Christian beliefs.
At EHS, Christmas is not just celebrated. It has lived through acts of service and connection, teaching students the power of connection that they spread far beyond the school’s halls and throughout modern life.
