Across the world, holiday traditions can take on many different forms depending on specific cultures or religious beliefs. However, these traditions continue to vary among members of the same culture and even those who live in the same location. At St. Joe, each student celebrates the holidays in their own unique way. Junior Kate Hulsen enjoys viewing Christmas lights each year with her family. 

“My favorite holiday tradition is going to the Garden Glow at the Botanical Gardens with my grandparents every year before Christmas. All of my cousins come, and we always go out for dinner afterward,” Kate said. 

Junior Megan Schoemehl enjoys going to her grandma’s house to celebrate. 

“My favorite Christmas tradition is going to my grandma’s house on Christmas Eve each year. We eat Lebanese bread sticks, open gifts, play games, and watch movies,” Megan said. 

Students are also invited to celebrate the holidays at school in any of St. Joe’s traditions. Every year in December, the school hosts a “Chrismix” dance. For the first time this year, it was a formal dance, which meant that students wore formal dresses instead of the Christmas pajamas that had been worn in previous years. Student Council also sponsored the 12 Days of Christmas during the last two weeks of school before winter break. Each day, there was a different Christmas-themed activity for students to participate in. Some of the activities included finding the school elf, wearing fuzzy socks, watching Christmas movies, and drinking hot chocolate. St. Joe also hosts a Winter Concert each year. At the concert, which is presented in the school theater, both the Instrumental Ensemble and the Frontenacs perform a variety of Christmas carols. 

These traditions are only a few of the many that students participate in each year both at St. Joe and in their own families.