Without a doubt, students and staff members can feel the exciting buzz leading up to the long awaited holiday break. Students have been counting down for this day since the first day of school and it’s finally here! Many families celebrate their heritage, family, and new beginnings during the winter months. Berkley caters to a diverse community with different religions and is filled with unique traditions that students and staff look forward to and create their fondest memories of!
Sophomore Josi Esker remarks on decorating her house saying “I love decorating the Christmas tree with my family because it’s something we’ve always done together and it brings a reason to spend time together”. So many people value different parts of holidays but for many, it’s the rewarding feeling of bringing others joy. Esker adds, “I love gift giving, especially with friends. You can really tell when someone appreciates the gift they received from you. It’s such a good feeling to get a gift that feels very personal and I feel like it’s always been a tradition to give my friends and family gifts that will be useful, yet feel like I really know them.”
Teachers are excited as we are to catch a break and recuperate. Spanish teacher Señora Montgomery spends her holiday season waiting for Christmas dinners with family and friends. Her family looks forward to Zoo Lights at the Detroit Zoo and is excited to walk around with a cozy drink and take pictures with the light exhibits. Math teacher Mrs. Meinhart loves spending the holidays with her family! Her favorite part about spending time at home is going on adventures with her two girls to Spicer Farms where they get to go on a magical ride to “Santa’s Cabin”! Meinhart says that she wishes she had more time to sleep and work out!
Sophomores Theresa Soloman and Vega Nischan both agree that the food is the best part of the holiday season! Solomon’s favorite dinner is her mom’s ham and her cookies. The cookies make her feel like a little kid every year and makes holiday dinners worth looking forward to! Nischan’s favorite has to be mashed potatoes. Her grandma makes them every year and they’re always a holiday staple. She comments “They pair so well with everything on the plate, everything goes with mashed potatoes.” In addition to the delicious meals she has during this holiday season, she feels everything tells a story and holds importance at family dinners.
Many staff and students travel over the holiday break. Mrs. Montgomery usually travels to sunny Florida, but this holiday season she is looking forward to staying home with family. Nischan is headed for the snowy slopes up north at Nubs Nob to snowboard. She says “snowboarding with my cousins at nubs nob is what I wait all season for. We love spending holiday breaks there because it’s beautiful and snowboarding at night is something that’s so fun.” Junior Gretchen Stief adds that she is traveling to Mexico for New Year’s and is excited to revisit with her family. She is most looking forward to seeing her siblings who she sees rarely. She is also excited to see the scenic views and varying animals of different countries.