Dashing through the aisles,
Pushing a screeching cart filled with gifts,
Hollering as I go,
“Get out of my way!”

From the scenario described above, one can picture a scene on Black Friday. As the dreaded and revered day has come and gone, there remains one holiday to preoccupy adults and children’s minds: Christmas.

The supermarkets and malls alike will soon begin to blast beloved holiday tunes for our shopping pleasure during the next 2 months. These jolly lyrics are not the only sign that Christmas is nearing as the big business mongrels have already begun their continuous assault on your monthly wage. Now the money you have not set aside to feed yourself or to pay the rent will be spent on the ones you have come to know and love – your family and friends. Ironically, the “Season of Giving” only corresponds to your wallet and watch.

As Old Saint Nick closes in on your pockets, try to remember what Christmas is truly about. Soon enough you will have to leave the safety of your house and venture out into the real world where your parents won’t always be there for you. Treasure however long you have before life begins to knock on your door; these holiday memories will be some of your fondest.

Christmas is a time for the family to reunite and enjoy each other’s company, making new memories along the way. Holidays are times for relaxing and enjoying the company of friends and family. To commemorate this year, I will be sharing just a few of my friend’s and family’s favorite holiday memories.

My favorite holiday memory to date was last Christmas Eve. My family and I were gathered around our living room watching one of the many Christmas Specials that were playing on repeat over and over again during this frosty season. We were playing a round of Rummy – a card game my grandma showed us. We were not playing at a table because we lazily decided to stay on the couch, so we had brought in and turned over a plastic laundry hamper to use as a makeshift table.

One of our dogs, AJ, had fallen asleep on the couch next to us before the game had started. Consequently, a noise outside startled the rest of the dogs, waking AJ up in the process. Now, AJ did not and still does not understand that launching himself into a plastic hamper will not only hinder the card game, but also stop him as well on his way to the door.

He jumped off of the couch and dove face first into the overturned hamper, causing the cards to go flying and making him sprawl across the hardwood floor in his frantic attempt to bark at nothing with the rest of the dogs. Of course, he was fine, and we had to restart the game, but his misfortune is still one of my fondest holiday memories.

Katelin Gallegos, a friend of mine who graduated from Air Academy High School in 2016, was kind enough to share with me her favorite holiday memory.

“When I was little, we were driving around looking at Christmas lights, and when passing by a neighborhood, I saw a guy dressed up like Santa on a roof of a house that we passed,” she recalled. “It was probably when I was in second grade. I believe in 2002!” Driving through neighborhoods gazing at all of the amazing decorations is such a delight during the cold starry nights.

Trinity Boles, a current Air Academy senior, spun me a fantastic story of her event filled Christmas traditions. Her and her family have a tradition of opening 1 present Christmas Eve. Boles said “When I was about 11 or 12, I remembered I had always wanted an iPod, so I started looking for the smallest box. When I couldn’t find it, I picked a pretty small one and found that it was an iPhone!”

She also said, “On Christmas morning we also make cinnamon rolls as a family so we have something to eat when we finish opening presents.” Cinnamon rolls are a great morning treat that sounds like a tradition I can get behind.

Theresa Farley, a Junior at Air Academy, shared with me why Christmas is her favorite holiday. Farley said, “My favorite holiday is definitely Christmas because it’s a time of the year filled with kindness and happiness. My favorite Christmas memory would definitely have to be when my grandparents came over for Christmas when my family and I were stationed in Germany. It was so nice to finally be with my family again during my favorite time of the year.”

I asked a fellow senior on the basketball team, Mary Parchinski, to share with me what her favorite holiday memory was to date. Mary said, “One of my favorite Christmas memories is braving the cold weather to go get Chinese for Christmas Eve dinner every year.”

The memories you create with others you care about is better time spent than wading through the floods of negative people you will encounter in your life. No matter how bad a fight with your parents may seem at the moment, any argument will fade away if you allow it to. So be merry this Christmas. Show people how much you appreciate them and spend as much time as you can with them because soon you will not be able to as much.

Happy Holidays!