'Tis the Season Thursday, December 18, 2008 By Anne Ruuskanen [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising December is here and the holiday cheer has officially begun. Parents are shopping for the best deals and families are planning vacations. Many will be going out of town or even out of the continent. It's no surprise that the holiday excitement has leaked into Cameron High School.   Students in all grade levels are ready for their Christmas break from December 22-January 5. Christmas plans are tied together with ideas of the New Year. Kids get to be themselves and adults get to be kids again. CHS students already know what their plans are going to be. Other than sleeping in almost each day of the break, students have fun planned throughout the weeks. Some are staying at home while others have big family plans.   "Usually we go to my grandma's and have dinner," said Sophomore Kenisha McIntosh.   "I normally go to Chicago and spend Christmas with family there for a couple of weeks. We just have a big Thanksgiving-like dinner with everyone," Freshman Alyssa Godby said in contrast.   Christmas shopping for some people begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Others like to wait for the best deals to show up. "We will start Christmas shopping as early as November--even before Black Friday," Kenisha stated. Bargain hunters are on the loose almost each day.   Decorations are hung all around town and in front of stores as well. Houses are decorated and decked out in lights and statues. Families with big windows show off their decorations inside the house, and all the trees are bright all the time. Tree decorating is one of the most famous parts of Christmas cheer.   "We get out tree the day before Thanksgiving, get it decorated, and then hang out the rest of the time. It's usually pretty simply decorated, nothing too fancy," Freshman Skyler Hillier says.   "With us, the amount of decorations depends on the size of the tree. This year we're having a big tree so it's going to be pretty well done with decorations," Kenisha said.   Little kids are excited about the presents they will be getting. Parents and adults seem more concerned about getting the house ready for guests. Teens through town are worried about what to get their friends. It seems that each person has a different favorite part of Christmas.   "My favorite part about Christmas is just being able to hang out with your friends. It is time to go sledding and have snowball fights together," Kenisha said.   "I think my favorite part would have to be the hot chocolate," Skyler smiled.   "I just like spending time with my family and friends," Alyssa said as well.   With visions of sugar plums and kisses under the mistletoe, it's hard to remember what Christmas is really all about. Society today seems to think about the material things more than ever during this season. Of course, the meaning of Christmas differs for each person. "Christmas to me means being with your family and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ," Kenisha voiced. Skyler and Alyssa agreed.   So keep in mind what Christmas means to you as you have fun this holiday. And remember to be safe whenever you go shopping for the special people in your life.

Back to the articles list