Central Holiday Celebrations

The holidays are important to many Central students. So many people have things they love so much that they get to celebrate during the break. 

Sophomore Chloe Flynn shared her family’s story with me. 

“My great-grandma was born on Christmas Eve. She always wanted all the family to come and celebrate, not really for her birthday, because she was a very selfless person, but just to be together for the Holiday.”

“After my great-grandma died it was our main goal to just keep that tradition and so to my family, Christmas is actually a smaller event than Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is when everyone can come together and put all hate aside and be together. Before we all meet up at my grandparents house, almost every family member goes to Danville and puts some flowers and blankets at my great-grandma’s grave.” 

This keeps it in perspective that Christmas isn’t so much about the gifts. It’s about family and coming together. It can mean so much more to many people. 

Freshman Kaitlyn Shoemaker celebrates Christmas Eve by going around and seeing Christmas lights and opening one present each together after they make hot chocolate. 

“We listen to “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”, and that’s the only time we listen to it. I have no idea why.” “Christmas Day my mom makes homemade custard and cinnamon rolls.” Then they all go open presents together. There’s no big deal for Christmas Eve, but they go all out for Christmas, with a big dinner with tons of family over. “We always end the night with Christmas movies.” 

Freshman Abi Avrutin doesn’t celebrate Christmas at all. “I visit my grandparents for Hanukkah, we just have dinner and watch TV together. We only go one night to their house and we all eat Soviet food, so usually chicken.” 

This isn’t the traditional Hanukkah celebration but it’s what her family values. Avrutin adds that they’re not very religious, so they don’t celebrate the other seven days of Hanukkah.  

They just have one night to open presents and celebrate family. Avrutin says it’s more about family than anything else, which is one thing all of my interviewees had in common. 

As for my family, we go to my grandparents on my dad’s side. First we go and have a huge dinner at my great-aunt’s house, which is always so fun. We use the recipe for my great-grandma’s meatballs, which she always made when she was alive. 

Then we go home, set out cookies for Santa, and spread reindeer food around the front lawn with my little cousins. On Christmas morning, when we all wake up, we open presents and have a huge Christmas breakfast. I look forward to the food every year. Then my immediate family leaves to go to my grandparents on my mom’s side. We have a Christmas dinner with them and open presents.