The Voice - Student Newspaper

Holiday Traditions

By Alecia Ranere
Reporter, The VOICE

With families gathered around a tall pine Christmas tree, children decorating the tree with tinsel, Grandpa dressed as Santa Claus, while Uncle Joe gets his drink on, and mom's in the kitchen baking cookies and mashing potatoes. Everybody has an idea of the holidays, but for many it is the exact opposite of this.

Working time and a half at a crowded toy store and going home tired just wanting to sleep. Despite what the holiday is like for you, there are two things that come to mind when the holidays are mentioned: cooking and family.

The holidays are portrayed as a time to spend with family. But many college students live away from their families, and spend the holidays alone at home, or working. There are ways to incorporate your family, and fill the void this holiday season.

A couple of ways to do this is cooking and the internet. There are electronic holiday greeting cards, and webcams to see your family no matter how far away they are, and free online catalogs such as Orientaltrading.com, which offers customized gifts.

Food is another big tradition.

If you're making holiday treats that appeal to the younger generation, and want to incorporate one of their favorite cartoon characters.

One of my favorite holiday treats is sugar cookies, because they are very easy to make, and local supermarkets offer premade dough.

If you're not a chef, and you can mold the dough into any shape you desire, from a heart to a dove, either using cookie cutters, or your own inner artist.

You can use colored sugar crystals, icing, and cinnamon to decorate and add details, as well as flavor.

Many people stress over the holiday season, or become cynical and start to hate the idea of it, but don't let that happen to you, instead embrace what you have, and what you can do, and make the best of it.