Traditions of the holiday

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An example of an ideal holiday swap.

Ava Occhialini, Staff Writer

Everyone’s holiday could use some sprucing up every now and then. Why not take advantage of the season to kindle a new tradition? Each time honored tradition was once a new idea. Who knows, the new things you try could be cherished in years to come. Let’s explore some traditions to consider adopting this year.

Make Christmas Pizzas, or better yet, make dessert Christmas pizzas. A fun activity for Christmas Eve, the pizza crust can be made using a sugar cookie dough or brownies and may be topped with homemade frosting or another whipped topping like Cool Whip. Finish it off with any topping, from chocolate to fruit, or even bits of candy bars. You could include foods such as oreos, nuts, marshmallows and sprinkles.

Take a tree, plant a tree. Every year you come home with a big beautiful pine tree to decorate and hide presents beneath; why not plant one? Whether it is a pine, maple, apple, or something else, a brand new tree will be a fresh addition to your backyard. Because planting trees in December is definitely futile, cultivate your little sapling inside until the snow melts. Instead of planting a tree in your backyard, you could also help out your local environmental or wildlife organization by planting a tree.

Write an annual “Letter for the Future” to baby cousins, siblings, or other young family members during the holidays.
Type or scribble all your thoughts about them as a tyke or babbling baby, and then hand them over once they reach a significant milestone in their life, such as their future graduation. The holidays are a perfect time to get sentimental and reflect.

Fill a glass bulb ornament with meaningful items acquired throughout the year. This could be anything: Scraps from a homemade dress, postage stamps from far off friends, pictures, flower petals from a wedding… create your own annual time capsule.

Make a Holiday Head Wreath. St. Lucia’s day is a Scandinavian festival of the light and dark, in which the oldest daughters of families dress up in a costume St. Lucia, a Roman Empire saint. The costume includes a signature headdress wreath. Supposedly what St. Lucia once wore atop her head, it is weaved out of twigs and has candles, whether they’re real or artificial, situated in the head dress.

Light Candles in your Windows. Light up the night with a warm glow by placing candle sticks in every window. This Irish tradition creates a scenic, classic holiday feel from the inside and the out. Try white or amber candles, and combine them with garlands placed over the sill to polish off the ambiance.

Shake Up Which Cake You Bake Up. Chocolate or vanilla can get tired and uninteresting. Why not try something a little more adventurous? English fruitcake can be a fun and delicious change, and the French Galette De Rois cake provides a beloved holiday tradition; get the piece with the trinket hidden inside, and receive good luck for the rest of the year. Try Parrozzo if a chocolate covered almond cake sounds about your speed. In any case, branch out in the cake department this year to find loveable new surprises for friends and family.

Set off Fireworks Baby, it’s cold outside, but if you enjoy a bit of December at night, take the opportunity to set off some fireworks in accordance with Venezuelan tradition. Traditionally done at midnight, the fireworks make for a colorful Christmas Eve that will enchant parents and children alike — and thankfully, fireworks in New Hampshire are legal to boot.