Holiday Guide 2025
Illustration by Siri Reddy
TOWN
Spill
By ANAVI PRAKASH
senior staffer
that disappointment aside, here are my hot cocoa rankings — out of ve marshmallows, of course.
Evanston Pour ickness: 3/5
Chocolatey-ness: 2.5/5
Sweetness: 3/5
Whipped cream: 0/5
Price: $3.75 to $4.75 based on size
tried o ered whipped cream up front. Pu ing
visited Evanston Pour for the rst time. e hot chocolate itself was more on the bi er side, though hints of sweetness came out sporadically. It felt like the milk overpowered the chocolate, but around
the halfway mark in my cup, I did hit that perfect middle ground for one sip. is isn’t my cup of hot cocoa, but it’s de nitely a win for anyone who likes their drinks a li le more tart.
Patisserie Coralie ickness: 4/5
Chocolatey-ness: 4/5
Sweetness: 4/5
Whipped cream: 0/5
Prices: $3.50 to $3.95 based on size
is is a hot chocolate I could keep drinking forever. Patisserie Coralie’s drink had a balanced milk-to-chocolate ratio and was the sweetest one out of the four I tried. It got even better once I was halfway through my cup, with each sip including a strong punch of chocolate. It’s de nitely suited for anyone with a sweet tooth looking for a chocolatey
chocolatey enough. It was the opposite of sweet, to an extent I haven’t experienced before. Perhaps this is the ideal hot chocolate for bi er taste lovers.
Colectivo
ickness: 3/5
Chocolatey-ness: 2/5
Sweetness: 2/5
Whipped cream: 0/5
Reprise Co ee Roasters 3/5
Price: $3.75
ickness: 2/5
Chocolatey-ness: 4/5
Sweetness: 3/5
Whipped cream: 0/5
Prices: $4.50 to $6, depending on size
Colectivo’s hot cocoa is like an obnoxious wake- up call when you’re in deep slumber. Milk over- powered the drink, mak- ing it thick but not
Reprise Co ee Roasters’ hot chocolate has the perfect balance of chocolate and milk in every sip. It is more on the watery side, which was a li le disappointing given how good the avors were. Ultimately, though, the wateriness let the chocolate come through more. is is a hot cocoa I think everyone would enjoy — it’s not too sweet and not too tart. If Goldilocks were here, she would say it’s just right.
a.prakash@dailynorthwestern.com
ON CAMPUS
Some students enjoy longer break
By CARLOTTA ANGIOLILLO daily senior staffer @carlottaang76
Once Weinberg senior Anastasia Tchernikov realized she didn’t have any classes or responsibilities after the Monday of Thanksgiving week, she said she decided to save money on additional flights to and from Evanston by staying at home through finals week.
Tchernikov, who left campus on Nov. 24, will spend a little under six weeks at home in North Carolina before returning in early January for Winter Quarter.
Tchernikov’s time away from campus was extended even further thanks to a longer Thanksgiving Break this year.
The break typically starts on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day, but this year it began on the Monday before the holiday due to a calendar anomaly, according to the Office of the Registrar website. The regular Thanksgiving schedule will resume in the 2026-2027 school year.
Fall Quarter exams begin on Dec. 8 and will continue through Dec. 12. Winter Break starts on Dec. 13 and ends on Jan. 5, the first day of Winter Quarter classes.
Tchernikov said she did have one in-person final, which she completed before she left campus. But other than that, she’ll finish the rest of her assignments, including video presentations and a final paper, from home.
Tchernikov plans to take the MCAT in January, so she said she’ll spend some of her break studying for the exam, which is used to assess medical school applicants.
“I think it might feel a little weird, but I think the nature of what I’m doing — studying throughout the entire break — will probably set me up to be like, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna do more studying once I come back,’” Tchernikov said.
Communication sophomore Nila Muthusamy left campus on Nov. 22. She said she’s excited to use her long break to spend time with family and friends.
She said her grandparents are traveling from India to visit her and her family in Michigan over
Illustration by Christine Shin
This year’s Thanksgiving Break is a few days longer thanks to a calendar anomaly, giving students more time to spend at home.
the break. They plan to visit a temple in Pittsburgh, which is an annual trip for them.
Muthusamy said she’s the “most passionate” person about Christmas in her family and is enthusiastic about the traditions that go along with the holiday.
“I already got all of our matching Christmas pajamas for our family, so that’s really exciting for me, and just all of that festive spirit,” Muthusamy said.
Weinberg sophomore Mercy Nyamao went home on Nov. 25 and said she also won’t return to Evanston until the beginning of Winter Quarter.
She said she’s looking forward to eating good food and taking a break from schoolwork.
“This quarter was a lot, so I’m very excited to just bedrot,” Nyamao said.
Nyamao said she hopes the time off will give her “a bit of a refresh.” Returning to NU can be difficult for her, she said, since she enjoys being at home.
“Last school year, I traveled out of the country over winter break, but I didn’t come back,” Nyamao said. “This time, I’m really hoping that I can just really get bored of being at home.”
c.angiolillo@dailynorthwestern.com
The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com
Editor in Chief Emily Lichty eic@dailynorthwestern.com
General Manager Stacia Campbell stacia@dailynorthwestern.com
Holly and John Madigan Newsroom
Phone | 847.491.3222
Campus desk campus@dailynorthwestern.com
City desk city@dailynorthwestern.com
Sports desk sports@dailynorthwestern.com
Ad Office | 847.491.7206 spc-compshop@northwestern.edu
The Daily Northwestern is printed each Wednesday during the academic year, except vacation periods, the two weeks preceding them and once during August, by Students Publishing Co., Inc. of Northwestern University, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208. All news is published 24/7 online at Dailynorthwestern.com.
First copy of The Daily is free, additional copies are 50 cents. All material published herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright 2025 The Daily Northwestern and protected under the “work made for hire” and “periodical publication” clauses of copyright law.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Northwestern, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208. Subscriptions are $100 for the academic year. The Daily Northwestern is not responsible for more than one incorrect ad insertion.
Check out DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM for breaking news
Local organizations rally to provide food, shelter
By MARISSA FERNANDEZ and RUIXIN ZHANG the daily northwestern
From providing meals to o ering people a place to escape the cold, organizations are giving back to the Evanston community in a variety of ways this holiday season.
is year’s Flying Turkey 5K on Nov. 27 was one such e ort. Despite store closures and cold winds, more than 2,000 participants gathered for the annual anksgiving race.
Part of the proceeds from the race went to Community Animal Rescue E ort and the Evanston Vineyard Food Pantry. e pantry collected more than 36 bins and bags of non-perishable food items from people who came to the race, according to Tracy Alden, a member of the pantry’s leadership team. Jonathan Cain, the organizer of the race, said the registration site also takes cash donations that go to the charities.
Alden said he’s volunteered at the pantry since 2007. It serves 150 to 200 people per week, he said,
but in the past few weeks, there has been an uptick in the number of people served.
“It’s really cool to see the whole world pass in front of us and come through,” Alden said. “It’s like seeing a li le slice of heaven, in a sense. It’s not restricted to one group or another — we’re just all people and we all need help at times.”
In addition to visiting food pantries, people in need can get warm meals at various Evanston soup kitchens every day of the week.
Interfaith Action of Evanston helps run four of Evanston’s soup kitchens, according to the organization’s executive director Susan Murphy Berube.
“ ere’s always food for people,” Berube said. “Over half of the people who come to our soup kitchens actually are not homeless. ey’re just people who live in our community that don’t have enough money to have enough food.”
In addition to soup kitchens, the organization also runs a hospitality center for the homeless during weekdays year-round and an overnight shelter every night from October to May, Berube said.
Most importantly, Berube said, Interfaith Action
of Evanston gives people a warm and safe place to come to during the holidays.
“We don’t close just because it’s a holiday, because that’s worse for our participants,” Berube explained. “ ey have really nowhere to go. e library is closed. Everything’s closed. So we make sure that we are open on holidays.”
For older Evanston residents who are homebound and unable to prepare their own food, Meals On Wheels Northeastern Illinois delivers cooked meals for seniors and serves about 750 people yearround, said Justin Block, the organization’s executive director. Block said this year the organization gave 110 anksgiving meals to seniors in need.
Even members outside of Evanston are giving back to the community this holiday season. Demera, an Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, partnered with three other chefs to host a Friendsgiving dinner to raise money for the Soul & Smoke Foundation.
Owner and chef Tigist Reda said she decided to hold the event because of the recent disruption to SNAP bene ts, as well as her desire to support Soul & Smoke and the work they do.
“When there’s a cause that I care about, everybody shows up,” Reda said. “We all care about causes, but when I plan to do something about it, I can count on everyone to come and support and vice versa: they can count on me.”
Reda said that the event drew over 20 people and raised about $1,500 for the foundation.
Block said since food is o en front and center during the holidays, people naturally tend to think more of those going without. However, he said, those facing food insecurity during the holidays are also likely to be struggling in other months of the year as well.
“ at’s sort of the challenge as a nonpro t — when people raise their hand to help during the holidays, it’s encouraging them to help throughout the year,” Block said. “ is is a learning moment: they can take that generosity of spirit and apply it throughout the whole year and not just during the holidays.”
m.fernandez@dailynorthwestern.com ruixinzhang2029@u.northwestern.edu
Upperclassmen share strategies for finals season
By TIA BETHKE daily senior staffer
With nals season underway, many students feel the pressure of exams, nal projects and papers piling up all at once. Upperclassmen say nding balance between academics and self-care are essential for de-stressing this time of year.
Communication junior Anna Rigo said she o en struggled with managing several large projects at a time as an underclassman, which meant she sometimes ended up leaving things until the last minute. Figuring out how to plan her work has been a learning curve, she said.
“I really had to prioritize not just the thing due the next day but the thing due the next week,” Rigo said.
As a theatre major, Rigo’s finals season looks a li le di erent from Weinberg students’ exam schedules. She said she has in-person
performances and presentations during Reading Period and tests and papers due during nals week. at means she doesn’t have the extra week dedicated solely to studying that most Weinberg students have, so she has to plan her schedule meticulously.
For her, making a game plan for those two weeks has been helpful. She said it’s allowed her to set aside time to take a step away from schoolwork and enjoy the start of the holiday season.
Rigo said that going to Chicago for the Christkindlmarket in Wrigleyville, browsing the ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo or strolling through downtown Chicago to look at holiday decorations have allowed her to shi her focus away from academics.
Amid the overwhelming burden of schoolwork, Rigo advised underclassmen to remind themselves that Winter Break and the holidays are right around the corner.
“It’ll get done,” Rigo said. “Even if some days suck, it’ll be over soon.”
Communication and McCormick junior Isabel Restrepo said taking breaks is a skill she developed over time. She said that as an underclassman she would study for hours without interruption, sometimes forge ing to eat or move around.
Despite a daunting workload during nals season, she said, breaking it down into chunks helps to reduce the pressure of ge ing entire projects done at once.
“This is not one black box of a project,” Restrepo said. “It’s actually these seven steps that need to happen. Even just the process of breaking it down like that for myself is really helpful.”
Like Rigo, Restrepo said that scheduling breaks for activities unrelated to school is important for managing stress.
Exam relief events hosted by Norris University Center during reading and nals weeks are a convenient way for students to take a break from studying. is quarter, Norris is hosting a latenight breakfast for students on Monday, Dec. 8 and will have dedicated study spaces and free
printing available Dec. 3-10.
NU also o ers other resources for students to destress, including Counseling and Psychological Services same-day access counseling appointments and white light therapy at Henry Crown Sports Pavilion.
Weinberg junior Delaney Caudill said that when she checks o a major item like a project or paper, she rewards herself with Starbucks or time with friends — or reality TV watch parties.
“I’m nishing up one of my classes today and then I’m going to watch ‘ e Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ with my roommate,” Caudill said. “But I can’t watch ‘ e Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ unless I get this done rst.”
She added that calling friends and family outside of Northwestern helps her stay grounded. “ ere’s stu outside of your grades and what you’re doing here,” Caudill said. “Your life is so much more than your nals.”
tiabethke2028@u.northwestern.edu
Festive flavors to find at Evanston
By INA CHOE
daily northwestern
’Tis the season for holiday celebrations! Unfortunately, that also means seasonal depression, unbearable snowstorms and final exams abound.
One foolproof solution to avoiding the winter scaries is holiday snacks. Fortunately for us, Evanston has countless grocery stores near campus o ering tons of festive treats. But with bank accounts creeping dangerously close to zero as the quarter comes to an end, here’s a list of holidaythemed items from grocery stores that give you the most bang for your buck.
Drinks
e perfect way to warm yourself up while not emptying out your wallet is to make your own festive drinks. Personally, as an avid Starbucks holiday drink lover, my New Year’s resolution is to spend less money on drinks.
If you make your own co ee, the perfect way to spice up your drink is by adding the Gingerbread Oat Creamer from Trader Joe’s. One carton is $1.99, and it is dairy, lactose and gluten-free. With spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and ginger, the creamer will add a warm holiday taste to any drink.
What’s Christmas without hot chocolate? World Market sells Hot Cocoa Mix in multiple avors like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peppermint bark and pistachio for $9.99 each. e 10 oz. cocoa mix is perfect to share with your friends for a cozy night in.
Eggnog is a staple Christmas drink and convenient to be served hot or cold. Jewel-Osco’s Half Gallon Lucerne Eggnog o ers a great deal for $5.49. Despite its relatively simple ingredients — milk, eggs, sugar, spices and more — the avorful drink is perfectly suited for the winter season.
Snacks
My ideal day during the holiday season is a movie night with friends, cuddled up in u y blankets and munching on holiday-themed snacks. Many grocery stores o er a variety of munchable snacks, but here are a few popular recommendations with
stores
the best price.
While eating a whole bag at once is not advised, Whole Foods Market’s Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Crèmes are a tempting holiday snack for $4.89. eir other items from 365 Everyday Value, like the Gingerbread Cookie with Cream Cheese Filling, are great to share with friends (or indulge by yourself).
Jewel-Osco’s Overjoyed Chocolate Peppermint Smores Clusters Mix consists of all the popular festive ingredients: marshmallows, graham cereal, chocolate and peppermint candy pieces. For $2.99
a bag, it is a four-in-one deal, with every bite uncovering a layer of festive avors.
World Market o ers fun snacks from all over the world. A common crowd pleaser is the limited edition peppermint avor of the Japanese snack Pocky, which costs $7.98 for a set of two.
Trader Joe’s is one of the most popular grocery stores when it comes to holiday-themed snacks, o ering a variety of seasonal items. One of their most popular snacks is Jingle Jangle, which is a tin full of milk and dark chocolate-coated pretzels for $9.99. e pretzels are all covered with di erent
toppings, giving you a avor surprise with every bite. Some pretzels are covered in broken Joe-Joe’s cookies, red candies, peanut bu er cups, white chocolate drizzle, caramel popcorn and more. As the nals season approaches, take a moment for yourself and take a trip to the grocery store. A few snacks to treat yourself never hurt, and with these recommendations, it’ll li your holiday spirits! Eat, drink and be merry!
inachoe2029@u.northwestern.edu
Illustration by Siri Reddy
The Daily explores the holiday snack selections of Evanston grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s, Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods Market and World Market.
Where to spot holiday lights in and around Chicago
By EUNICE EUNSOO LEE
daily
the
northwestern @eunicelee043
While recent budget cuts mean we won’t get lights on campus this winter, there’s no need to fret. Many places in Chicago and its surrounding areas are lighting up this season to o er the perfect dose of holiday spirit.
Lincoln Park Zoo’s ZooLights
Starting o the list is a classic. From animals and decorated trees to Disney characters, the event has a large collection of light sculptures, some even dancing to holiday music. ere are plenty of activities to choose from — you can watch ice carving, take photos with Santa, watch the Zooltide Light show or join their scavenger hunt. Ticket prices range from $7 to $20; with registration, ZooLights is free on Mondays.
Chicago Botanic Garden’s Lightscape
A 1.3-mile trail of lights and nature will bring you into a living fairytale at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s annual Lightscape event. e grand light sculptures stay true to the garden theme, weaving seamlessly into the landscape. While you browse the lights, you can jam out the festive playlist that the garden’s website o ers and munch on refreshments from their three di erent vendors. General admission for non-members is $29, so check it out before it ends Jan. 4.
Navy Pier’s Winter Wonderfest
What’s be er than festive holiday lights? Festive holiday lights on amusement park a ractions, of course. e Winter Wonderfest is an indoor interactive experience featuring a huge Ferris wheel, a giant ice rink and more holiday lights than ever. Ticket prices range from $25 to $35. You can also a end the special opening night fundraiser event
Cheer at the Pier on Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Willow Hill Lights
By NATALIE GORDON daily senior staffer
Even though Hanukkah falls during winter break this year, both Northwestern Hillel and Northwestern Chabad are nding ways to keep the Hanukkah spirit alive for students.
NU Hillel will hold its annual Latkepalooza celebration Wednesday. e event serves as a precelebration of the eight-day holiday, which begins on Dec. 14 this year.
Like past years, Latkepalooza will be held at the Hillel house on campus. is year, though, the Hillel sta plans to add a twist to the event’s theme.
“We had this fun idea that every oor has a di erent vibe,” Communication junior and NU Hillel’s religious and spiritual life co-chair Rose Bicas-Dolgen said.
Bicas-Dolgen said the bo om oor of the Hillel house will be called the Maccabee II Lounge, inspired by the Chicago bar, Mark II Lounge. e lounge will serve mocktails and host poker for students. e main oor will o er traditional Hanukkah foods like latkes and jelly donuts, while the top oor will have Hanukkah themed arts and cra s. is year’s planned Hanukkah celebrations extend o campus, as well. e Chabad of Evanston, which includes NU Chabad, will hold a menorah lighting ceremony at Fountain Square on Dec. 16.
e Chabad replaced their old 10-foot menorah with a 15-foot menorah for the ceremony, according to executive director Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein. e stems and arms of the menorah will be lit up in di erent colors, which Klein said will help it be more visible at night.
Klein said the event will also have a person in an LED robot costume dancing, as well as someone making balloon animals for the audience. He emphasized the importance of celebrating Hanukkah this year, especially amid fears of antisemitism and federal immigration enforcement in the community.
“Hannukah is a time to illuminate that darkness, to illuminate those fears and focus on something positive, to do something extra in one’s life to increase light, not only with oneself but in our community around us,” Klein said.
If you have a car — or a friend with a car — this one is for you. Willow Hill Lights is a drive-through holiday lights feature with more than one million lights and a 30-foot Christmas tree, so you can enjoy the lights from the warmth and comfort of your car. Tickets are $40 per car and run until Jan. 4.
e Morton Arboretum’s Illumination
About an hour’s drive from Evanston, the arboretum’s holiday lights o er a truly magical experience. Nominated for USA Today’s Top 10 “Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights” last
With NU’s winter break beginning Dec. 13, many students won’t be in Evanston for the menorah lighting ceremony. Because of this, Chabad has free menorah kits for students to take home with them so they can celebrate Hanukkah wherever they may be this year.
year, the event features grand light displays that match the huge scale of the arboretum. General tickets for nonmembers range from $23 to $30, and the show runs until Jan. 3.
Downtown Evanston
You don’t have to spend a dime to see the beautiful holiday lights Evanston has to o er. Especially when it snows, Fountain Square’s lighting display brings about an extra festive mood — and it’s only a short walk from campus. Whether you choose to stay in Evanston or venture further into the city, there is something to put everyone in holiday spirits. Get out there and enjoy the most magical time of the year with a li le extra sparkle!
Chabad, Hillel prepare for Hanukkah festivities
Along with these events, NU Chabad director of innovation Rabbi Mendy Weg plans to bring the Hanukkah festivities to NU’s Ski Club’s trip to Ban , Alberta, on Dec.14. is will be Weg’s second time a ending the ski trip, a er participating in the 2023 trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
In 2023, Weg lled the Steamboat Springs lodge with Hanukkah decorations and brought jelly donuts and latkes to celebrate. Weg and the students also played dreidel and did their own menorah lighting on the trip. is year, he is coordinating with a Chabad in
Ban to help bring Hanukkah food items to the hotel, and he plans to bring the decorations and dreidels from Evanston.
“To be able to celebrate the holiday and shine the lights regardless of the surroundings is a really powerful idea,” Weg said. “It’s sort of what Hanukkah is all about.”
nataliegordon2028@u.northwestern.edu
Campus communities gear up for the holidays
By BIANCA DISHMON and ISABELLA DUMENIGO
the daily northwestern
Every year, Ayers College of Commerce and Industry’s executive board members put up a Christmas tree in the residential college’s lobby to help foster a festive spirit in their community.
SESP sophomore and Ayers president Rhea Viswanathan eagerly continued the tradition this year by putting up the tree on Nov. 1.
“We were all super tired from midterms, and we were like, ‘You know what, the storm needs a little bit of holiday cheer,’” Viswanathan said. Across campus, resident halls buzz with activities to help keep students’ spirits lifted high. Along with putting up the Christmas tree, Viswanathan said Ayers hosts many festive events, such as a hot chocolate bar and a holiday-themed movie night.
In Willard Residential College, the joyous festivities are equally exciting. Weinberg sophomore and Willard treasurer Andrew Joseph said the executive board hosted a gingerbread
house-making competition a few weeks ago and plans to host a paper snowflake-making event in the upcoming weeks.
Joseph said the board hasn’t planned any events for reading week because of how busy it gets. Nonetheless, he said the events serve as a stress reliever for many.
“This is the most stressful time of the quarter,” Joseph said. “Having holidaythemed events brings a lot of cheer to the snow, which can be pretty gloomy otherwise.”
Some executive boards have been planning their holiday season programming for months. South Area President Solyana Tatek said she and the three other members of the executive board started brainstorming
festive events at the beginning of
e.lee@dailynorthwestern.com the year.
Tatek said the organization likes to alternate between graband-go events with catered food and more community-based events. On Nov. 14, South Area hosted Southgiving, an event with catered Raising Cane’s and a photographer to take festive JCPenney-
While South Area does not have any other upcoming winter-themed programming for the quarter, Tatek said the group is planning an ice skating event in Winter Quarter alongside other winter-themed events. Tatek said she enjoys planning these events because they provide students with access to opportunities in the community and the Chicago area that they might not hear about
“The general point is fostering
community and giving students an idea of what Chicago is and letting them explore that,” Tatek said.
However, events aren’t limited to campus; some organizations spread festive cheer to those in need.
Dylan Lanier, Medill sophomore and Zeta Beta Tau’s social chair, said the fraternity partners with Connections for the Homeless, an Evanston-based non-profit that provides resources to individuals experiencing homelessness. The fraternity volunteers in clothing drives and food preparation.
Lanier said he enjoys these events because he gets to spend time with his fraternity brothers while making a positive impact on the Evanston community.
“I think it’s important for groups like fraternities and other clubs on campus to have a way to give back, so you can use the bonds created to further social projects and help others,” Lanier said.
biancadishmon2028@u.northwestern.edu isabelladumenigo2028@u.northwestern.edu
Illustration by Leah Shaman
Northwestern Hillel and the Chabad of Evanston are hosting Hanukkah events this year despite Hanukkah’s start date falling during winter break.
Lights brighten local streets
On Tuesday, honking motorists and marveling passersby lined Fullerton Avenue and watched a spruced-up articulated bus decorated to look fresh from the North Pole. Santa stuck his head out the emergency hatch, waving to anyone seeking seasonal cheer. The Chicago Transit Authority’s Holiday Bus is the younger cousin of the CTA Holiday Train, the well-photographed train that crisscrosses the eight “L” lines.
In Chicago, Santa rides the bus
photos by Hannah Webster daily senior staffer
photos by Shun Graves daily senior staffer
Dorm baking tips to sweeten the holiday season
By GRACE SHARMA and EMERSON LEGER
the daily northwestern
e sweet scent of baked cinnamon lls the kitchen. e oven emits a so yellow glow. e sink is a mess, and nals loom before you — but when the oven timer dings, nothing else ma ers.
privacy or tools prevent you from eating warm, chocolatey goodness:
Ask your friends for equipment
Baking is one of the most enjoyable and worthwhile endeavors you can pursue during the holiday season, especially when you’re a college student ba ling for an empty seat in Deering Library.
they can help in exchange for some treats. Do yourself and your eardrums a favor: Find an oven that is somewhat secluded.
Buy boxed or pre-made baked goods
Baking reduces stress, forces you to take a break and grants your taste buds something yummy to look forward to at the end of the day.
e delicious activity is not without its di culties, though.
As two roommates who have baked in Shepard Hall before, here are our tips for not le ing the lack of space,
Reach out to friends living nearby and ask if they have access to a baking sheet or a pan. Trust us, at least one person you know has a pan in their room. If not, wrapping foil on top of an aluminum plate works well in a pinch (though remember to place it shiny side down). e same thing goes for measuring cups, bowls and whatever else you may need. If you don’t have a measuring cup, just use a random cup from your room to measure all your ingredients. As long as the proportions are right, having nine cookies instead of 10 won’t
make a di erence.
Share ingredients with people on your oor
No one needs a whole can of nonstick spray for one batch of cookies, so see if anyone has some communal
supplies to share. Pro tip: bu er or oil on a baking sheet also works wonders. Split a carton of eggs with a friend craving a homemade breakfast, or share a stick of bu er with a sandwich-loving neighbor. If you have any le over ingredients, take it as a sign to keep baking until you run out.
Find an on-campus kitchen
If your dorm does not have a kitchen, befriend people whose dorm does. Also, check out the dorms that are dedicated to your area of campus that might have common areas available for public use. Elder Hall is available to all North Area students, Willard is perfect for all Southwest area residents, the McCulloch First Floor Lounge is a go-to for all Northeast area students, and the Shepard Engagement Center is accessible to all South Campus residents. And if those places are too far from you, almost all large dorms on campus have a kitchen. Hit up a friend and stake your claim on an oven. e delightful smells will lure in any potential new hungry friends. at being said, there’s nothing worse than baking brownies with a small group and summoning all 100 people currently inside the building, asking if
Purchasing boxed cake mix at the store ensures you only need to buy eggs and water. And pre-made cookie dough is even be er. All you have to do is put the dough on a baking sheet and stick it in the oven. Short and sweet, and it saves you money, space and tools. No one is out there judging you for not baking from scratch, and it’s pre y much guaranteed your treats will come out tasting delicious (as long as you don’t burn them). Who cares if you didn’t stand in front of a stove browning bu er for six hours — cookies are cookies.
Best of luck with all your future dorm baking adventures. Remember: there is no such thing as baking too much, and if you ever have extras, feel free to share them with us! So go blast some cheerful holiday tunes, gather your hungry friends and bake.
emersonleger2029@u.northwestern.edu gracesharma2029@u.northwestern.edu
7 new song releases to spice up your holiday playlist
By MAYA WONG daily senior staffer @mayaw0ng
In my opinion, the only types of playlists you should be listening to in December are holiday ones. ere’s a host of classic holiday music that you probably grew up listening to, from older tracks, like “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Winter Wonderland,” to newer hits, like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” But if you’re looking for a fresh festive twist, artists release new holiday songs every year. While sometimes it’s good to stick to tradition, this winter I challenge you to stir up your hot cocoa — and your holiday playlist — with something new. Here are some of the best original holiday songs released in the past few years.
“buy me presents” by Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter’s 2023 holiday EP, “fruitcake,” is truly a delight, but its second track, “buy me presents,” stands out with its warmth and sass. is song
is a festive taste of Carpenter’s cheeky lyricism and clever metaphors. And it’s true: If your partner can’t buy you all the things you want and deserve, there’s always an older man waiting to treat you right (Santa, of course!).
“Ugly Sweater” by Jimmy Fallon & Carter Faith
Jimmy Fallon makes music? Believe it or not, this one is pre y good. Released earlier this week and starring rising country singer Carter Faith, “Ugly Sweater” is a satirical country song about a woman falling in love at a Christmas party with the only man there wearing an ugly sweater. Faith’s smooth vocals carry just the right amount of twang, establishing the song’s humorous storyline quite well.
“Santa Drives an Astrovan” by e Philly Specials & Mt. Joy
Rock band Mt. Joy’s debut single, “Astrovan,” got a Christmas revamp last year… with none other than former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce hopping on the track. “Santa Drives an Astrovan” keeps the original song’s integrity, but intertwines
clever holiday-themed lyrics that will send you on a eld trip comparing what’s di erent between the two tracks. Kelce’s voice also sounds very Santa-like, which is a plus!
“Love to Keep Me Warm” by Laufey & dodie
If you’re looking for a more jazzy and classical tune, look no further than “Love to Keep Me Warm.” Laufey and dodie’s light and airy vocals will make you want to do the Charleston for two and a half minutes. is track is sweet, heartwarming and just plain fun.
“‘tis the damn season” by Taylor Swi
While this totally isn’t a holiday song, it’s still on the list because: 1) It’s an absolute masterpiece, and 2) It’ll certainly be relatable for some NU students returning home for winter break. Taylor Swi paints a wonderfully wintry, but simultaneously heartbreaking, picture of someone meeting a former hometown lover while home for the holidays. “‘tis the damn season” might not get you in the festive spirit, but it’ll certainly kickstart your winter blues.
“So Much Wine” by Phoebe Bridgers
In this same vein, Phoebe Bridgers takes the crown for the best depressing holiday music. Let’s be honest, though, when is her music not depressing? “So Much Wine” is a oating track about a family member abusing alcohol on Christmas Day. While its lyrics are tragic, the song’s production — with its strumming guitar, lilting violin and catchy whistling interlude — is perfect for a pensive wintertime stroll or moody contemplation by the replace.
“Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” by Bleachers
You can always count on Jack Antono to produce a banger. Bleachers’ “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” might also have depressing lyrics, but the song has a robust feeling that is perfect for the wintertime. e bridge sounds exactly like how it feels to be standing in the snow, with snow akes gently falling down around you.
m.wong@dailynorthwestern.com
Illustration by Siri Reddy
Woman’s Club of Evanston hosts Holiday Bazaar
By ELIZA MARTIN and ZOEY PERRINE the daily northwestern
The Woman’s Club of Evanston welcomed community members to its annual Holiday Bazaar on Nov. 21, 22 and 23, bringing together 50 vendors offering paper products, clothing, jewelry, food and
more.
Held inside the club’s historic Church Street and Chicago Avenue clubhouse, the Holiday Bazaar has been a staple event for over 30 years, according to co-chair Pam Swales. Swales said vendors applied via the group’s website and were then approved by small committees.
Luciana Alonso, one of the vendors at the event,
sells traditional Argentinian food. She said she’s been trying to get a spot at the bazaar for years.
“Feb. 1, I was applying for it, and I was very happy to make the cut,” she said.
Alonso was one of several first-time vendors at this year’s bazaar.
Swales explained the competitive nature of the application process reflects the club’s desire to tailor vendors to the interests of customers and community members.
“We want to make sure the look of the vendor’s products will work with our audience that’s coming through and their price point,” Swales said. “We’re trying to keep it something for everybody.” The Woman’s Club of Evanston has aboutabout 250 members hailing from Evanston, as well as Chicago and its surrounding North Shore suburbs. As a philanthropic, social and community service based organization, the club runs events throughout the year for the Evanston area.
Swales said the Holiday Bazaar required about 150 volunteers on different committees to run smoothly all weekend. The proceeds generated from the event will fund the club’s community grants, which provide money to local nonprofits. These awards range from a “couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars,” according to Swales.
For many patrons, the bazaar was a prime opportunity to get a head start on holiday shopping.
Mark and Kathy Bruce stopped by the bazaar while visiting Evanston from California. After finding out about the event through the Woman’s Club website, the couple said they spent the afternoon looking through a wide variety of tables.
For vendor Jocelyn Tobias, who sells custom picture frames, the bazaar provided an opportunity to have beneficial face-to-face interactions with customers. Tobias said the ability to explain frame customization options to prospective customers in person contributed to some of her sales.
“Anytime you can expose yourself to the public is good,” Tobias said.
Tobias grew up in Evanston, but she said she only recently learned about the Woman’s Club and what they do. She said she appreciates working with the organization because of its specific goals and values.
Swales said events like the bazaar help to educate the public on the true purposes of the Woman’s Club, such as community engagement and service.
“There are so many people who have walked by our house a million times like, ‘God, I never knew what went on in there,’” Swales said. “But it’s always important for us to know that we are not a group coming in here to have tea and needlepoint, we are doing really good work for the community.”
reeselorton2029@u.northwestern.edu
zoeyperrine2029@u.northwestern.edu
Disney heartthrob royalty return for ‘A Very Jonas Christmas’
By LUCY VAN MEIR the daily northwestern
This review contains spoilers.
The Jonas Brothers are returning to their roots with another Disney Channel Original Movie — but instead of a summer camp, this time their brotherly bond itself is at stake.
It feels like every pop star these days is capitalizing on Christmas, so I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I first heard the Jonas Brothers were entering the already saturated genre. But as a JoBro fan, I knew I had to at least give “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” a shot.
The movie opens on the brothers wrapping up their tour, with tensions beginning to rise. Nick Jonas is tired of carrying the technical decisions of the tour on his own, without recognition from his free-spirited brothers. Joe Jonas is insecure because his brothers tease him for his womanizing and carefree nature.
And Kevin Jonas — well, he’s got a big secret that’s weighing heavily on him.
Joe spills his brotherly turmoil to Santa (Jesse Tyler Ferguson). Upset by the news, Santa then places a holly jolly curse on the brothers so they can’t make it back home until they fix their bond and choose each other.
Though they portrayed this issue in a ridiculous, overexaggerated way, the Jonas Brothers did choose themselves over each other in real life when they
broke up the band (and broke our hearts). I felt the JoBro-sized hole in my heart start to fill back up throughout the movie.
In true “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” fashion, the brothers run into obstacle after obstacle. Their plane gets blown up by lightning, their Uber driver (Andrea Martin) nearly kills them, their train goes to the wrong stop and their second plane’s pilot (KJ Apa) crashes them into a forest. The movie is almost doing too much, but the absurdity and the constant cameos make it work.
The Jonas Brothers have never taken themselves too seriously, and their Christmas movie doesn’t either. They continuously poke fun at the movie’s cliches and lean into nostalgia — like with a dance break featuring iconic choreography from “Camp Rock 2.” They’re not trying to reinvent cinema or get an Oscar. They’re just trying to have some fun and, in turn, let us have some fun, too.
My favorite cameo comes when Nick runs into an old Broadway nemesis (Andrew Barth Feldman) and they duke it out in a “Home Alone: The Musical” duet. It was possibly the best song in the movie. If they made this musical a real thing, I’d buy tickets.
The brothers are eventually rescued by their tour manager (Randall Park). Joe also manages to find a love interest in Lucy (Chloe Bennet) because, well, it’s Joe Jonas.
But enough about Joe and Nick. They’ve had their moments for the past two decades.
Kevin Jonas sings in this movie. Sings.
His “heavy” secret is wanting a solo, which he
finally gets at the end of the movie. It’s a true Christmas miracle and everything I could’ve hoped for. If that doesn’t convince you to watch the movie, I don’t think anything could.
The movie may not become a Christmas classic
anytime soon, but it is fun, self-aware and everything we’ve come to know and love about the Jonas Brothers.
lucyvanmeir2029@u.northwestern.edu
Tree-mendous last-minute gift ideas for every recipient
By ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ daily senior staffer
@alexbespeakin
The ‘Chill Out’ Recipient
After a year full of shocking, surprising and saddening events, we all deserve some moments of zen.
Luckily enough, the holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to take a moment to breathe, reflect and
With the holiday season officially in full-swing, it’s time to spruce up the overplayed and underwhelming gifts for loved ones with different tastes. From underrated essentials to fresh new experiences, no matter the vibe of the recipient, you’ll sure find something on this list.
move forward. The Auro Wellness G Antioxidant Serum, Burke Williams’ Pure Barrier Repair Mask and NOEM’s Wellbeing Pod Luxe have not only allowed me to destress during times of chaos, but make for great self-care stocking stuffers.
The ‘On-The-Go’ Recipient
Figuring out what to give this type of over-scheduled friend or family member can be a daunting task. However, a ticket to a local art exhibition, theatre performance in downtown Chicago or even a new book will enrich your loved one’s life, even while they’re in motion. The Art Institute of Chicago’s “On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival” exhibition, Drunk Shakespeare at The Lounge at The Lion and “107 Days” by former Vice President Kamala Harris are great contenders.
The ‘Movie Fanatic’ Recipient
From “Sinners” to “Adults,” 2025 was the year of television and film. And with upcoming films like “Wuthering Heights” and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” already influencing the culture as we know it, subscriptions like AMC Stubs A-List and Peacock are perfect for the pop-culture buff in your life. Whether it be reliving the grotesque moments in “The Substance” or belting your heart out to “Wicked,” filmbased subscriptions are perfect to stay in the know.
The ‘Fashion-Obsessed’ Recipient
Just because the winter season brings in a severe chill to the atmosphere doesn’t mean that fashionforward gifts should be overlooked. Clothes, shoes
and accessories all make great holiday gifts. Wool in the winter, florals for spring (groundbreaking), linens for summer and cashmeres in the fall are versatile and can be dressed up or down, no matter the season. Manmade’s Christmas Bundle, GUESS’ Camden Shoulder Bag and Alohas’ Tb.56 Suede Sneakers are perfect for not just the winter, but year-long.
The ‘Jam Out’ Recipient
Similarly to television and film, music had an incredible showing throughout the entire year. Bad Bunny’s “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” “Eusexua” by FKA twigs and Addison Rae’s “Addison” have been on repeat ever since they came out. Along with their Apple Music Replay and Spotify Wrapped, tickets for upcoming shows such as Cardi B and TWICE can give your loved one great things to look forward to in 2026. Not a fan of live shows? A record player, set of vinyls or even a gift set of their favorite artist’s merchandise are alternatives worth dancing to.
The ‘Foodie’ Recipient
The holiday season doesn’t only bring in sub-zero temperatures, family gatherings and matching ugly sweaters; it features a variety of iconic foods. Spicebased cookies, warm drinks and trays of endless savory dishes are quintessential to the period. For those who love to chef it up in the kitchen, cookbooks, new flavors and timeless kitchenware will be cherished immensely. Forget lousy gift cards to chain restaurants, homemade bundles of time and love are here to stay.
a.hernandez.gonzalez@dailynorthwestern.com
Reese Lorton/The Daily Northwestern
Luciana Alonso, owner of Luciana’s Kitchen, advertises her Argentine food at the bazaar on Saturday, November 22.
Illustration by Kelly Chan
Illustration by Leyton Jackson
Released on November 14th, ‘A Very Jonas Christmas Movie’ follows the Jonas Brothers as they battle to make it back home for Christmas.
OPINION
Sextou: When did resolutions get a price tag?
As we’re nearing 2026, conversations naturally shi into wishes and dreams for the new year. It’s a time to learn new things, pick up new hobbies and “rebrand” ourselves into be erness.
But regardless of whether we’ve been successful in ticking o last year’s resolutions towards December before jumping to create new ones, one thing is apparent: Department stores, corporate chains and social media capitalize on our mission for self-improvement.
To test this hypothesis, I searched up “New Year’s resolutions inspo” on TikTok. My feed was quick to point me to cozy-dressed in uencers holding tiny microphones. ey talked about wellness, travel, fashion, relationships — and, of course, pointed us towards their endless Amazon lists and Linktree boards.
It felt as though re ection and self-improvement were being marketed as buyable.
Quickly, I became overwhelmed by new daily planners, yoga out ts, room sprays, gym
membership deals and cookbooks. Sure, I’d love to pick up a new hobby under my “get creative” goal, but something felt o about buying a $60 kni ing kit.
e more I thought about it, the more I wondered: When did becoming a be er version of ourselves start to feel like a shopping list?
Our lives are already oversaturated with unsolicited advertisements and implicit marketing. Almost every corner we turn, it feels like there’s an invitation to put your money towards improving yourself.
I don’t need yet one more excuse to buy into a capitalist esta thrown by corporations. So, though I am not an ardent follower of the tradition, I would like to make my very rst New Year’s resolution list. Don’t worry — this one is totally free.
Be kind. In every and any situation, strive to show empathy, patience and understanding. Say “thank you.” Give your seat to someone on the bus. Carry dollar bills to give out to those in need. Give your friends more compliments. Try an activity that isn’t in your lane but is adored by someone you love. Even when it’s di cult — no, especially when it’s di cult — strive for kindness. Get more exercise. Not to chase the “new year,
new body” narrative or nally become the girl who jogs at 6 a.m. in matching activewear — I mean incorporate going for a run in your daily schedule. Move enough to remember you have a body that carries you through rooms, through days, through everything. Movement should be gratitude, not punishment.
Vocalize your emotions. Say what you feel when you feel it, even if the words come out unevenly or imperfectly. Let yourself name the things that hurt or confuse you. Tell someone who hurt you that they did and how they can be be er. Don’t let your feelings calcify in silence. Give them air, give them language, give them space.
Call your family. Now, this one can be challenging, especially as unbearably busy college students juggling extracurriculars, part-time jobs or internships. But do remember that there are people — no ma er how many or few — thinking of you, even when you’re gone. It’s never the wrong time to check in for a brief yet sweet “hello.”
Of course, there are many things I can add to this list. I could promise to drink more water, read more books, sleep eight hours and journal every night. But I think the point of these New
Year’s resolutions isn’t to become someone new by February. It’s to remember that not everything meaningful requires a purchase, a promo code or a perfectly optimized routine. Maybe resolutions were never meant to be aspirational mood boards or aesthetic starter packs. Maybe they are just small promises we make to ourselves — ones that don’t t neatly into a shopping cart, but are important nonetheless.
e beautiful thing about New Year’s resolutions is that they don’t need the new year to resolve themselves. We can strive to be a li le bit be er today, every day.
Start your New Year’s resolutions today, tomorrow, sometime in the spring or (like me) in September. A er all, you decide when to turn the page.
Happy New Year.
Alexia Sextou is a Medill sophomore and author of “Margin Notes.” She can be contacted at alexiasextou2028@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Le er to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. e views expressed in this piece do not necessarily re ect the views of all sta members of e Daily Northwestern.
Klineman: The North Pole needs new leadership
AIDAN
KLINEMAN
OPINION EDITOR
When a bad snowstorm had Santa proclaiming that Christmas was cancelled, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer became the North Pole’s last hope.
e turn of events was arguably most surprising to Rudolph himself. From a young age, he was constantly ridiculed and rejected by Santa and his closest allies. For all he knew, making the coveted sleigh team as a red-nosed reindeer was impossible.
Old Saint Nick not only greenlit Rudolph’s persecution — he was the source of it. A dark cloud of injustice emanates from Santa’s workshop, siphoning valuable Christmas spirit. His misdeeds leave the most important day of the year vulnerable to crises, like the storm that emerged that foggy Christmas Eve. Needless to say, Santa is past his prime.
We are led to believe that Rudolph’s fellow
When I was younger, instead of snowmen, I built snow ghosts — simple, low-e ort heaps of white blobs with rocks jammed in for eyes. I would run inside for hot chocolate a er nishing the ve minute process and marvel at my snow ghost gang from blanketed warmth. ere was no labor, no frozen ngertips, no heartwrenching dismay when the carefully-cra ed third layer — top hat and all — crumbled to the ground and sha ered.
e holiday season is so tied to time. I think that’s part of the magic, a designated carving in the winter for celebration in months that might otherwise just feel so entirely cold. But I think time is also the curse of it all.
Etched into our calendars is a season where emptiness is magni ed: an un lled chair at the dinner table weighs more heavily than it might on any other day. Catching a cold and missing Secret Santa feels like the end of the world. If something tragic happens on New Year’s Eve,
reindeer orchestrated his persecution — that they were the ones who laughed, called him names and, indeed, didn’t let him join in any reindeer games. But I understand such a retelling of Rudolph’s story as Clausian propaganda.
e culture that ostracized Rudolph originated from and was promulgated by the North Pole’s longtime leader. Old Kris Kringle has denied responsibility for the near-cancellation of Christmas for long enough. e buck must stop at Santa’s Workshop.
It is well-reported that Comet, captain of the sleigh team at the time, banned a young Rudolph from participating in his rst reindeer games a er his black nose covering accidentally slipped o .
“From now on, gang, we won’t let Rudolph join in any reindeer games, right?” Comet said. e crowd jeered Rudolph. Instead of coming to Rudolph’s defense, Santa responded by backing Comet and berating Donner, Rudolph’s father, for allowing his son to try out. Donner had made Rudolph wear the faulty nose covering in an appalling lapse of parental judgment.
“Santa can’t object to you now!” Donner is
it’s hard to outrun and disassociate even years later.
Our openness to glee this time of year can make the lack of it feel ever more heavy. Disappointment over what was meant to be, what should have been, is a loss in itself.
It hurts more to watch a snowman crumble than to never have had a snowman at all.
ere is a casual cruelty to the holiday season. On one hand, there’s the unmatched happiness of seeing everyone I love gathered around my Friendsgiving table. On the other hand, there’s the list of people we once invited years ago but no longer see. e holidays are an open door to far away, well-missed family members, but they’re also ve-hour ight delays, slipping down icy memory lanes and sometimes extra lonely stretches of time.
It’s important to extend a red-mi ened hand to the people we love who have their own snow ghosts dimming Christmas lights and haunting dinner tables. In the rst snow of this fall, I skipped for hours in the u y white downpour, looking like a human snowgirl with gradually freezing hair. Hours later, I drank tea with dear friends and made space for the sadness that o en embeds itself in December’s seams.
recorded saying to Rudolph before the games. e asco caused Rudolph to run away from the North Pole.
At this point, Rudolph had just completed the best takeo of the year. Santa acknowledged this, yet nevertheless deemed Rudolph un t for the sleigh team.
When the stakes are highest, merits cannot come second to pe y North Polian identity politics.
Santa is well aware of his absolute rule over the North Pole and everything Christmas. Soon a er meeting Rudolph and quipping that he would have to grow out of his red nose to make the sleigh team, Santa launched into a song about his status as the “King of Jingling.”
It is time for new leadership in the North Pole, no doubt. Santa, who treated Rudolph so poorly his entire life, had no standing when he requested that Rudolph singlehandedly save Christmas. It was a self-preserving endeavor more than anything, and Santa was only successful by a stroke of luck in the form of a glowing red nose.
It can’t take another crisis to bring us together
Maybe the holidays are all about welcoming levity, without that expectation becoming a burden.
ere is a kindness that can calm the bi erness. ere’s a so ness in the people who show up at your door with steaming soup, the ones who’ll put on a coat at midnight just to brave the cold and make a second snow angel next to yours, even when it’s so dramatically warmer inside.
ere is a goodness in the friends who will dance with you in the hail and sit with you quietly by the re. ere’s a comfort in the hysterical laughter and joy this season allows time for but doesn’t impose, memories entirely unrelated to but inspired by December’s glow. Every act of care can weigh more in this season, too, wrapped in ribbon and gli ering in shimmering glass-like snow.
Sophia Memon is a Medill second year. She can be contacted at sophiamemon2028@u.northwestern. edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Le er to the Editor to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com. e views expressed in this piece do not necessarily re ect the views of all sta members of e Daily Northwestern.
— we may not have such an honorable reindeer to save us next time. A futurist vision of a radically inclusive Christmas tradition is what will shepherd the holiday into the next generation. e immense responsibility of Christmas warrants this kind of foresight. Leaving it in the old-fashioned hands of Santa and his allies is no longer a risk I am willing to take. Rudolph and Hermey saved Christmas Past. Now, it is our job to wrest power from the “King of Jingling,” and return it to North Polians who don’t want to be complicit in the poor treatment of reindeer like Rudolph. en — and only then — will we be able to save Christmases Yet to Come.
Aidan Klineman is a Medill junior and author of “O -Campus: White House.” He can be contacted at a.klineman@dailynorthwestern.com. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Le er to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com. e views expressed in this piece do not necessarily re ect the views of all sta members of e Daily Northwestern.
The Daily Northwestern Volume 146, Issue 11
Editor in Chief
Emily Lichty
Managing Editors
Sydney Gaw Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez
Christina Lin
Sasha Draeger-Mazer
Audrey Pachuta
Sarah Serota
Hannah Webster
Opinion Editor
Aidan Klineman
Assistant Opinion Editor
Alexia Sextou
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside THE DAILY office.
Letters have the following requirements:
• Should be typed and double-spaced
• Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number.
• Should be fewer than 800 words They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar.
Letters, columns and cartoons contain the opinion of the authors, not Students Publishing Co. Inc. Submissions signed by more than three people must include at least one and no more than three names designated to represent the group.
Ducks Dan and Dave: Dance of the Sugarplum Duck
Nathaniel Foster is a student at the School of Professional Studies and writer of Ducks Dan and Dave. He can be contacted at nathanielfoster2027@u.northwestern.edu or @duckscomics. Lia Kim is the illustrator for Ducks Dan and Dave and is not associated with Northwestern. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
The Daily Northwestern
Holiday Crossword: On the Twelfth Day of Christmas…
By Miguel Tsang
Crossword
ACROSS
1 Playful additions to the “Happy Birthday” song
5 Classic mystery culprit featured in the film “Clue,” but not the board game
9 Wind instrumentalist
14 Bird that might be “spotted” in the “mourning”
By Thomas Hurley
crossword & games
Editor Miguel Tsang
Assistant Editor Kate Pollot
15 Type of tech involving the manipulation of matter on a tiny scale
16 Holmes portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown
17 Support, or an apt name for Santa’s squadron of deer?
19 Sea eagles
20 Serve as party transportation, in slang
21 First of twelve Christmas gifts, followed by 14, 51, 69, 64, 40, 5, 42, 70, 9 and 27-Across
23 Personal affirmation of existence
25 Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, to name a few, in the late 20th century
26 The “S” of GPS, abbr
27 Instrumentalist who visits the Nativity of Jesus in song
31 Word derived from Norwegian “alfr,” meaning “elf”
33 British brown sauce often paired with steak
34 Saharan country where the Madayn Heritage Festival is held in December
40 King Henry III ordered 40 of this waterfowl for his Christmas feast in 1247
41 Public research university with six campuses in the Atlanta area, abbr
42 Gentleman’s counterpart
43 “See you later,” en Santiago
47 “It’s _ __!”, common outcome of an elementary school game of dodgeball
48 ___-mo
49 Like the elves compared to adult Buddy in “Elf”
51 Female chicken
54 Sudden burst of wind
57 ___ mode, like desserts topped with ice cream
58 Forbidden, like slavery in the U.S. since December 1865
61 Conspiratorial view of Earth that places the North Pole at its center
64 Gander ’s counterpart
65 Capital of a Pacific island nation
68 “Funny bone” nerve
69 Smart doorbell company
70 Palpatine or Macbeth, e.g.
71 Gino’s establishments in Chicago
72 Biblical paradise
73 ___ Hana, Wilmette sushi restaurant named after Japanese for “red flower”
DOWN
1 U.S. Navy rank one below Capt., abbr
2 Exclaimed like Santa Claus
3 Like Hermey in “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer” when it comes to dentistry
4 Feelings mentioned in “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
5 Found inside an LP?
6 Nonprofit that may have come in handy when “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”
7 Andean people who celebrated Cápac Raymi around the winter solstice
8 Those who get more done, according to The Home Depot
9 Glimpses, like the narrator in “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
10 Latin acronym inscribed on Christian crosses
11 Locales for frogs and dragonflies
12 “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” or “American Pie,” e.g.
13 Shaves off, archaically
18 Synthetic material that can have a “memory”
22 Character who becomes 1-Down of USS Enterprise-D in the seventh season of “Star Trek”
24 Structural reminder, such as Mount Rushmore or Lincoln’s childhood home, abbr
27 Travel hurriedly, the namesake of one of Santa’s reindeer
28 Pharmaceutical storage company
29 “Some,” en Sevilla
Italian meat sauce
“Deck the Halls” refrain
Function, like a corn cob for a pipe or a button for a nose 36 Tufted, loomed and oriental, e.g.
37 Park classification for Yellowstone, Yosemite and Olympic, abbr 38 “And When ___,” solemnly optimistic song recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary and Blood, Sweat & Tears 39 "Yesterday," en Yucatán 44 Capital and largest city of Algeria 45 Giordano’s competitor, to Chicagoans
“Grandma,” in Gelsenkirchen 50 Belonging to an alien of sitcom fame 51 The ___, Dutch city home to Hofkwartier Wintermarkt 52 Severe disease caused by orthoebolavirus
53 Plural opposite of the time Santa sneaks down
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
FIELD HOCKEY
Another killer blow makes ’Cats lore
Tromp’s clutch drag flicks spur back-to-back national championships
By ELI KRONENBERG daily senior staffer @EliKronenberg
DURHAM, N.C. — Death. Taxes. Ilse Tromp on penalty corners.
The junior defender had already earned herself a reputation for lethal scoring from the top of the arc entering the NCAA Tournament, with all 13 of her goals on the season coming off corner situations. But what Tromp pulled off over Final Four weekend in Durham? That’s the stuff legends are made of.
With the score knotted at 1-1 after five periods of play in No. 2 Northwestern’s national championship clash with No. 3 Princeton, graduate student forward Grace Schulze raced in behind from the right and cut the ball back to junior forward Ashley Sessa, who struck it off a Princeton defender’s foot to earn a penalty corner.
As time stood still for over a minute in anticipation of the insertion, everyone in attendance at Jack Katz Stadium must have suspected what was coming.
“Ilse Tromp, I trust her 100 times to take that shot on a corner and score,” Sessa had said two days prior.
Make it 101.
Sessa inserted, graduate student midfielder Maddie Zimmer stopped and Tromp took charge from there. One drag flick fired at Princeton goalkeeper Olivia Caponiti later, and there was no field hockey left to play. The ’Cats had won it all.
“I wasn’t really thinking, I was just hitting it as hard as I can on goal,” Tromp said of her winning moment postgame. “When I saw it going in, I was just so happy that we could bring it back again.”
Tromp’s killer blow on Sunday alone would have placed her name firmly in Wildcat lore, as any walkoff goal to win a national championship will do. But the Netherlands native didn’t only finish NU’s title defense — she was also the reason the ’Cats even took to the field Sunday under a beaming southern sun instead of waking up to stare out at a dreary Evanston morning.
As the fourth quarter of Friday’s marquee matchup with No. 1 North Carolina ticked down, NU trailed 3-2, needing a goal to stay afloat against the team that broke its heart in the 2022 and 2023 national championship games.
The ’Cats had only taken one shot the entire period, when, with 77 seconds remaining, Sessa was knocked over by a UNC defender and the referee awarded a corner. As the Tar Heels used an ultimately unsuccessful video referral, coach Tracey Fuchs huddled with her team to discuss what was likely NU’s last chance to salvage its season.
With Dua Lipa’s 2024 hit “Houdini” blaring
Traveling to North Carolina, NU coaches reflect on ‘golden era’
By AUDREY PACHUTA daily senior staffer @audreypachuta
DURHAM, N.C. — Chowing down on pizza
with a Diet Coke in hand, Athletic Director Mark Jackson basked in the reality of another national championship trophy arriving in Evanston as the Sunday sun set on Duke’s Jack Katz Stadium.
After the dust settled from Northwestern’s 2-1 double-overtime victory over Princeton, the relative newcomer — who had just witnessed a third Wildcat national title in his 15 months at the helm — reflected on what he’s learned from a team he called the “flagship element of our brand” as its initial celebrations wound down.
“Tracey (Fuchs) and I, our offices are right on the same floor,” Jackson said. “She immediately taught me about the culture of Northwestern and what it means to wear the N on your chest.”
Calling her “the best to ever play and probably the best ever to coach,” the ringleader of the University’s 21 NCAA Division I programs wasn’t shy about the impact Fuchs has had at NU.
Just as he had for last year’s field hockey national title game in Michigan and this spring’s women’s golf championship match in Southern California, Jackson knew where he needed to be this weekend
over the Jack Katz Stadium speakers, the 17thyear coach drew up the ultimate escape act for her Dutch in the clutch.
After junior forward Olivia Bent-Cole stopped Sessa’s insertion, Zimmer seized the ball, but instead of taking it herself, calmly sent a behindthe-back pass into Tromp’s path. With space to work with, Tromp fired a drag flick past a helpless Tar Heel goalkeeper Merritt Skubisz, and the ’Cats had tied it from the brink of elimination.
“We saw how they were running out of the goal, and from that Tracey just made a good call,” Tromp told The Daily after a Saturday practice. “I’m very happy something in the universe I think helped me to get that ball in.”
Schulze clinched it in the closing seconds of overtime with some help from a UNC defender, and NU advanced to Sunday’s final after facing a two-goal deficit for much of the contest.
Against Princeton, the frenetic end-to-end energy that had captured Friday’s heavyweight slugfest was distinctly absent, as Tromp anchored a stalwart defensive effort that kept the Tigers at bay with NU claiming the majority of possession.
with Fuchs’ squad competing in the Final Four.
“My only problem was that I really wanted to be in three places at once because we had cross country on Saturday and then a big football game,” Jackson said. “But, this group of women is so special and the mark they’ve made on the sport, on Northwestern, I just didn’t want to leave.”
He wasn’t the only one who answered the call to support the ’Cats in Durham.
Onlookers know them as Fuchs, women’s golf coach Emily Fletcher and baseball coach Ben Greenspan, but to each other they’re “Trace,” “Em” and “BG.”
With a litany of familiar faces dotting the stands and sidelines for Final Four weekend, the skippers of various NU programs noted that supporting fellow coaches wasn’t an anomaly. It was an expectation.
“If you can squeeze it into your schedule, you absolutely show up, just because we love when people show up for us too,” softball coach Kate Drohan said ahead of Sunday’s championship sundown.
Drohan, along with her twin sister and associate head coach Caryl Drohan, has attended every one of Fuchs’ five-straight national championship appearances and have now seen her win each of the team’s first three titles in program history.
The sisterly duo doesn’t just show up when the field hockey team plays on the brightest stage. They were there on a Monday afternoon in midOctober for NU’s lone regular season loss. They travelled to Maryland in 2024 for the Big Ten Tournament. And they’ve been there for various wins in between.
“I’m a little obsessed,” Kate Drohan said. “I love this team, I love watching this team, I love how hard they play, They’re just really gritty.”
Princeton attempted just one shot in the first half and took until under four minutes remaining in the third quarter to earn its first penalty corner. While Tromp led the way on several heroic corner stops late on against the Tar Heels, her performance against the Tigers was defined by an effortless and composed control of the backline.
“I don’t speak about it a lot, but she is probably one of the best defenders I’ve ever had in my career,” Fuchs said. “She has such a great demeanor and way about her. I was all fired up in Friday’s game, she just looked at me, said ‘It’s okay,’ and I calmed right down.”
When the Tigers finally did gain some offensive traction late in the third quarter, however, they took advantage of their limited opportunities. Like London buses, Princeton won three corners in the span of 90 seconds after waiting the whole game for one, and cashed in on the third through midfielder Beth Yeager.
Entering the fourth quarter trailing 1-0, the ’Cats again found themselves staring into the void of a devastating end to their campaign. But as they fashioned a penalty corner opportunity five minutes into
According to Kate Drohan, Greenspan — who coaches NU’s other diamond sport — was driving to Connecticut with his family, but when he heard the ’Cats had defeated North Carolina in a thrilling semifinal game Friday, he took a right turn and travelled to Durham instead.
With Sunday’s win, Fletcher — who took home her own program-first title in May — has now been on site for all three of Fuchs’ championship wins since 2021. This time, she was returning the favor from when Fuchs travelled to Carlsbad, California to watch the women’s golf squad take down Stanford.
“For us as a coaching staff, it just really settles us and gets us feeling a bit centered when we see our fellow coaches and staff around, ” Fletcher said. “I think it’s kind of our comfort zone.”
Fletcher referred to Fuchs as a “full on golf fan” and joked that she “was just as intense” and “locked in” watching from the gallery in California as she was coaching her own team in North Carolina.
And the camaraderie between the two championship-winning programs doesn’t end with their coaches.
When the golf team first returned with their trophy this spring, they came home to a sprinkler bath on Lakeside Field, just as their field hockey counterparts did in 2024 and repeated Sunday night upon arriving on campus.
“I do think it’s the golden era,” Fletcher said. “It starts not only with our administration, but just our connection as coaches across all sports. It’s a tight bond.”
Aside from its recent national titles in field hockey and golf, NU has planted itself firmly among the upper echelon of various other sports in recent years. Led by coach Kelly Amonte
the period, they turned to their talisman once more. Sessa inserted, Zimmer stopped and Tromp drag flicked, only this time her low drive was headed just right of the pipes before sophomore Kate Janssen ghosted in to redirect it into the cage from close range. As her teammates celebrated the equalizer, Tromp rushed over to the huddle and immediately tried to refocus the squad on its task ahead, demonstrating the same cool-headed leadership that had carried NU to that point.
When the game drifted into double-overtime with still nothing separating the two sides and a national championship on the line, there was little doubt in any NU minds that Tromp would meet the moment.
And with one flick of the stick, she etched her name into the Northwestern history books forever more.
“She’s a gamer, she’s a superstar and doesn’t care who gets the credit,” Fuchs said. “She’s gonna go out there every day and fight for the Wildcats.” elikronenberg2027@u.northwestern.edu
Hiller, Wildcat lacrosse has made six consecutive Final Four appearances, dropping championship matches in 2024 and 2025 after winning it all in 2023.
Drohan’s softball squad has played in the NCAA Tournament 18 times during her 23-year tenure and made a Women’s College World Series run in 2022.
And the day before field hockey defended its crown, cross country finished 18th at the NCAA Championships, its highest placement in the modern era.
“I think it’s contagious,” Drohan said. “You see it in the weight room when we’re together. You see it when we have our meals together at Nona Jo’s (the student athlete dining hall in Walter Athletics Center) … I love our team being around these champions as much as we can.”
Back in May, the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Coach of the Year said there was a group chat between all of NU’s head honchos, and while sometimes it’s filled with banter, often it’s used for “heartfelt encouragement and support.”
This weekend in Durham, that wide-ranging support was felt. As Fuchs and company prepared to depart the Tar Heel State and return to the Land of Lincoln, the weight of the moment — adding another piece of hardware to an already illustrious collection of women’s sports’ accolades — wasn’t lost on NU’s athletic director.
“I think it speaks to our head coaches,” Jackson said. “There’s a chemistry among them and a through line among them that is all that is right with college athletics.”
Eli Kronenberg contributed reporting.
audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu
Jonah McClure/The Daily Northwestern
Junior defender Ilse Tromp scored the national championship-winning goal in the opening seconds of double-overtime after assisting NU’s fourth-quarter equalizer.