Holidays Essay Winners 2006
1st Place - Taylor Bright, East View Elementary, Grade 5
The holidays mean a lot to me. I love being with my parents on the holidays. I love the smell of chestnuts roasting in the oven. My mom and I get all the baking goodies out and we make a lot of cookies; then we go deliver the cookies to family and friends. This is a special time for my Mom, my Auntie, and myself because we are just spending time together enjoying each other's company. I try to do these special things with my Mom and Auntie because they no longer have a mom to share these things with because my Nana and Grandma Rosie have passed away.
The Holidays are also nice because relatives come over for the holidays. I like when my grandparents come over my insides feel warm and fuzzy; especially when they walk in the door and give me hugs and kisses. During the holidays, my parents and I always watch movies together, we sing carols of joy. When I see my Christmas tree light up it brings a glitter of hope inside me because the lights shine like the stars above and I know my Nana and Grandma Rosie are home with us for the holidays watching over all of us. My cousin always races up to my house just to see the tree and he says Hi Nana and Grandma Rosie. Mind you, my cousin Peyton is only 7 years old. I love putting Christmas decorations up seeing all the beautiful lights light up right in front of me. We all have a lot of fun together. To me, the Holidays aren't about the presents, it's about spending time with my family and friends and making more memories that I can share in stories like this. This is what I like about the holidays and why!
2nd Place - Lindsey Bushnell, Boardmanville Elementary, Grade 5
My family and I do many things over the holidays. I think that when I'm with my family that it is the best Christmas gift of all. Now I'll tell you what I do with my family on Christmas.
Over the holidays, my house looks very nice. We put up our Christmas tree and decorate it with lights, ornaments, and tinsel. We also hang mistletoe in our doorway. In our front yard, we make five snowmen - one for dad, one for mom, one for my sister, Brooke, one for sister Alyssa, and one for me.
My family and I have many Christmas traditions. As week or so before Christmas, we have a Christmas party. We listen to music, play games, and eat munchies. On Christmas Eve, we put out cookies and milk for Santa. We put them on a special plate. We also put out carrots for the reindeer, and sprinkle glitter on the front yard, so the reindeer can find our house.
We do a lot of fun things for Christmas. First, we go to my Grandma's house for a Christmas party. We open gifts and eat a special Christmas lunch. After that we go to my Grammmies for Christmas dinner and dessert. The best thing of all is goind sledding with my family. We have a really big hill at my house, we go sledding down. Even though I have a lot of fun opening presents, I'd rather be having fun with my family!
3rd Place - Zachary Spears, Boardmanville Elementary, Grade 3
Not being home for the holidays is hard for me to understand because I am lucky enough to always be home with my family for the holidays. It is just fun spending time together.
First, I like being with my mom, dad, and my sister. My mom and I make Christmas cookies, fill jars with cookie mix to give to my teachers, buy presents for our family and cuddle on the couch next to a warm fire. My dad and I put up decoration, shovel the driveway and talk about all the things we like to do. My sister and I decorate the tree with our parents, wrap presents and have lots of fun.
Next, it is fun spending time with my uncles, aunts, and cousins. We all love to joke around and laugh together. One of my uncles and his family always travel to Olean from Ohio. They bring their crazy dog who drives us all nuts! After we have dinner and all of our bellies are full, we always play games except for my Uncle Ronni who falls asleep in my grandpa's chair.
Finally, I get to spend a lot of time with my Nonnie, Grandpa Jess, and Grandma. My Grandpa Jess and I make things out of wood for my family. My Nonnie makes us laugh to give us energy to play our board games when we are done. Some of the games we play are Yahtzee, Parchezee, and Scrabble. My grandma and I play games like Uno, Slap Jack, and Go Fish.
These are just some of the reasons why I like to be home for the holidays!
Honorable Mention, Mackenzie Rose Both, East View Elementary, Grade 5
"Home for the holidays" makes me think of a warm kitchen filled with wonderful smells of chocolate fudge, almond cookies, mushroom stuffing, and sugar glazed potatoes with ham. While I think of my home for Christmas, I am also reminded of how much I am loved.
Some may think Christmas is all about nicely wrapped presents under the tree, but home for the holidays tells how much love is shared in my family. We gather together and share love, laughing, tears, and memories of Christmas' past and the anticipation and excitement of Christmas' to come. We also take a quiet moment to remember those family members who are no longer with us and enjoy the holiday traditions they have given to us...pierogi, chrusciki, springerle cookies, and so many more
Family is what home for the holidays mean to me!
Honorable Mention, Jenna Wright, Grade 5
If you think being home for the holidays is about the presents, then maybe you should read this essay.
Being home for the holidays is a very special moment for me. Even though getting presents is fun, that's not what being home for the holidays is all about. It means being able to see my family together and cheerful. Also, I get to see them open presents from me. Another reason I can think of is I get to celebrate the birth of Christ. One of the best reasons for being home is the yummy food like ham, peas, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and good homemade pies.
Being home is not just for my happiness, but for all those who are not so lucky. We sometimes forget those who are in need. So being home makes me feel lucky. So now you know what being home for the holiday's means to me.
Honorable Mention, Lexi Everetts, Washington West Elementary, Grade 4
The holidays are special to me because they are something to look forward to and they are always fun. First, holidays are about spending time with family. Spending time with family is priceless. Family memories are special.
Second, holidays are fun when you have traditions. Frosting cookies together is a tradition in my family. Decorating our Christmas tree before we go to the Santa Claus Lane Parade is another tradition of ours. Third, we adopt a needy family. I love to help my mom shop for those who are less fortunate then me. It makes me feel good to help others. Christmas time is my favorite time of year and I am thankful to be able to celebrate it with my family.
Honorable Mention, Zoe Mahler, Boardmanville Elementary, Grade 5
There are so many things that the holidays mean to me. One of my favorite things about Christmas at my house is that it's so cozy. It's also beautiful. Being with my family is great, it feels so nice in my pajamas with a warm sweater on. Then in the great room, we have a nice tall pine tree. You can smell the pine and the home-made gingerbread ornaments. You feel like you're in the forest with nice cool pine trees all around you. We all sit together on the sofa and drink hot chocolate and laugh at each others' jokes and funny Christmas stores. Then we turn on the fireplace. There is so much love in the room.
Another great thing about Christmas is being with my family. Sometimes we go to their house and sometimes they come to our house. We have so much fun together. When you're laughing with one cousin in one part of the room you hear another cousin talking about a present you got for them. It makes you feel good and warm inside because you know you got the right thing and the love inside is growing more and more.
My family has many fun traditions! We always put out cookies for Santa. So all night you smell chocolate. Then we hang up our stockings. Mine smells like peppermint and chocolate. We also get to guess what the presents are. It's so much fun. For a special treat all the kids get to sleep together and try to keep each other awake, we never do. We write a note to Santa, too. Right before we go to bed we are allowed to open one present, but it has to be small.
Christmas meals are the best! The kitchen smells of spices and meats. The aromas make your mouth water. So much steak, vegetables, and other great things. That is what home for the holidays mean to me!
Honorable Mention, Karissa Gilbert, Boardmanville Elementary, Grade 3
Holidays to me are a time for giving and sharing with others to bring smiles to their faces. These are times for cheer, bright colored lights, and the smell of fresh baked goods. Holidays are a time when my friends and family get together to catch up with each other. These are the times when everyone gets together to help the poor people by collecting toys for children to give to the Toys for Tots, and clothing to needy families that just can't afford a Christmas for their family. Being able to help with these fundraisers make me feel like a better person because I have helped someone worse off than me
This is the time of year when I like to go sled riding and ice skating with my sister and my Bona buddy. When I go to my grandma's house we help her decorate her Christmas tree and make popcorn balls and fudge. To me this is just a great time of year.
December 5, 2006