The Rotunda

Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: Holiday 2008

You rustle in your warm, bundled bed hoping that the sun has already made it over the edge of the horizon; that means it's not too early. You slide out of bed and ready yourself, knowing that the wood floor is going to be chilly on your toes. As soon as your feet meet the floor you tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe towards the cracked bedroom door where you pause to see if any other life is moving outside.

Down the hall your parents are still sound asleep; you tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe into their room. Why did they always seem to be so tired on these mornings? You tug at their sleeves until they start to slip out of slumber and peer at you through very sleepy slits, "Mom? Dad?" Though they are tired, the excitement and anticipation on your face is enough to pull gentle and understanding smiles to the surface. Slowly but surely they drag themselves out from under the warm, winter comforter and down the stairs.

Adorned in fuzzy slippers and robes, they slink to the kitchen where they seem to move at the speed of cold molasses to get their coffee (an early morning essential). Cookies? … Gone. Milk? …Gone. When they finally arrive in the living room, the fresh scent of spruce seems to awaken their senses. You are sitting anxiously on the floor in painful anticipation. The gift-wrapped boxes next to you suggest that the man in the red suit has already come and gone, and the promises that were made were kept.

Christmas: one of the most highly anticipated holidays. Those young and old can appreciate the joy and happiness that seems to be brought out in the spirit of Christmas. Millions of families wake up to presents under their choice of evergreens. Of course Christmas traditions stem from the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the gifts that were presented to him on that day.

Today new traditions and more contemporary routes are being taken by families to celebrate Christmas. Sophomore Emily Van Daniker said she looks to the Christmas tree as a non-religious symbol. "It just means Christmas," said Van Daniker.

Senior Jake D. Ambrose settles down with his family on Christmas Eve to open one gift per person, while junior Josh L'Etoile, said his family always has Chinese food on Christmas Eve. "It's actually a really weird tradition," he said, but "it is by far my favorite." Van Daniker said that her family never opens presents on Christmas Eve, and furthermore, she is not allowed to open presents before 8 a.m. on the actual day.

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