After enduring exams and a busy end to the calendar year, students and faculty alike went on Christmas break from Dec. 19 to Jan. 4 and celebrated the holidays with friends and family. While Christmas break provides relief to all members of the Wesleyan community, it’s important to remember the reason for the season and embrace the fun traditions that make the end of the year so special. For students, one of the most anticipated parts of Christmas is giving and receiving gifts. Many students strategically ask for gifts they have been wanting all year that will serve a purpose in the future. While getting gifts is fun, it’s also important to give thoughtful gifts to loved ones that show appreciation for them. On Christmas, the world received the gift of Jesus, so participating in gift-giving to friends and family is a tangible display of love that reflects the love God showed to the world by sending his son Jesus.
Senior Kinsey Smith celebrates Christmas at home with her mom, dad, and sister freshman Avery Smith every year. They have a tradition of giving each other Christmas pajamas every Christmas Eve and wearing them to bed so they all wake up matching on Christmas morning. Smith loves using the Giftful app to make her Christmas list, and she asked for clothes and makeup that she will use in her everyday routine and at college next year. Smith loves giving gift cards to her family because she knows they use them a lot. Smith said, “I really appreciate my mom, so I showed her gratitude by getting her a massage for Christmas to help her relax.” Smith believes giving gifts at Christmas is crucial since “it’s important to show the people you love that your thankful for them.”
Although receiving and buying gifts is a fun way to embrace the Christmas season, crafting homemade gifts can be a creative and meaningful activity. Senior Abia Nash crocheted presents to give to her family this year, which gave her the opportunity to customize her gifts for each person and further develop her artistic abilities. Nash said, “I started crocheting around the beginning of high school, and I had fun making my gifts this year. It’s a good way to show intentionality through gift-giving.” Nash believes that around Christmastime, it’s important to show gratitude towards loved ones, and being thoughtful is a great way to show love and appreciation to others.
Freshman Grady Andrews celebrated Christmas with his extended family at their lake house this year. His favorite gift that he received was a leather aviator jacket. Andrews said, “I love this jacket because it ties two of my favorite things together: clothes and aviation.” Andrews enjoyed spending quality time with his family over break, and along with his appreciation for his new jacket, he said, “Christmas is not about the physical gifts. It’s about the joy on the person’s face receiving it and the connection a gift brings.” Showing love to others is a direct way to strengthen relationships, and by being thoughtful in gift-giving, there is an opportunity to form new bonds as well.
Junior Kellan Terwilliger spent Christmas at home before travelling out west for a ski trip to celebrate the new year. Terwilliger’s favorite present that she received this year was tickets to Morgan Wallen’s upcoming concert. Terwilliger loves going to concerts and making memories with her friends, and she’s glad that this present provides a fun experience. Terwilliger said, “Gifts are important because they show love and demonstrate how thoughtful people can be.”
Similarly to Terwilliger, sophomore Emma Jane Gillis loves asking for experiences rather than tangible gifts for Christmas. Gillis spent Christmas with her family and grandparents at home, and her favorite gift she received was a trip to New York City with her best friend, sophomore AG Merkl. It had been Gillis and Merkl’s dream to visit NYC together for a long time, and they had an amazing week celebrating the holidays in the city. Gillis said, “Giving gifts is an important part of Christmas because it makes our friends and family happy and shows the selfless nature of Jesus.”
The buzz of the winter season is highly centered around Christmas presents, a source of happiness, but staying joyful in the Lord’s love in every season should be prioritized. Gifts should be viewed as a demonstration of love and care for others, so next Christmas season, don’t just go last-minute shopping at the mall. Instead, contemplate how you can best show love to those around you during the Christmas holiday.
