Night falls earlier and earlier, the frigid Seattle air worsens, and Lakesiders have begun their countdown for December 15. In the words of Ned Stark from Game of Thrones, winter is coming. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no escaping the fact that winter is undoubtedly synonymous with holidays around the world.

I fell victim to this realization myself one Tuesday afternoon. After my routine complaints about the chilly weather, I eventually decided I needed to embrace the “winter wonderland” holiday spirit that engulfs the community in this sometimes depressing time.

I decided to reach out to members of the Lakeside community to discover their favorite winter traditions and holidays. From SALT group insights to Tatler poll responses, there are a multitude of ways that Lakesiders celebrate and enjoy the freezing days of winter.

Diwali ~ Nov. 12, 2023:

“Though not technically in winter, Diwali is the main Hindu festival of lights celebrated by families both in the Indian subcontinent and across the global Indian diaspora. Diwali marks the day that exiled prince Rama and his family return to their hometown of Ayodhya after defeating the villainous demon Ravana. It represents the winning of good over evil and light over darkness. For the occasion, we clean and decorate our house as well as attend parties where we eat tasty Indian food like samosas and burst colorful firecrackers.” –Indian SAAG member

Hanukkah ~ Dec. 7, 2023 – Dec. 15, 2023:

“Hanukkah is a Jewish winter holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights. The story behind the holiday comes from the Second Century BCE, a time in Jewish history when the Greeks tried to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and prevent Jews from practicing their religion freely. A band of Jewish fighters, the Maccabees, were determined to resist Hellenization; however, they were the clear underdogs. Yet they defied all odds and expectations, defeating the mighty Greek army. According to some tellings of the story, a small cruze of oil — enough for a single day — managed to last for the eight days it took for them to get more, enabling them to rededicate the Temple. Each year for eight consecutive evenings, Jews everywhere light the menorah, adding a candle each night to bring light into the darkest nights of the year. Hanukkah is generally celebrated with family, friends, and traditions include games, songs, and fried food such as sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts) and latkes (potato pancakes). Retelling the Hanukkah story each year serves as a source of hope and inspiration as we celebrate freedom and light.” –Jewish Affinity Group leader

Nochebuena y Navidad ~ Dec. 24, 2023 and Dec. 25, 2023:

“In many Latin American countries, families gather together on the night before Christmas, Nochebuena, to celebrate the birth of Jesús. Navidad (Christmas) is celebrated by eating tamales, and, in Perú, panetón — a sweet bread with candied fruits originally from Italy. In some places, a nativity scene called a nacimiento is also set up with a figure of baby Jesús in the center, hidden by a piece of cloth called a pañuelo (or in English, handkerchief). On Christmas day, the pañuelo is removed to signify the birth of Jesús.” –Peruvian LATISPA member

Chinese New Year ~ Feb. 10, 2024:

“Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a very important festival in Chinese culture. It celebrates the beginning of a new year based on the traditional lunar calendar. It is a time to honor ancestors and family members, as well as to pray for good fortune and prosperity for the new year. Some of the common ways to celebrate Chinese New Year are decorating one’s home with red paper, lanterns, and couplets; having a large reunion dinner with family; and eating special foods such as dumplings, fish, and rice cakes.” –Chinese LAPS member

Beyond holidays, countless students have their own unique winter traditions they shared about in the Tatler poll.

Many families center occasions around eating special food. When asked about winter traditions, Lakesiders reflected on the dishes they enjoy eating. Over break, students make and devour Norwegian risengryn (rice pudding), their great-grandmother’s Christmas cookies, Puerto Rican pernil, and a New Year’s feast of collard greens, black eyed peas, and ham.

To keep themselves occupied in the cold weather, Lakesiders make the most of either the snow-filled outdoors or their time spent indoors. Many poll respondents mentioned sledding, snowshoeing, snow tubing, skiing, and snowball fights as favorite snow-day pastimes. For those who, like me, are averse to temperatures under 60 degrees, indoor entertainment (books, movies, games) prevailed. The Hallmark channel, Charlie Brown, and The Grinch are classics displayed on TVs over break. One wholesome tradition of a student’s Christmas Eve is “a book exchange where everyone [in the family] gives each other a book and then [they] light a fire and read for an hour.”

Despite my deep dislike for Seattle’s freezing temperatures, it’s clear that the holidays are a source of joy during this mundane time. At Lakeside, where we have diversity in cultural traditions that span not only the state but the globe, it’s important to recognize the beauty in the upcoming winter months. Happy holidays, Lakeside! Enjoy the upcoming break, however your family chooses to do so.