The Roxbury Review 2023 Winter Edition

DECEMBER 2023

THE

ROXBURY REVIEW

HOME OF THE GAELS

2023 WINTER EDITION RHS 2023 POWDERPUFF GAME RECAP

By KATIE RITTGER & TAYLOR SCHAUBLE Staff Writers

Bringing back an old tradition from the early 2000s, Roxbury High School presented Powderpuff which appeared this year on November 23rd. The Powderpuff game was described as, “an enticing and enjoyable event” and “surprisingly exciting.” For those who don't know, Powderpuff is a girl's flag football game, played between the juniors and the seniors. The weather for this year's game was fantastic, and every Gael attended to come out and support the girls. The senior girls repped a stylish pink, and the juniors were fierce in black.

Student-athletes Halye Greene and Allison Yiu from the Roxbury High School Girls Varsity Soccer (RHSGVS) and Roxbury Varsity Track and Field programs dominated as versatile players on the field. Wide receiver Yiu worked with her friend and teammate Greene, a running back, to keep the ball on the offensive side for a large portion of the game. Quarterback Alexis Oliveira threw multiple dimes to her receivers, ultimately giving the juniors many opportunities for runs. Although the outcome wasn't ideal, the juniors put up a great fight and played a great game.

and Haughey is the captain of RHSGVS. These two talented Gaels were a constant threat, but the Seniors as a whole captured lots of ground throughout the game. With an early touchdown in the first period by Jacquelyn Sottile, the Seniors maintained the lead throughout the entirety of the game, earning themselves the win. With a close interception by Varsity Volleyball Player Tayla O’Connor during the last 30 seconds of the game, the Seniors took home the win.

The Class of 2025 put up a great fight, accumulating many interceptions and lots of gained yardage.

After a 7 - 0 win over the Juniors, the Seniors really brought their A-game for Powderpuff. The whole team showed constant determination and domination on both offense and defense. The Seniors utilized extreme threats on defense—including both Hailey Errichiello, and Kylie Haughey. Errichiello is an Albany Softball commit

With a final score of 7 - 0, the Class of 2024 sealed their name into Roxbury Gaels history. This event was an amazing way to get outside and kick off the 4-day weekend to Thanksgiving break. Most students say that they hope this Roxbury tradition stays alive for years to come. We hope even more Gaels participate next year on the field, and in the stands for the battle between the Classes of 2025 and 2026!

Photo Courtesy Katie Caron

Photo Courtesy Ian Vargas

Photo Courtesy Ian Vargas

December 2023

Page 2

RHS’ HOLIDAY FILM FAVORITES hear how people still enjoy it almost 70 years later.

By JALENE MOLINA Staff Writer

The holidays bring joy and cheer to everyone, even to the grumpiest of people. There’s various activities to keep people entertained, one being binging our favorite holiday movies. With more than 140 airing last year and over 100 so far this year (Variety), viewers are left with seemingly endless options. So sit back and take a look at our very own student and staff picks for favorite holiday films.

Juniors Leyton Richards and Collin Arata were asked about their top movie choices. Richards stated, “I loved The Polar Express, I liked how they drifted the train across the ice, it was really cool to me as a kid.” Arata went on to say “I really like Home Alone, it’s a classic and an overall good movie I could watch more than once.”

Additionally, English teacher, Ms. Kaine was able to express a holiday favorite of her own, “A White Christmas stands out to me. I enjoy the classic music and the storyline has an overall good Christmas meaning.” A White Christmas came out in 1954, and it’s interesting to

Sophomore Laila Allen, and junior Brooke Timpano both expressed appreciation for another well known classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Allen said, “I chose ‘The Grinch’ because he’s mean in the beginning and then the little girl changes him and cheers him up, which leaves a good message.” Timpano voiced her opinion as well, “I enjoy ‘The Grinch’ because it’s a positive memory from my childhood.”

It’s fascinating how Allen and Timpano can enjoy the same movie enough to call it their favorite. It’s even more attention grabbing when they can both appreciate the movie for different reasons. Their differences in reasoning doesn’t make one choice better than the other—it goes to show that everyone can have a different opinion, but it can still be important to them. We’re able to see the various perspectives and thought processes of people, which is so amazing and interesting.

Continuing with the theme of picking the same movie, I was able to speak to junior Ethan Russell as well as Art teacher Mrs. Roman. Both were drawn to the movie Elf. Ethan stated, “I like it because it’s funny and I recommend it to other people because I think they would like it too.” Mrs. Roman added on by saying, “I love the

innocence of the Christmas season it brings. I feel like it’s multigenerational and all ages can enjoy it.”

Everyone, no matter if they were a student or a teacher, have great choices and insight as to why these movies are their holiday favorites. Were any of their picks the same as yours? Maybe you found similarity between some of them, or maybe you even found a new movie to look into. Trying something new can’t hurt, so give it a try and expand your options. Don’t forget to grab a blanket as you curl up and relax on the couch as you watch your favorites this holiday season.

“A WHITE CHRISTMAS STANDS OUT TO ME. I ENJOY THE CLASSIC MUSIC AND THE STORYLINE HAS AN OVERALL GOOD CHRISTMAS MEANING.” -Ms. Kaine. English Teacher

“I LOVE THE INNOCENCE OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON THAT [ELF] BRINGS. I FEEL LIKE IT’S MULTIGENERATIONAL AND ALL AGES CAN ENJOY IT.” -Mrs. Roman. Art Teacher

THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: HOW IT EVOLVES THROUGH A LIFETIME

By SOPHIE SANDERS Staff Writer

Christmas, a holiday full of joy and magic, is loved by millions of people worldwide. The magic of Christmas is like no other; it lingers months before and after the holiday; however, does this magic stay consistent throughout a lifetime? As people grow up, their interpretation of Christmas slowly begins to change with them; their vision of the holiday can completely evolve overtime.

Using this knowledge, I decided to ask people around Roxbury High School and at home how their feelings towards Christmas have changed as they grew up.

Caitlyn Kramaritsch (12th grade):

“To me, Christmas

Q: What is your meaning of Christmas?

Has it changed as you grew up/do you believe it will change?

means spending time with family and celebrating the religious meaning of the holiday, as well. The meaning of Christmas has definitely changed for me because when I was little it was more about receiving gifts and seeing what people got…now I see Christmas as also giving back to my friends, family, and the community and appreciating what I have now. Christmas really should be more about giving back and remembering to be thankful for what we have.”

Victoria Sanders (Mother): “For me, the meaning of Christmas is spending time with family and giving to those who I love—such as gifts, cookies and just any way to show I care. It has changed as I have grown—I prefer to give than receive. I want to spoil my kids because they are amazing and work hard, and this is our opportunity to show them how much they mean to us. It will just grow our family and hopefully we have traditions that will last forever.”

Olga Killingbeck (Teacher): “Christmas is all about being excited about GIVING! Christmas is a holiday where you think about the people who are less fortunate than we are and to be generous…As a child I thought more about myself and Santa, however as I got older the more important thing for me was to make loved ones happy at Christmas. I was thinking more of getting that special person a perfect gift… At the end of the day, it's not what's under the Christmas tree that matters, it's who's around it!”

Cymone Stephens (10th grade): “When I was younger, there was an emphasis on Santa. Everything was about gifts, basically materialism and consumerism. As I've grown more mature and strong in my faith, I began to realize that Christmas is actually about the gift that was brought that day, the birth of Jesus, and the reverence of Him (Jesus).”

Mrs. Rispoli (Teacher): “Christmas means bright twinkling lights, hot cocoa with marshmallows, and long novels read under cozy blankets. It’s the time of year when generosity reigns, when love is shared openly, and when we reveal how much we’ve been listening to our loved ones as they open our carefully-chosen gift…Unlike my thinking that Christmas was about me making a list of what I wanted to receive, I believe that as we age we are given the opportunity to make magic for others—to give to others what would enhance their life, what they would never buy for themselves, what would show them that we respect and love them.”

As you can see, one's true meaning of Christmas can dramatically change as they begin to mature. Getting older means there are more eye opening experiences that can permanently change your vision of the holiday.

These experiences create new ideas that someone might not have understood before. Overall, talking to people about their evolution of the meaning of Christmas was really eye opening, and allowed me to understand the different and personal meanings of this special holiday.

December 2023

Page 3

WINTER: LOVE IT OR HATE IT?

By GAVIN GARDNER Co-Editor-in-Chief

The sun rises at five in the morning and begins setting not even twelve hours later—with warm highs of 47 degrees and lows that occasionally dip in the lower ‘teens, mounds of snow that pile on lawns and the side of roads, and millions of mixed and polarized opinions; that is when you know the Winter season is here.

Winter has been a disliked season throughout human history. Historically, Winter is the season of ‘death’ or ‘impending doom’ due to the cold temperatures causing crops and plant life to die, leading to the increase of illness and famine. However, in the modern day, we don’t suffer from the same risk of famine and fatal illnesses as we did a century or two ago.

With the industrial revolution and rapid modernization occurring throughout the 20th century, countries like ours have become so advanced in technology that the cold simply does not pose a significant threat anymore.

Hence, you now see people in shorts while it’s 20 degrees outside in the middle of January more than ever before—likely more than in all of history (excluding when we didn’t have clothes as cavemen).

According to research done by Pew Research Center and Stanford University, the majority of Americans prefer a warmer climate. Stanford University specifically cited the fact that during Winter people tend to vacation South to warmer climates, and people who retire in the northern parts of the country typically move to homes in Southern, more tropical climates. For example, smartasset.com stated that Florida saw the most number of retired senior residents move into the state, netting more than “78,000 senior residents from other states in 2021 – three times as many as the second-ranked state.”

Also, many people cite that they dislike the Winter because they have “Seasonal Depression.”

Many people state that, because the days are shorter with less sunlight, they get feelings of melancholy, fatigue, and social isolation frequently. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Less sunlight and shorter days are thought to be linked to a chemical change in the brain and may be part of the cause of Seasonal Depression.”

All of these factors—with the historic propensity rooted in the human DNA to prefer a warmer climate—all help explain why the majority of people dislike the Winter and would rather the warmer seasons like Summer or Spring.

On the other hand, however, many people absolutely love Winter for the variety of things the season offers.

Not only does the Winter season contain many holidays— such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's Eve, Kwanzaa, and many others. Winter

also offers a variety of sports and activities such as snowboarding, skiing, ice-skating, snowball fights, ice fishing, and many more. According to wanderlust.com, “Cold weather brings people together,” and with the holidays delivering “big family meals [and] endless gratitude” it just seems like “time moves a little bit slower than usual.”

Another factor that contributes to people's preference for temperature and season is actually one's sex. According to Pfizer, “Most healthy humans have an inner body temperature that hovers around 98.6 degrees F. But a University of Utah study published in the journal Lancet found that women’s core body temperatures can run 0.4 degrees F higher than men’s on average.” As a result of this, women’s hands can be significantly colder than the hands of a man, with the hands of women being “82.7 degrees F on average, compared with 90 degrees F for men.”

In other words, these original genes were nonsensically substituted with other genes. As modern humans moved to colder climates of the world the “prevalence of the 577X allele increased, suggesting a link between α-actinin-3 deficiency and improved cold tolerance.”

Hence, it is conceivable and probable that many of the people who absolutely love the cold or are unbothered by it are deficient of this genetic protein.

Ultimately, Winter is just another time of year that is unavoidable. So as the temperatures continue to dip, the snow begins to fall, and the moon rises into the starry night sky, it’s always important to remember that it’s just another day in life. Whether you love Winter or hate it, have a Happy Winter Break, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year Roxbury!

This is most likely the main reason why women typically dislike the cold (or have less tolerance to it) on average than men, simply because they’re colder everywhere except for the core. Additionally, not only does one's gender contribute to their propensity to enjoy colder weather, but their genetics and physique.

A pole of 62 students and staff at Roxbury High School, with 74.2% being female, stated that 35.5% of respondents’ favorite season were Autumn and an additional 35.5% stated their favorite season was Summer. 16.1% stated Spring was their favorite season, and the remaining 12.9% said Winter. Strangely, although 61.3% of respondents stated they prefer hot weather, 56.5% actually state they’d rather feel cold over hot.

According to Popular Science, studies done on both cold-water swimmers and hospital patients have shown that people with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) are less susceptible to hypothermia because fat insulates the body's core. This factor contributes to how people with high BMIs are less susceptible to the cold; on the contrary however, sciencedirect.com states that although individuals with high BMIs have “good cold tolerance due to the thermal insulation of the fat layer, some lean individuals also prefer cool environments,” simply showing how your tolerance to the cold can mainly be attributed to one's genetics.

Genetics simply determine every little thing about you, even things seemingly as significant as your tolerance to the cold. According to a study done in 2021 by the American Society of Human Genetics, the “loss of [the] α-actinin-3 [gene] during human evolution provides superior cold resilience and muscle heat generation.”

This genetic protein is absent in “1.5 billion people worldwide due to homozygosity for a nonsense polymorphism.”

Photo Courtesy of Live Science

Photo Courtesy of Roxbury School District

This graph represents research conducted

by Gavin Gardner; it signifies RHS students’ favorite seasons.

December 2023

Page 4

WHY IS CHEERLEADING STILL NOT RECOGNIZED AS A SPORT?

By MIA BACALHAU Staff Writer

The Roxbury High School cheerleading team is filled with hardworking and devoted individuals. This group of athletes placed 7th in the Nation in the All Girl Large Traditional Division at last year’s UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) National High School Cheerleading Championships, which takes place in the ESPN arena in Orlando, Florida. 7th in Nation… So why is it that cheerleading is still not recognized as an elite sport in the eyes of many?

So why is it that cheerleaders don’t get the same recognition as athletes in other sport teams at RHS? For one, there are still so many stereotypes about cheerleaders. In every teen drama film, the “mean girls” or “ dumb blondes” are always cheerleaders. But like every other sport at Roxbury High School, each cheerleader is held to the same academic expectations; if they are unable to maintain their grades, they will be prohibited from participating in practice until they write an appeal to administration. The team follows the same requirements all of the sports teams at RHS but are still seen as more of an “activity.”

Every August the RHS cheerleaders travel to Pennsylvania to attend a four day long camp, Pine Forest Cheerleading Camp, run by the Universal Cheerleading Association. They spend 10 hours in the blazing summer heat learning from the experienced staff members at the camp. By the end of their session, the team has learned many routines and compete with the hundreds of teams at the camp to win various awards. While many believe the cheerleaders spend their days dancing and hanging out with other teams, they’re both working hard for hours on end to benefit themselves and their team.

Photo Courtesy Ilyssa Maisano.

Cheerleading is a difficult and extremely time consuming sport. The RHS cheerleaders practice, on average, 13 hours a week—the extra hours of tumbling classes or other strength building resources each cheerleader might endure outside of practice. The team practices almost everyday of the week and are on their mats for 10 months out of the year. At RHS, cheerleading is the biggest sport prone to a series of injuries that causes a long lasting healing process. Jessica Pieper, freshman at Roxbury High School, was practicing before the team's first competition at North Hunterdon High School and fell from a stunt, breaking many ligaments in her foot.

Just like that, Pieper’s first season on a varsity level team was over.

You must persevere through the hardships and overcome your struggles—just like every other sport.

Photo courtesy of Wendy Schneider.

Imagine dedicating years of your life to a sport and feeling like you're being looked down upon by other sports or people in general. Cheerleaders train and work as hard as every other athlete. They’re working harder than many sports, spending hours draining their bodies, and winning national and world wide championships. So why are we still looking at cheerleaders as the “dumb blondes” in the movies?

As a cheerleader, you are expected to uphold an exceptional academic and health status. The RHS cheerleaders, with all they practice, have to maintain good stamina and ambition. In the summer heat, the cheerleaders run laps around the track at RHS before the start of every practice. During their competition season, if they drop a stunt during their fullouts at practice, they have to do a chain of conditioning and strength building exercises. In cheerleading, you have to complete a series of difficult stunt sequences and tumbling passes. To achieve these sequences safely and consistently, you must have a lot of core and leg strength. To be an athlete on a Varsity level or All-Star cheerleading team, you must be dedicated to put in the hours to be successful.

Photo Courtesy of Roxbury Sports Media.

SPRING TRAINING DURING THE HOLIDAYS

By VANESSA PENNELLA Staff Writer

As we know, it is Winter time; the cold weather, crisp air, snow falling, and the holiday season. No one is thinking about Spring sports, right? Wrong! Spring sports are already getting ready for their season.

The Roxbury High School spring sports—baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, golf, and tennis—are in the weight room to prepare for what they will face in the upcoming sports season. In the article “The Purple Tide” Kaitlyn Bartolutti says, “I feel like getting motivated during the winter is slightly more difficult than during other seasons. However, my club tournaments start in

about late January to February, so I keep myself in the best shape and mindset to be able to place well when tournaments start.”

is also showing what kind of player they are. Junior Eliana Okun said, “ It’s the most important part for your off season. That’s when you build muscle and confidence.”

During the winter season, sports such as basketball, ice hockey, swimming, wrestling, and indoor track, have less training time before their season. Baseball Coach Greg Trotter said, “As of now, we don't get enough time with the team ahead of the season opener. Absolutely not.”

Similarly, softball coach Paul Critelli says, “These coaches want more time for the girls and boys to get to know and be comfortable playing with each other before the seasons start.”

Everyone has a different opinion on winter training for spring sports. Is it good, bad, helpful, useless, too much, too little? Former softball player junior, Giada Campiglia said, “It gets you ready for the season and lets you gain muscle…” Another softball player, junior, Gracie Miceli says, “I think it helps a lot to get us stronger before the season starts.” Sometimes it is hard to get motivated Miceli and Okun added.

Training during the pre-season helps the teams stay in shape and keep their chemistry together. Working on skills with each other is not only helping one another, but

To conclude, Okun, Miceli, and Campiglia all feel like the training helps pre season. As hard as of work it is, it surely pays off.

December 2023

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WINTER ACTIVITIES IN THE BIG APPLE marriage proposals, date nights, families, and just fun nights out with friends. The gorgeous and magnificent Rockefeller Center was built in 1931, and has been crazy popular ever since.

By ALEXIS OLIVEIRA Staff Writer

Have you ever been to New York City during the winter time? Have you ever had the opportunity to experience a wonderful time in the Big Apple? If not, you should definitely consider taking a trip! New York City knows how to celebrate, with the festive season starting after Thanksgiving and lasting into the New Year. According to NBC New York, in the year 2019, the Big Apple hosted 66.6 million visitors. Despite the cold weather and hecticness, New York is a great place to visit during the holiday season. There are so many activities to fill your day with. There is so much to experience in the Big Apple this season, so here are some of the many fun things you can do!

Bryant Park

Bryant Park Ice Skating & Shopping Village

Continuing the amazing tradition of ice skating in the city, brings us to another extremely popular rink and shopping village, Bryant Park. Bryant Park is so unique because it offers a variety of exciting activities. If you have never been to Bryant Park, you are missing out on small holiday shops, food, gifts and so much more.

From jewellery and candles to artworks and homewares, Bryant Park provides it all. The Village is home to New York’s biggest Christmas market, open from the end of October to the beginning of January. This pop up Christmas market will leave your hands full and your pockets empty.

Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center Photo courtesy of rockefellercenter.com Of the variety of exciting activities that the Big Apple has to offer, ice skating is one of the most popular. There are a total of fifteen rinks available for ice skating in New York City, but the most popular by far is Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan. It is a tradition at Rockefeller, during every holiday season, they have millions of people from all over the world

CHECK IT OUT!

Its most famous show is the Christmas Spectacular, featuring the Rockettes, which has left Radio City sold out plenty of times.

Photo courtesy of discovernyc.tours

Rockefeller Center

skating on their ice. It has

and perfect formation moves.

hosted

thousands

of

Radio City Music Hall Stepping away from the ice of the rinks and the cold outdoors, leads us to the music world. Where millions of people come to enjoy a show filled with entertainment and fun. The Radio City Music Hall does a phenomenal job each year of showcasing unforgettable shows. Radio City hosts the very famous Rockettes, with high kicks

Radio City Music Hall Entrance Photo courtesy of smithsonianassociates.org Times Square An unforgettable time and late night, would be spending your New Years seeing the ball drop in Times Square.

Whether you go the night before to get a good spot, or the day of, watching the ball drop in person is so remarkable. Joining in the celebration at one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties around when the countdown starts at 10 and it is seconds away from 12:00 AM, is something everybody should experience at least once in their lifetime.

People have been gathering in the Square to mark the New Year since 1904, and the event now attracts millions of people from all over the world. As the tradition has grown tremendously throughout the years, and it is still exciting to this day.

December 2023

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OPINIONS: THE AMERICANIZATION OF HANUKKAH

By ABBIE ENTEL Staff Writer

As the holiday season approaches, stores and streaming services nationwide are releasing their holiday decorations and movies. Because of its proximity to Christmas, Hanukkah has become very mainstream and commercialized— especially when compared to other Jewish holidays in America. Christmas has also become a very commercialized and profitable holiday in America. However, Christmas is one of the most important holidays to the Christian faith, while Hanukkah is not one of the most important holidays in Judaism.

In Judaism the most important holiday is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement—which can be found in the Jewish scriptures, the Torah. Hanukkah is a rabbinic holiday, meaning the story is not found in the Torah, and instead was written in books years after the Torah by rabbis. Because Hanukkah is not in the Torah, this makes the holiday less important than those found in the scriptures.

Additionally, Yom Kippur is not a festive holiday, instead it is a day of fasting and repentance. This further

explains why Yom Kippur is not as commercialized as Hanukkah, as there are no celebratory decorations or entertainment to recognize this holiday. In American stores, there is a small possibility of finding Purim related decorations, and streaming services offer very limited Purim-related entertainment.

Hanukkah becoming recognized as a more festive holiday, specifically taking place in December alongside Christmas, makes it more well known. For instance, the Jewish holiday of Purim is an extremely festive holiday and is also a rabbinic holiday. It is celebrated by dressing up, sharing gift baskets, and delicious foods. However, this holiday takes place in March, which explains why there is barely any recognition or representation for this holiday.

Hanukkah also tends to be a holiday that the majority of Jewish people celebrate, including those who don’t partake in the less mainstream holidays. According to The Jewish People Policy Institute, 68% of American Jews believe that Hanukkah is one of the most important holidays. However, in Israel, only 38% of Israeli Jews believe Hanukkah is one of the most important holidays.

This is most likely due to the high Jewish population and more traditional Jewish representation in Israel.

Julian Cardillo from Brandeis University, states how the

Americanization of the minor holiday transformed Hanukkah. Before the 19th Century, in European countries—those who celebrated Hanukkah did not receive gifts for all eight nights, instead they celebrated with the lighting of the candles, food, and money instead of gifts. However, due to the proximity with Christmas, many Americans began to make Hanukkah similar to Christmas by giving gifts. Cardillo believes this was done as a way to compete with Christmas, or as a way to show Jewish children their holiday is just as special as Christmas.

The Judisches Museum of Berlin states how Christmas has become very commercialized in America, which has lead to the American Jews being bombarded with Christmas marketing. Jewish people saw Christmas as a competition towards Judaism, so to appease to Jewish families the tradition of giving gifts started. Additionally, American companies saw this uprising in Hanukkah and began to mass produce Hanukkah related items.

The minor Jewish holiday has turned into one major festive holiday for American profit. Due to the competitive American market, it has transformed the merriness of the holiday season. The Americanization of Hanukkah is actually damaging to the holiday, because it gives the wrong impression of what the holiday is about and it misrepresents its importance in Judaism.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT

By ANTHONY FITZPATRICK Staff Writer

Something so common, yet so often overlooked is seasonal depression. Seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that is specifically triggered by a specific season of the year—most commonly winter—though it can happen with any other season. According to the American Psychiatric Association, 5% of Americans suffer from SAD and it typically affects a person for around 40% of the year. Scientifically, it has been linked to a biochemical imbalance that occurs in the brain due to shorter daylight hours and less sunlight, which is why SAD is most commonly found during the winter season.

One of the main problems with seasonal depression is the fact that it commonly goes untreated and is frequently ignored by those who might have it. Many people tend to overlook the depressive symptoms and label it as something known as “winter blues,” which has led to many people only causing their SAD symptoms to potentially worsen. The common symptoms of seasonal

depression include feeling sad or in a depressed mood, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, changes in appetite, changes in sleep pattern, loss of energy, an increase in pacing around, difficulty concentrating or thinking, and thoughts of suicide.

Thankfully, the modern age of medicine and its many advancements and innovations allow for several possible ways to combat and treat seasonal depression and its symptoms. These treatments include light therapy, antidepressant medications, therapy, or various combinations of these methods of treatment.

The first method mentioned, light therapy, is by far the most interesting of them all. Light therapy is a form of mental therapy that involves sitting in front of a light therapy box that emits a very bright light that filters out harmful UV rays. This method typically only takes around 20 minutes per day and users usually see results within one or two weeks of beginning treatment.

The second one is antidepressant medications, which are the same type of medications used to treat other forms of depression. While antidepressants can technically treat seasonal depression, they are usually used as a last resort

by psychiatrists as they can potentially become dangerously addictive when taken.

The final method is talk therapy or talking to someone about your feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Therapy is commonly recommended and by far the most recommended treatment option for seasonal depression.

This can be achieved in multiple ways, whether it be with a licensed therapist or with a close friend whom you feel comfortable and trust. Sometimes, it can benefit those suffering from the symptoms of SAD to talk to the people around them who care. Another way to help control or lessen the symptoms of SAD is to devote more time to yourself and focus on various self-care practices; this can help guide you in a better and more positive direction mentally.

As always, your mental health is incredibly important, if you are suffering from the symptoms listed in this article, please visit a mental health professional to make sure you are taking care of yourself and those around you.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

December 2023

Page 7

WAYS TO GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON The holiday season is not only about giving and receiving gifts but also spending time with the people you love the most. Unfortunately, not everybody can do that. You may be wondering, well how can I help? Here are a few ways that you can give back to your community this year. It takes very little effort to make a very big difference in somebody's life, so be the change you want to see and lend a helping hand this holiday season.

Rox-THON An easy way to give back within the school is to donate to and/or participate in Rox-THON! Rox-THON is an event held at RHS every year that fundraises money for families of children battling cancer. The event consists of dancing, games, raffles, and many more fun activities throughout the night.

This year, it will be hosted on March 15th, 2024 from 7 pm to 7am. (Optional: stay until 11 pm). To participate, you must raise at least $50 for your individual page on the Rox-THON fundraising website, which is a great way to get others involved!

The event is run by the Rox-THON club, which consists of students who are passionate about giving back! Leader Katie Caron, exclaims that “Rox-THON is a super fun and easy way to give back and get involved!”

CHECK IT OUT!

Additionally, Leader Dom Maltese, an entertainment captain at Rox-THON, claimed “Rox-THON is one of the best ways to help out children who are diagnosed with cancer. The best part about Rox-THON is that you get to party all night long with your friends while also helping fight for children who are battling their own experiences with cancer!” Rox-THON is an amazing

Counties.

The last day to drop off any will be on December 16th, but, if you can't manage to get there by then, you can always donate on their website (dover-nj.toysfortots.org).

Roxbury Social Services Roxbury Social Services is another great way to give back locally. Located at 72 Eyland Avenue Succasunna, the building right next to Horseshoe Lake is a spot you can't miss. Social Services collects items all year round, but the demand for donations rises during the season of giving to help as many families as possible.

Items that are most highly requested include clothes, toys, and food. More specifics can be found on their website, www.friendroxburysocialservices.org.

Proceeds are given directly to the families in need, and are often made into prepared gift baskets made by volunteers.

According to their website, Roxbury Social Services’ overall mission is to “provide aid that will improve the quality of life and foster a sense of community for all.”

They are dedicated to helping others, and donating through them is a great way to give back locally.

Toys for Tots Toys for Tots is an additional organization that provides toys to children over the holiday season. Their closest donation location stop to drop off any unwrapped gifts can be found at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway, NJ—where they represent U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

A recent study found that Toys for Tots donated a total of 230,609 toys to 187,500 children in 2022. Toys for Tots sends the toys donated to the program to 7 different counties in New Jersey. Those counties are Sussex, Essex, Morris, Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, and Warren

Overall, Toys for Tots is a great way to help make the holiday season a little extra special for kids like us!

As Roxbury citizens, it is our duty to help out and spread joy to everybody, especially the ones who need it most.

Additionally, most of these organizations are located less than 5 minutes away! You can help out by providing for others who may be less fortunate, especially during the season of giving, when many get caught up in the havoc of the holidays.

When you lend a helping hand this season, you are not only are you helping others but you are also spreading the holiday cheer to everybody in our community.

Keep in mind that opportunities like these are all over, not just in Roxbury, so check other local organizations to see if there are any other ways you can get involved this holiday season! Many towns have a variety of different organizations available for anybody interested in giving back this time of year.

If you are willing to help make this holiday season the best it's ever been, take a minute to see if you can participate/donate to any of these organizations. Be the change you want to see, and lend a helping hand this holiday season. Happy Holidays, Roxbury!

Rox-Thon participants displaying the total amount raised at their event on March 10, 2023.

Photo courtesy of Tori Gonzalez.

By KATIE RITTGER & TAYLOR SCHAUBLE Staff Writers

way to help support children with pediatric cancer, and one of the most fun events available at Roxbury High School. If you want to help out through our school, sign up, raise money, and get ready to THON!

December 2023

Page 8

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS

By ISABELLA MARTELL Staff Writer

Christmas is celebrated worldwide on December 25th every year. Over the years, Christmas traditions have been changed and new ones have been created. Many religions, countries, and groups of people celebrate Christmas differently. Popular ways people celebrate this holiday are by exchanging gifts, going to church, decorating a Christmas tree or house, and leaving cookies and milk out for Santa Claus. In the United States, Christmas has been recognized as a national holiday since 1870.

Many people may ask: How did Christmas begin? Some people might just think it was the birth of Jesus that created this holiday. But, according to Britannica, the exact day that Jesus was born is not exactly identified, though December 25th is the widely accepted date. As said by History.com, even before Jesus was born, early Europeans celebrated light and birth even during the darkest days in the Winter season. Many groups of people also gathered to celebrate the Winter Solstice and the soon coming brighter and warmer days.

Before the creation of Christmas, a holiday called Yule was celebrated in various countries around the world.

Yule was celebrated from the beginning of the Winter Solstice, December 21st, through January. According to History.com, people would celebrate this holiday by burning logs of wood, and each spark that came from the

logs would signify a new calf or pig that would be born the following year. The word Yule referred to the feast of the Winter Solstice, and the people burning the logs would feast during the time they were burning.

Additionally, Germany honored a God named Oden during this time of year. Germans were scared of this god, and History.com states that Oden was believed to create nocturnal flights throughout the sky to observe his people. After observing, Oden would then decide who could stay and who would perish. Due to this decision, many people decided to stay indoors—away from the flights’ vision.

During this time of year, Romans also celebrated a holiday that honored Saturn and the god of Agriculture, Saturnalia. During this month-long celebration, enslaved people were temporarily given freedom and treated equally. As well, a holiday named Juvenalia honored the children of Rome and was celebrated by the Romans with a feast. In Rome, December 25th was celebrated as the birthday of Mithra, the God of the Sun. Christians and Romans saw December 25th as the rebirth of the sun and the birth of the son.

In the early 17th century, the celebration of Christmas was banned in England. Puritan forces took over in England in 1645 and religious reform changed the way the holiday was celebrated in Europe. Christmas was also not a holiday in the early years of America. From 1659 to 1681, celebrating Christmas became outlawed in Boston, and anyone seen celebrating it was fined. This holiday was seen to be a wasteful festival that threatened

Christian beliefs. Due to all these events, Christmas was soon canceled, and did not become a federal holiday until June 26th, 1870.

Now, Christmas is celebrated much differently. In the 19th century, Americans “reinvented” Christmas, and the holiday was changed from being sad to being peaceful and family-centered. In 1828, New York’s city council instituted the first police force for a Christmas riot and, from that, people began to change the way Christmas was celebrated in the United States.

Some may also be wondering: How was Santa Claus created? Santa Claus was based on a Turkish monk named St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas helped others by giving away his money and traveling to various places helping those in need. In the late 18th century, families gathered around to honor “Sint Nikolaas” or “SinterKlaas” which was where the name “Santa Claus” originated. Over time, Santa Claus’ red suit, sleigh, gift giving, and jolly personality were created as well and turned into the Santa Claus we all know today.

The holiday story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was published around the time of the riots, as well. In this story, the overall message was the importance of good, peace, and enjoyment. This story showed many people around the world the benefits of celebrating Christmas, instead of only exposing the bad things that have happened because of it.

Christmas allowed families to honor each other, give each other gifts, and just be happy overall.

TAYLOR SWIFT NAMED TIME MAGAZINE’S ‘PERSON OF THE YEAR’

By KATIE CARON Editor-in-Chief KATIE RITTGER & TAYLOR SCHAUBLE Staff Writers

Karma is her boyfriend! The self-made billionaire, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift was named the 2023 ‘Person of the Year’ by Time Magazine. Swifties all over the world celebrated this historic moment in her remarkable career, making her the first woman crowned ‘Person of The Year’ twice.

The tradition of the award started back in 1927 under the title ‘Man of The Year’. The title then changed to ‘Person of the Year’ in 1999. Every year, the magazine picks a person who has dominated headlines over the past 12 months—for better or worse. Some past winners include Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr., and Greta Thunberg. Some of the individuals who Swift was up against this year include King Charles III, Barbie, and Vladimir Putin.

Swift took over the headlines this past year with news related to her Eras Tour which took off in March and is expected to gross $5.7 billion upon its conclusion. Swift also had two album releases including Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version). She even took over sports headlines when she began dating the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce.

Swift has become an inspiration to multiple generations and continuously dominates the music industry. Just this year she had multiple #1 hits on the Billboard Top 100 including “Cruel Summer,” “Karma,” and “Anti-Hero”.

In addition to the 1989 vault track “Is It Over Now?”, also being a #1 hit, Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album became her 13th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.

On top of her accomplishments in the music industry, Swift has influenced other industries, as well. The release of her Eras Tour film led the theater chain AMC to have its highest single-day ticket sales in history. Friendship bracelets, which became popular among her fans to trade at concerts, caused as much as a 500% increase in sales at craft stores, according to the Time

article.

Swift also used her influence to encourage over 35,000 new voters to register which, according to CBS, was a 22.5% increase from last year. The singer-songwriter also has at least ten college courses focused on her music and career, including one at Harvard University. The professor of Harvard’s course, Stephanie Burt, told Time Magazine that she plans to compare Swift’s work to that of the poet William Wordsworth.

Whether you love or hate Taylor Swift, everyone can admit she continues to have a profound influence on the world; she will continue to break records and stay prominent in news headlines. The world is excited to see what Swift has in store next and her devoted fans are looking forward to it.

Photo courtesy of Time Magazine

December 2023

Page 9

SHINING A LIGHT ON SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

By EMILY CEGIELNIK Staff Writer

The symptoms are most severe during December, January, and February. SAD is sometimes known as “Winter Depression” because the symptoms are more apparent and severe during the Winter months.

The exact causes of SAD still are not clear, but research suggests that the causes are similar to depression—but some factors lead specifically to Seasonal Affective Disorder.

If you are diagnosed with SAD, you may experience some of the signs and symptoms below—however, SAD can be different for each person and vary from season-to-season, so you may experience other kinds of feelings that aren't listed:

Studies indicate that people with SAD, especially winter-pattern SAD, have reduced levels of the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate mood. Research also suggests that sunlight affects levels of molecules that help maintain normal serotonin levels.

● ● ●

Fatigue Difficulty concentrating Feeling sad, low, tearful, melancholy, or hopeless Feeling anxious, angry, and agitated Being more prone to physical health problems, such as colds, infections, or other illnesses Sleeping too much, or having difficulty waking up (common with SAD in winter) Changes in your appetite; for example, feeling hungrier or not wanting to eat Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)

Shorter daylight hours may prevent these molecules from functioning properly, contributing to decreased serotonin levels in the winter. Vitamin D deficiency may cause these problems in people with winter-pattern Seasonal Affective Disorder, because Vitamin D is believed to promote Serotonin activity.

Winter-pattern SAD should not be confused with the “holiday blues”—feelings of sadness or anxiety brought on by stress at certain times of the year. The depression associated with SAD is related to changes in daylight hours, not the calendar, so stresses associated with the holidays or predictable seasonal changes in work or school schedules, family visits, and are not associated SAD.

There are treatments available to help people cope with SAD. You can start consuming Vitamin D supplements, eating a balanced diet, engaging in physical activity, meditation, and light therapy. Discussing a personalized treatment plan with a healthcare provider can be helpful.

A provider can help you decide not only the best treatment option but also the best timing to help prevent depressive episodes.

● ●

Photo Courtesy of Wellable Many people go through short periods when they down sad or unlike their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. Many people feel "down" or have the "Winter Blues" when the days get shorter in the Fall and Winter and feel better in the spring when longer daylight hours return.

In more scientific terms, this is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the early fall and most likely continue through the remainder of the winter season.

● ● ●

In addition to Vitamin D consumed in food, the body produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight on the skin. With less daylight in the winter, people with SAD may have lower Vitamin D levels,—further reducing serotonin activity.

INEXPENSIVE WAYS TO ENJOY WINTER BREAK

By BECCA CORRADO Staff Writer

The holiday season can be a financial hardship for many: those who do not work, children buying gifts for their friends, adults who buy gifts for their children, etc. How can these individuals make their winter holidays more enjoyable?

We asked students at Roxbury High School what their favorite inexpensive activities are during winter break: Avery Shluker, a sophomore at Roxbury High School, gave ideas for those who enjoy going outside. Shluker says that she enjoys building snowmen with her little sisters, Blake and Addison. Shluker tells us that this helps to bring them closer. Shluker states that she also

enjoys having snowball fights, taking walks, going sledding, and building igloos with her sisters.

bank in Clifton, especially around the holidays. We love to give back to the community when we know it is hard.”

However, if your preference is staying home and being inside, sophomore, Elizabeth Ricucci has ideas on how to enjoy the indoors. Ricucci states she enjoys “building gingerbread houses, baking, reading a book, having her friends over.” Ricucci also states that she enjoys having family game nights, as it brings her and her family closer.

On the other hand, freshman Kiley Thogode prefers spending time at a library picking out a new book! Along with this, Thogode likes to go to the gym. She goes with her friends and thinks that it helps their relationship grow—along with their muscles!

Enzo Bianchi, a junior at Roxbury High School, states that he likes to go out without spending money; Bianchi helps volunteer by shoveling a neighbor's driveway!

Although this may seem more like a chore, it will help the neighbors a ton, especially if they are elderly.

In a recent interview with Gabriela Henriquez, a sophomore, says “My mom and I love going to a food

During the winter break, everyone is capable of cheap and entertaining things to do when bored. While not everyone has the same interests, there are plenty of fun and inexpensive activities to try. This can be as simple as making a cup of hot chocolate and watching a movie. So sit back, relax, and enjoy your winter break—without breaking the bank!

December 2023

Page 10

ELVIS vs. PRISCILLA & THE PORTRAYAL AND LEGACY OF ELVIS PRESLEY

By KATIE CARON Co-Editor-in-Chief

Following the release of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis just one year ago comes a new Presley-inspired film. Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla was released in theaters this past November, sparking talk once again about the King of Rock N’ Roll and the legacy he leaves behind. Both movies also bring up a major question: how do we remember Elvis Presley?

Elvis starring Austin Butler received many praises during its June 2022 release. The movie is told through Presley's corrupt manager Colonel Tom Parker, who tells the story of Presley’s rise to fame all the way to his early death at just 42 years old. The movie sparked a new generation’s love for Presley, as well as uplifting his legacy and taking those who were fans of him while he was at large back in time. The movie won multiple awards, including Butler's Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.

Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge star as Elvis and Priscilla Presley in Elvis (2022) Photo Courtesy: yahoo.com However, the release of Priscilla starring Cailee Spaeny, cut the golden legacy of Elvis short. The movie tells the story of Priscilla and Elvis Presley’s controversial relationship through the eyes of Priscilla, who was just 14 years old when she met Elvis. (This was when he was stationed in Germany during his stint in the army.) The

film is based off of Priscilla Presley's book “Elvis and Me,” which was published in 1985.

Both movies portray Elvis in very different ways. Elvis shows the public figure of Presley while including some of the behind-the-scenes issues, such as his drug addiction; however, the film shines a light on Prelsey that makes him out to be a hero whose life was cut short. This image is contradicted in Priscilla. The movie captures Presley as a husband who was manipulative and abusive.

For example, one of the most iconic scenes in Elvis depicts is the moment Elvis and Priscilla meet and have their first kiss at one of his parties. At the time, Elvis was 24 and Priscilla was 14. The scene is portrayed as romantic and a wholesome moment in the 2022 film, with “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” playing in the background. In contrast, Priscilla portrays it as an awkward and uncomfortable scene, making the audience really feel the age difference between the two.

Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ daughter, who passed away in January, made comments about Priscilla before her early death. In emails to director Sofia Coppola obtained by Variety, Presley calls the movie script “shockingly vengeful and contemptuous,” and stated that “My father only comes across as a predator and manipulative. As his daughter, I don’t read this and see any of my father in this character.”

towards her mother: “I am worried she doesn’t understand the intentions behind this film or the outcome it will have.”

Her mother, however, was the executive producer of the film and praised it after its release. “I think it's right on, to be honest with you.” The 78 year old then continued to thank Coppola for her handling of the story. “I love her filmmaking. I think she does a great job. She is for women, and when she approached me about doing a movie about me, I was moved by it.”

Fans of the film also praised Coppola for showing the woman's side of the story. However, people also disagreed with the film, especially after Priscilla Presley admitted to exaggerating parts of her memoir. Supporters of Elvis claimed that it ruined his public image and legacy.

This leaves an interesting question to all generations of Presley fans, but mostly the younger generation that Luhrmann’s film inspired: how do we remember Elvis Presley and the legacy he leaves behind? Although, The King Of Rock N’ Roll’s legacy will continue to be debated it’s important to remember that the story will always come from a biased perspective. Everyone will always have a different story to tell, and it’s important to remember that when watching these movies.

Priscilla Presley, however, did praise Luhrmann’s 2022 film. She called it “a break from suffering and a ray of light that hit us” and continued her praise by stating, “It made [his granddaughters] feel blessed for a moment and less cursed in life. It made us all so proud because it was a true depiction of who he really was.”

However, even after Lisa Marie expressed her concerns in multiple emails, Coppola continued to keep the cameras rolling after making only a few minor changes to the script. Lisa Marie then focused her concerns

Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elodi star as Elvis and Priscilla Presley in Priscilla (2023) Photo Courtesy: People.com

CHECK IT OUT!

December 2023

Page 11

OPINIONS: DON’T LET THE LIGHT GO OUT

By ELIANA OKUN Staff Writer

People drive through suburban neighborhoods during the holiday season to catch glimpses of glowing Christmas lights. But some houses host a smaller, simpler set of lights in their window: a menorah.

But Vicki Anne Crane, a 29-year-old Jewish writer who lives in San Diego, won’t be putting a menorah in her window for Hanukkah this year. She hadn’t last year either. It isn’t because she doesn’t celebrate it, it’s because she is afraid to do so publicly. If this isn’t a call for help, then what is?

In a survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee, one of four respondents claimed to, “avoid certain places, events or situations out of fear” for not only their “safety” but their “comfort as a Jew.” Almost 1,200 respondents said they avoided “publicly wearing, carrying or displaying things that might help people identify” them as Jewish–meaning, not wearing any symbols that represent Judaism. Displaying the Hanukkah menorah in the window is a time-honored

tradition,” said Dr. Steven Bayme, the American Jewish Committee’s director of Contemporary Jewish Life. “The message is a very inspiring one for America as a whole, about religious freedom, tolerance and Jews having the right to their own fate.” Unfortunately, many Jewish people feel that they don’t get to have the right to their own fate.

During Hanukkah, it’s a tradition for Jews to light the menorah and place it on the windowsill; it symbolizes their freedom of religion without fear of persecution. But with Anti-Semitism on the rise, many wonder what to do with their menorah this year.

Brenda Claveloux, a 64-year-old in Union, New Jersey said, “We normally put an electric menorah right on the house every year but for the last two years, I have been afraid to do so. My concern is that my grandchildren would be here and could suffer from an Anti-Semitic attack on our home.”

Abigail Esman, a 59-year-old journalist stated, “I would feel uncomfortable with my neighbors looking at me (with my menorah in the window) and knowing I’m a Jew,” said Esman. “I would be afraid of being attacked in the street, throwing stones in my window [or] having

my house set on fire.”

Hatred is deterring Jewish people from demonstrating their faith. The First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution says that everyone in the United States has the right to practice his or her own religion or no religion at all. This not only needs to be reminded to those practicing Judaism, but those who loathe another on the basis of religion.

During the holiday season, it's a great time for the communities to celebrate the holidays together. At the end of the day, we should all be able to display religious objects and practice all religions without feeling persecuted. No one should feel unsafe when it comes to worshiping whoever or whatever they believe in.

“IF I PUT A MENORAH IN MY WINDOW, I’M AFRAID THAT SOMEONE’S GOING TO BREAK THAT WINDOW OR HURT ME.” -Vicki Anne Crane, a San Diego Journalist

OPINIONS: WHEN DOES THE HOLIDAY SEASON START?

By AVERY SHLUKER Staff Writer

while I was on vacation in Maryland during the summer, I went to a water park and, even though it was over ninety degrees outside, there were many Christmas inflatables up and Christmas music was playing from all of the speakers.)

The holiday season is arguably the most exciting part of the year since many people find joy in things like decorating, festive music, and getting together with loved ones. These are all very common during this time of the year. The fact that it is at the end of the calendar year also makes it a time people look back on the memories they have made over the year. But how do we know when the holiday season actually starts?

Becca Corrado, an 11th grader at Roxbury High School, enjoys getting into spirit during the summer. She said, “During the summer there are some occasions where I wish it could be the holiday season already, so I like to listen to Christmas music or watch Christmas TikToks to cheer me up.”

However, this can be a very controversial opinion because it seems that people using this logic often tend to oversee the holiday Thanksgiving. This is why many prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving to begin ‘celebrating’ Christmas.

In contrast, another 11th grader from RHS, Sophie Sanders, claims “When it’s summer I don’t even want to think about Christmas.” Instead, Sophie thinks, “... it's appropriate to start getting into the holiday spirit after Halloween.”

Gabe Farkas, a 10th grader at RHS, explains that, “People shouldn’t start doing things like decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving since it is taking away from the holiday…Thanksgiving is still important to lots of people in America.”

Many people agree with Sanders, including the famous singer Mariah Carey who “defrosted” the day after Halloween; she made it known that she thinks people should start getting into spirit by listening to holiday music on her social media accounts.

In the end, everyone has their own ideas about when the official starting point of the holiday season is and you should stick with the one that makes you the happiest.

After all, the holiday season is about bringing joy to everyone. So, when you’re trying to decide when to begin celebrating the holiday season, make the decision that brings you the most joy!

There are four different types of people when it comes to this controversial topic: those who don’t celebrate, those who start after Thanksgiving, those who start after Halloween, and those who celebrate all throughout the year.

As the temperature starts to drop outside, the anticipation starts to grow and people start to get into the holiday spirit. This isn’t the case for everyone; some people even like to celebrate the holidays during the summer— knowing Christmas is still months away. A common example of this is ‘Christmas in July,’ a day when people participate in holiday activities in July.

(For example,

According to psychologist Deborah Serani, people who decorate for Christmas early tend to be happier. Serani

suggests, “Christmas decorating will spike dopamine, a feel-good hormone.” She goes on to say this is especially because it is something pleasing humans do that is not normal during most of the year—meaning, the earlier your Christmas decorations are up, the more joy you can get out of it!

December 2023

Page 12

HOW DO YOU GET INTO THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT? Everyone knows that the holiday season is the most cheerful time of year. There are many traditions and activities people do to get themselves in the spirit of the season. Students and staff at Roxbury High School were

By LILY POLSTER Staff Writer

LEEANA CUMMINGS

sophomore “I watch holiday movies with my family.”

MR. GEARY Math Teacher “I find ugly Christmas sweaters festive and fun. Every year we get our tree on Black Friday and put it up.”

PAIGE MCMILLAN & GIANNA HOLNESS

sophomores “Decorating, making cookies, seeing family, and Secret Santa.”

“SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY, LISTENING TO TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS MUSIC, AND DRINKING HOT COCOA.” - Gavin Gardner

LANCE GUTICOLL

senior

SHAY JACKSON & NICOLE DIBELLO

freshmen

“I go on vacation with my family.”

“Decorate, listen to Christmas music, and watch movies.”

“I ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH MY DAUGHTERS & MAKING HOLIDAY TREATS.”

“I LIKE PUTTING UP MY TREE AND LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC.”

-Mrs. Zeris

-Olivia Oxenstein

FCS Teacher

asked how they get into the holiday spirit. Activities such as cooking, baking, watching movies, giving back, decorating, and any other, are all options they could've chosen from!

NICOLE TESSADRI

MRS. KELLY

freshman

FCS Teacher

“Decorating my house with lights and lighting up my tree puts me in holiday mood.”

“I always like to get hot cocoa from Starbucks because it always puts me in the holiday mood… and decorate my house.”

“SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY.” - Mateo Sosa & Nick Di Andrea

DYLAN COOPER

juniors

sophomore

sophomore

junior

“I play fortnite and make hot cocoa.”

WINTER TIME AT ROXBURY HIGH SCHOOL

By SOPHIA CHIRICO Staff Writer

QUESTION: What Makes The Holiday Season So Special?

Winter is finally here and with that comes the magical time of the holiday season. Many people enjoy this season, because there are so many exciting things to do

including watching your favorite Christmas movies, making hot chocolate, seeing the streets glow with lights and decorations, and the feeling the happiness all around.

With the holidays right around the corner, there is a lot to look forward to. It is a time when lifelong memories are made and people come together.

Students at Roxbury High School were asked questions

related to the winter time and the holidays.

Roxbury High School students are looking forward to winter break and having a good time celebrating the holidays. Winter time is filled with joy and cheer with many fun activities to partake in. This time of year is really special, so make the most out of it and cherish the moments because it goes by quickly!

AVERY SHULKER

ISABELLA CONTRERAS

GABRIELLA CHIRICO

SHANE KREEL

Sophomore

Sophomore

Sophomore

Freshman

“The decoration, the music, and the anticipation of the holidays”

“Getting together with all my family”

“Wearing comfortable,

“I can see my family for the holidays that I don’t get to see often”

warm layers of clothing… because it is so cold out”

MIA BACALHAU Sophomore “Being with my family and the magic of Christmas”