Discovery Girls

Kasirha

Our family is Jewish so we celebrate Hanukkah. My favorite part of the holiday is lighting the menorah. Then the festivities begin! My mom makes special food for the evening: I especially enjoy the latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (special donuts). We give gifts on each night of Hanukkah. Last year my favorite gifts were a pen and pencil set and leather-bound journal. There is always lots of singing and dancing, especially when we have friends over!

Lindsey

Every year my family 'adopts' a less-fortunate family for a little holiday help. The family sends us a present wish-list, and we get to work! Last year I went shopping with my mom for the 11-year-old girl, and I was shocked to see what was on her list! There were things like a new pair of pajamas, or a bottle of shampoo--things I take for granted everyday were her biggest wishes! The shopping is fun, but my favorite part is always giving the presents to the family. There is nothing more rewarding than handing the kids their presents, and watching their faces light up. I hope to continue this tradition with my children someday!

Holli

My favorite holiday tradition is when we put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. It sounds silly, but if we don't do it then, we get so caught up in the holidays that we don't have time later! We play Christmas music and light cinnamon candles, pull sweaters and flannel pajamas out of the closet, and get ready for winter. My favorite part is when we finish decorating the tree and we sit, watch television, and drink hot chocolate.

Caroline

At my grandparent’s house, each of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and I have our own bigger-than-my-head-big stocking with our names printed on them. After sharing presents, we receive our fully-packed stockings and just have fun! Then, my grandparents always hide a pickle ornament somewhere on their tree. After opening presents and getting our stockings, my cousins and I hunt for the pickle ornament . Whoever finds it gets money!

Shannon

For Christmas Eve dinner, my mom lights candles and we talk about Christmases past. We live in a 1913 bungalow, and we always wonder what life was like for the children that grew up in our house back then. Did they have special dinners in the very same dining room?! After dinner, we make hot cocoa, sit under our tree, and read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Alexis

My family puts up our Christmas tree and decorates it the day after Thanksgiving. When it is all decorated, my dad lifts my sister and me up so we can both put the star on top. We bake delicious almond and lemon-spritz cookies with my Grammy, and my sister and I put way too much colored sugar on them! Finally, on Christmas Eve, we each open one present from under the tree, and then we all go ice-skating.

Sasha

Christmas is great with all the decorations, presents, food, family, and friends. We bake everyone’s favorite cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter, kalocki, Scottish shortbread and my favorite, Russian teacakes. When I was younger, I called them ‘rolly-polly cookies’ because we rolled them into little round balls.

Ashlyn

During the holidays, my grandparents, my mom, dad, brother and I delivery food and toys to kids and families who are less fortunate. Knowing I made someone’s day is amazing! It not only makes their Christmas better, but it makes my Christmas better, too!

Emily

My grandmother lives in a small town in Northwest Indiana. On the day after Thanksgiving at her house, we get up early to go see Santa Clause arrive in helicopter. A firetruck then takes Santa to the courthouse where we go to deliver our Christmas lists. After seeing Santa arrive in town, we go out for doughnuts.