With the holiday season right around the corner, students and teachers are eagerly awaiting their holiday traditions that makes the time so special.

Christmas ornaments are a beautiful tradition that adds a special amount of individuality to a family’s tree. Students have ornaments that make the rounds on the tree each year and hold a special place in their hearts and memories.

Junior Breanne Goodrich’s favorite ornament is a one that is incredibly sentimental to her and her family.

“The fireman ornament that my Pawpaw gave to my family. It’s a small boot with a fireman hat on top, and it has his station number on it, and it also has two axes crossed together underneath the station number,” Goodrich said. “My family got it when I was about two, I think. It’s special because it reminds my family and I about my pawpaw each and every year, and it brings back memories about when he was alive.”

Another student’s favorite ornament reminds her of her grandmother and her favorite type of dog when she was a child.

“My favorite ornament is a little pug that my grandma got me when I was little because I loved pugs, and it was from my favorite grandma, which made it special to me,” freshman Kyla Hunter said.

Sophomore Kennedy Hutchins’ favorite ornament allows her to get in the Christmas mood.

“Mine is the countdown to Christmas one that sings on Christmas,” Hutchins said.

Not only are ornaments a cherished part of students and teachers lives, serious and hilarious moments spent with family also shine a light on the Christmas season.

Family members, with their wacky traditions, create memories that will never be lost and always remembered around the Christmas season.

“My grandmother used to chase us around the house with a lizard in a liquor bottle,” senior Danielle Boddie said.

Sophomore Olivia Rudolph’s most humorous moment is to watch her dog solve a puzzle on Christmas day.

“We hide my dog’s toys and let him find it,” Rudolph said.

Chorus teacher Ramona Jenner’s tradition involves her whole neighborhood.

“In our neighborhood, there’s a tradition my family participates in where we carol down the streets with instruments. So, it’s a band, the holiday band. We play under the street lights for all of the families in our neighborhood, usually within a few days of Christmas. I played clarinet in the past, but sometimes it’s sleigh bells and I sing,” Jenner said.

Spending the holiday season with friends and family creates special moments for all to enjoy. Those memories, whether serious or lighthearted, make the holiday’s the best time of the year.

Families help those who have less than they enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season as well.

“We always do the Samaritan purse and deliver Thanksgiving baskets to needy families throughout the church,” drafting teacher Willie Thompson said.

Senior Darius Hodge enjoys eating with his family and sharing the special moments with them.

“We always sit together as a family and eat dinner, and if we don’t do that every year, it makes the family sad,” Hodge said.

For Math 3 Teacher Jennifer Gantz, her family will celebrate Christmas no matter the circumstances.

Gantz said, “We usually wind up buying our Christmas tree at the last minute, and it usually ends up being lights, balls, and an angel. Because I worked in retail and I was never prepared for the holidays, one year I decorated a lamp.”