The Daily Northwestern — Holiday Guide 2013 — Dec. 4, 2013

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2 Holiday Guide | the daily northwestern

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The best holiday episodes to watch during break

By Michele Corriston daily senior staffer @mcorriston

Winter Break will inevitably lead to long, emotional dates with your Netflix account. If you want to watch some seasonally appropriate episodes, look no further— here are some of the best.

“The O.C.” — “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” (2003) You want your menorah or a candy cane? In Orange County, you don’t have to choose. This episode unites Jesus and Moses and invents a grassroots holiday that became a hyped up “cultural zeitgeist” by 2004. Season two may have brought us the yamaclaus (Lindsay’s only worthwhile contribution), but season one is where the magic began. Seth is adorkable as always, Ryan smolders as he tries to forget boozy Christmases in Chino and Marissa ruins a perfectly good South Coast Plaza shopping montage by stealing a watch. Oy humbug.

And of course, the Seth-Summer-Anna love triangle reaches its cringeworthy conclusion: Summer does a Wonder Woman striptease, Anna draws her own comic book and Seth offers them both identical “Seth Cohen Starter Pack” gifts. Still, it’s hard not to be swayed by Seth during Chrismukkah: Only Adam Brody can make ugly reindeer sweaters seriously sexy.

“Friends” — “The One with the Holiday Armadillo” (2000)

Source: Facebook

tv wonderland This Winter Break, make sure you catch some old holiday episodes while doing your TV binge-watching. An early episode of “The O.C.” is among the best.

The Daily Northwestern Holiday Guide Editors Sophia Bollag Jeanne Kuang

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” — “Amends” (1998) “Amends” finds Angel back to his soulful old self after a stint as his murderous alter ego Angelus. Sure, he’s haunted by the ghosts of his vampiric victims, and they’re far more vengeful than the Ghost of Christmas Past. But he’s still sexy, and Buffy knows it. Just listen to David Boreanaz working that Irish accent in the flashback sequences. Throughout the episode, everyone complains about how hot it is in Sunnydale. Cordelia escapes to Aspen. Joyce cranks the A.C. so she can light a seasonally appropriate fire. But the joke’s on you, Scooby Gang. As Buffy convinces Angel not to kill himself in the sunrise to satisfy the First Evil, she tearfully reveals her love and a piano softly weeps in the background, snow begins to fall on the Hellmouth, right in the middle of Southern California. There is no sun! Their love is eternal, guys! Fifteen years later, I’m still crying.

“The Office” — “Christmas Party” (2005) One word: teapot. Jim’s Secret Santa present to Pam, a teapot filled with mementos of their inside jokes, is too cute. Too bad Michael turns the gift giving into a game of Yankee Swap. Or Nasty Christmas. White elephant? Michael calls it “fun,” but Dwight is probably most accurate in his description, “Machiavelli meets Christmas.” Regardless, the fallout prompts Michael to buy 15 handles of vodka for the 20 office workers, leading to a hilarious night of drunken hijinks, awkward dance moves, photocopies of Kevin’s butt and Meredith stripping down. In the end, Pam swaps her video iPod for Jim’s teapot, a sweet hint of their romance to come. michelecorriston2014@u.northwestern.edu

Check out dailynorthwestern.com for breaking news and more holiday guide coverage

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In another take on the Christmas/Hanukkah conflict, Ross invents the Holiday Armadillo to try to teach his son Ben about Hanukkah. Chandler, dressed as Santa, swoops in and steals Ben’s attention, but in the end, Santa and Superman (played by Joey flexing his fake muscles and soap opera acting skills) listen as the Armadillo recounts the story of the Maccabees in which Superman

flew all the Jews out of Egypt. There’s Phoebe and her hilarious Christmas trimmings, a skull right on the kitchen table. It’s an old Buffay tradition “to remind us, that even though it’s Christmas, people still die.”

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the daily northwestern | HOliday Guide 3

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Mariachi NU gets festive

By Tyler Pager

the daily northwestern @tylerpager

This holiday season may look and sound a little different — that is, if you’re going to be serenaded

by Mariachi Northwestern. Although its repertoire contains holiday classics such as “Merry Christmas,� the band blends the traditional melodies with a Hispanic twist.

Alejandro Serrano, a singer in the band, said the variety of instruments contributes to the group’s distinct sound. “The fact that we can all come together, and we can all sing, I would say gives it more of a kick,� the Weinberg sophomore said. “There is just more energy being put into the music than you would hear it from listening to it on the radio.�

Mariachi NU is composed of 13 members from all six schools and different backgrounds. Founder and president Daniel Flores said audiences are attracted to the group’s diversity. “The make-up of our group, being so diverse, I think anyone that listens to us immediately gravitates towards the music and really embraces it because

they can see someone like themselves in the group,� the Communication senior said. “They just enjoy the music in that sense even though they may have not been exposed to it before.�

The band kicked off its holiday season at Evanston’s Holiday Bash, where it performed at different stores in downtown Evanston. ASG senator Isaac Rappoport, a member of the community relations committee, said the group was selected to perform because of its high energy and uniqueness. “The minute anybody sees them, they smile,� the Weinberg freshman said. “It’s not hard to understand what a Mariachi band is, but it’s something you didn’t expect ... so I think people really like it.�

Flores added that Mariachi NU’s performances embody the holiday spirit. “It’s just a very lively, bright sound to Mariachi, and that’s the same kind of vibe you get during the holiday season,� he said. “You get very excited or high energy and just having that sound to Mariachi — they pair pretty well.�

The groups next performances are Dec. 12 at Sheil Catholic Center for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Jan. 23 at Willard Elementary School. tylerpager2017@u.northwestern.edu

‘Oh, Christmas tree’

Brian Lee/ Daily Senior Staffer

All of the lights Many children attended the tree lighting at the annual Downtown Evanston Holiday Bash. Associated Student Government and several performing student groups worked with officials from Downtown Evanston to help with the celebration.

‘Tis the season to explore: traditions from around the world By sofia rada

the daily northwestern

Everyone has their favorite holiday traditions, but sometimes we need a new twist in our festivities. This year you may want to borrow some ideas from around the world to spice up this special time of year.

If you like the idea of caroling, but are tired of “Jingle Bells� and “Let it Snow,� you may like to try out a “posada.� In Mexico and Central America, friends and family gather to go from house to house (or simply window to window around the perimeter of a house) while singing. Edwin Argueta, a McCormick freshman from Honduras, explained that the tradition “re-enacts Mary and Joseph’s trip to find a place for Jesus to be born.� Once the song narrating the journey ends, the people playing Joseph and Mary are invited inside to join the celebration. Argueta says this may include listening to a priest or talking about the Bible

but always “dancing a little bit and eating.� You may not be religious or even Christian, but you may want to try your hand at adding some of this Latin flare to your Winter Break, even if it just means asking family to serenade you before you allow them inside.

As for eating, it may be that you’d like something other than turkey or ham this year. If so, consider eating carp instead. According to Communication sophomore Adam Pecena, this is the tradition in the Czech Republic, where some eat the fish store-bought, while others “keep the carp in their bathtub and kill it themselves.� However, children are not supposed to eat anything all day until the big dinner, probably so they “don’t fill themselves up with the traditional pastries and sweets.� You may not be keen on fasting all day for some fresh fish, but the fortunetelling traditions of the Czech Christmas might interest you. Cut an apple horizontally in half, and “if the hole left by the seeds looks like a star, then you’ll be in good health and luck for the next year,� Pecena said.

Another way to quite literally brighten up your holidays is by embracing some traditions from Colombia and Ecuador. In Colombia, Dec. 7 marks “Dia de las Velitas.� McCormick freshman Esteban Mercado, who is from Colombia, said on this day, “everyone lights candles outside with friends and family,� cities hold light shows and “there are fireworks everywhere� all through December.

On New Year’s Day, Ecuador lights up as well. “People make ‘old years’ in the shapes of characters out of paper mache, stuff them with fireworks and then light them up,� said Mercado, who lived in Ecuador for five years. Fire and lights aside, you can also get a taste of South American traditions by enjoying the typical bunuelos, fried dough balls, with natilla, a sweet milk and rice spread.

However, the traditions don’t stop there for South America. In Brazil, it all comes down to the beach.

On Dec. 31, people come together for what Carol Schivartche, a Communication freshman from Brazil,

calls “the best part of the year.� For this New Year’s celebration known as Reveillon, “everyone dresses in white, a symbol of hope and peace for the new year.

Girls wear yellow underwear. Everyone jumps seven waves holding hands and stuffs seven grapes into their mouths at once.� Unfortunately for us, New Year’s Day means winter, not summer, so getting in the water may not be ideal. Nonetheless, if you’re on a coast, it may be nice to celebrate like the Brazilians and say hello to the new year by looking out to the sunrise.

Whichever way you spend your holiday, whether you’re around a fireplace or lighting paper “old years,� do it with those you care about. One commonality unites the traditions — they are all celebrated with friends and family. “It’s about being together as a family, being grateful for all those who are able to be there and also remember those who can’t,� Pecena said. sofiaradazubieta2017@u.northwestern.edu

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4 Holiday Guide | the daily northwestern

wednesday, december 4, 2013

The easiest ways to get home With holiday travel at an all-time high in December, find the best way to get to O’Hare and Midway airports so you can fly home for break.

Explain NU to family, friends

Taxi Services

AirHop

The El

Several taxi services offer discounted rates for Northwestern students.

Purple Cab is a taxi service that charges flat rates between Evanston and both airports. For O’Hare, the rate is $33 and $2 for each additional person. For Midway, the rate is $51 and $2 for each additional person.

Norshore Cab is a taxi service that also charges flat rates to both airports. For O’Hare, the rate is $35. For Midway, the rate is $55.

Taxi services take an estimated 30 to 40 minutes to O’Hare and 50 minutes to an hour to Midway depending on traffic.

Both services can be reserved ahead of time online at their websites: purplecab.com and norshorecab.com.

AirHop is a Northwestern Student Holdings company that provides transportation to both airports during university breaks.

The shuttle service picks up students at Cahn Auditorium on South Campus and Patten Gymnasium on North Campus and shuttles them to the airport.

The AirHop shuttle takes approximately the same time as a taxi: about 30 to 40 minutes to O’Hare and 50 minutes to an hour to Midway.

For O’Hare, the rate is $14.99. For Midway, the rate is $24.99.

Tickets for each shuttle must be purchased online prior to travel time on nuairhop.com.

To get to O’Hare using the El, take the Purple Line to the Howard station, where you can transfer to the Red Line. On the Red Line, transfer to the Blue Line at Jackson station.

The Blue Line will take you to O’Hare.

This option takes on average two hours and costs $2.25.

For Midway, take the Purple Line to Howard station and transfer to the Red Line. Exit at Roosevelt station and transfer to the Orange Line. Ride the Orange Line to Midway.

This option takes on average one hour and 35 minutes. It costs $2.25.

Train arrival times can be found on chicagotransit.com

It wouldn’t be a Northwestern student’s Winter Break without concerned friends and family bringing up at least one of the following conversation topics. Here are some tips on how to answer the inevitable frequent questions.

“How close are you to the city?”

Non-Chicagoans might find the local geography hard to visualize, so you’ll have to explain that the Windy City occupies a long stretch of land on the western coast of Lake Michigan and Evanston is the first suburb north of the city (meaning we get some of that gorgeous shoreline to ourselves). NU’s campus is about 14 miles from downtown Chicago — make sure you call it the Loop to sound sophisticated, of course — but to avoid confusion, you can say the city is just a short L ride away.

“So, do you guys even have football?”

Maybe the fact that we’re a high-ranking academic institution makes people forget that a significant portion of NU students also care about sports (ah, stereotypes abound). You should remind your friends that our Division I football team won the Gator Bowl last year, and the Wildcats are getting more and more well-known.

What’s that, friend who goes to Ohio State? How are we doing this season? Well... it’s complicated.

“Why did you start school so late? Why is your break so short? I don’t understand the quarter system.”

As simple as this one is to us NU students, you’ll just have to explain it all the way through, so get your semester school friends to listen up: Most universities’ academic years are split into two semesters, one in the fall and one in the spring. However, Northwestern (along with a handful of other universities across the nation — we’re not the only one) has quarters. They’re like semesters, but each one is shorter and there are three of them: one in the fall, one after Winter Break and another after Spring Break. Since Fall Quarter is shorter than a fall semester, we start school later than other schools, and we have shorter breaks to accommodate having an additional academic term in the winter and spring months. Got it?

Once you explain this, you’ll likely be asked if the short quarters explain why you’re constantly taking midterms. In lieu of a response, a simple, sad nod should suffice.

“Isn’t it really cold in Chicago?”

Yes.

—Sabrina Rodriguez

—Jeanne Kuang

Illustration by Virginia Van Keuren/The Daily Northwestern

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A Festival of Lessons and Carols Sunday, December 8, 10:40 a.m.

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the daily northwestern | Holiday Guide 5

wednesday, december 4, 2013

S a l on Why Secret Santa is a tradition to forget Rou l a ­n{ǎÊÎÓnÂ‡ĂˆÂŁÂŁĂ¤ĂŠUĂŠĂˆĂ¤ĂŽĂŠ >Ă›ÂˆĂƒĂŠ-ĂŒÂ°

Yoni muller

Daily columnist

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Well, you’ve done it again, haven’t you? Every year you tell yourself, “It’ll be different this time,� and every year you’re disappointed. But you did it again, and here you are in the middle of your Secret Santa gift-giving process.

Unfortunately for you, this means you’ve been reminded that Secret Santa sucks. Sorry I’m not sorry. But don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand and guide you through the colossal mistake you’ve gotten yourself into.

My first piece of advice is easy to remember: Don’t do Secret Santa. That $10 or $20 limit would be better spent on cheap booze. If you were smart enough, you would know that, and you wouldn’t be in this mess. But you’re not, which is why you just finished shopping at the Dollar Tree and also why you didn’t get into Yale. To avoid this mistake in the future, try turning the advice into an acronym: DDSS. That’s only two letters technically, so you should be able to get that down.

Still, that doesn’t get you out of your dilemma now. You are Secret Santa-ing, and there’s no backing out. You’ve seen firsthand the trouble of buying a gift. Trying to figure out what your recipient really likes, working with some serious constraints and worrying about seeming incompetent in comparison to everyone else — it’s like your first sexual encounter all over again. I can’t really help you with that, but I can assure you that nobody else feels that way. Only you do.

Even still, the awkwardness of finding a gift pales in comparison to receiving a bad one. Secret Santa gifts are actually a twopronged problem: They leave you vulnerable to awkward displays of

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someone who hasn’t yet offloaded their gift and explain there was a mix up. Tell them that the gift they had is intended for you, and your gift is intended for their original recipient. If they are suspicious, which they will be, blame Obama and gift redistribution. Congratulations at your second attempt at a good gift, repeat this as needed to feel mildly satisfied with the life choices that led you here.

Of course, you might not be so fortunate.

Someone may have donated to charity in your name, because someone might be a schmuck.

These obviously cannot be cunningly regifted.

Try modifying them instead! Silk-screening your donation certificate tells people “I care about others, but I care about myself more,� proving that you have your priorities straight.

Ultimately, there’s no reason for a bad gift to get you down. With a bit of cunning, creativity and deception, you can make any Secret Santa scenario work for you in the coming years.

After all, you’re doing Secret Santa next year, aren’t you?

Yoni Muller is a Weinberg junior. He can be reached at jonathanmuller2015@u.northwestern.edu.

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Prong One is pretty easy to solve. Try to use your words. Be a mature adult and say how you feel, but be sure to lie. Lie like there’s no tomorrow, no half measures. Hedged lies can be obvious, over-the-top ones fool anyone. Key phrases include “this is literally the greatest gift anyone has ever given,� “your gift has given my life new meaning,� or break down and call your mom.

Of course, such behavior will only avoid any social faux pas in front of your gift giver. When you’re left alone with your gift, it’s Prong Two that proves to be the real challenge.

First, make a quick gift assessment. Did you receive something anyone could get? Consider the following guidelines: An old TV Guide is a yes; a jockstrap from Goodwill is a no.

If you’ve determined you received a good ol’ “generic,� you’re in luck. Surely there must be at least one other person that didn’t get his or her gift yet. Give yours to them and pawn off your misery on people less important than you!

Of course, the critical part of this plan is to get the gift that was designated to them. Find

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6 HOLIDAY GUIDE | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

Rare ‘Thanksgivukkah’ frees up December

Light candles, even in shade of Christmas tree SCOTT BROWN

GUEST COLUMNIST @SCOTTBROWN545

Jillian Sandler/Daily Senior Staffer

LIGHTING CANDLES, GIVING THANKS Jewish-American families had the once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah on Thursday. The occasion, dubbed “Thanksgivukkah,” is not expected to happen again for more than 79,000 years.

JILLIAN SANDLER

GUEST COLUMNIST @JILLIANSANDLER

I’ve spent the majority of my life lamenting the fact that my house looks rather barren every holiday season in comparison to the ones donning lavish displays of colorful Christmas lights.

Growing up in a Jewish household, I was always denied the beauty of glowing blue icicles hanging from my gutter, but we made up for it by displaying a glistening menorah in my kitchen for eight nights.

It was a good thing Hanukkah coincided with Christmas light season because otherwise December at the Sandler residence would have been incredibly bleak.

But this year, most of December will be cold, long and dark, as the first full day of Hanukkah happened to coincide with Thanksgiving. The next month may be shaping up to be pretty dull, but trust me, it was worth it.

The collision of the two holidays — an occasion affectionately and rather cleverly dubbed as “Thanksgivukkah” — proved to be rather advantageous in many other respects, making the prospect of a holiday-free December a little less daunting. Here’s why: I had the opportunity to stuff my face with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, potato latkes with applesauce, Hanukkah gelt and sugar cookies shaped like Hebrew letters in the span of an hour. When else is it socially acceptable to do this? Never.

You’ll have to wait more than 79,000 years before it will be OK again.

All of the above for leftovers all weekend long. Yes, everyone else probably had leftovers too, but did you have the pleasure of eating applesauce straight from the jar for three days?

No, you probably didn’t.

Gifts, gifts and more gifts.

The only thing most of my comrades brought back to school after Thanksgivukkah break was an extra five pounds of body mass. I, however, brought back all of that and so much more.

Granted, the gifts consisted mostly of sunscreen, toothpaste and cans of tuna, but hey, I’ll take what I can get.

The most important thing of all: I’m done with family obligations for the year. While all you kids have to spend even more time with your family when Christmas rolls around, I had the pleasure of killing two holidays with one (very rowdy) reunion.

It feels so good to not have to spend all Winter Break trying (and failing) to be social and repeatedly explaining to all of my third cousins why I don’t yet have a job lined up for after graduation. Jealous? Thought so.

So, while December may be devoid of any celebrations this year, I’m looking forward to hiding in my blanket fort, watching Netflix for three weeks without getting yelled at for my lack of human interaction.

If there’s anything to be thankful for this holiday season, it’s definitely that.

Jillian Sandler is a Communication senior and The Daily’s Development editor. She can be reached at jilliansandler2014@u.northwestern.edu.

If my dad wasn’t such a nice guy, I think I would be a pretty big disappointment. Having grown up in Philadelphia, my father is a diehard Phillies baseball fan, watching every last game, beginning to end.

But when my dad took me to games as a kid, I usually ended up downstairs at the arcade games. I will always be a Phillies fan by default, but I will never be able to carry on my dad’s passionate legacy.

However, I recently realized I may be able to relate better to my dad’s plight as a Phillies fan than I thought.

Being a Phillies fanatic is surprisingly similar to the situation I find myself in every year for a long time as a Jew during the Christmas season.

Both the baseball season for my dad and the holiday season for me have always started out with a declaration of confidence: this was going to be the year. For him, the year the Phillies finally live up to their potential and win the World Series; for me, the year I prove once and for all that Hanukkah is just as good as Christmas.

No matter that the Phillies have the most losses out of any pro sports franchise ever and no matter that I am up against a beloved holiday celebrated by those who practice the world’s largest religion, and many more.

My strategy to rival Christmas took a three-part approach: Phase one was the decorations. My family has never had a Christmas tree, and we’ve thankfully never attempted the sad Jewish equivalent, the Hanukkah bush.

However, our house was decked out with blue-and-white string lights, Star of David wreaths and menorah-shaped cookie cutters.

Phase two was the Hanukkah-themed media. A “Rugrats Chanukah” was melted into the VCR, and my iPod relentlessly looped Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song.”

But phase three was the trump card, Hanukkah’s defining feature: eight nights.

When I told my wide-eyed school companions that I got eight whole nights of presents, nothing could top the look of awe on their faces.

Yet, as reality came into focus, certain tragic flaws always began to emerge. For my dad and the Phillies, it was usually a train wreck of pitching, lack of offense and facesmacking bad luck. On my front, there were a few crippling barriers.

For one, Hanukkah suffers from a lack of stability. There’s the spelling issue; is it Hanukkah or Chanukah, one ‘n,’ two ‘k’s?

And then there are Hanukkah’s erratic

arrivals.

I’ve lit my menorah on school nights, on New Year’s Day and now, on Thanksgiving Day. Without a stable date or even a consistent spelling, Hanukkah just can’t establish itself as a contender.

To make matters worse, Hanukkah just doesn’t have the same monopoly on American culture that Christmas has.

The tiny display of Hanukkah decorations in the corner of the party store could never hold up to the stockpile of ornaments and yard decorations from which Christmas celebrators have to choose.

There’s also the harsh reality that the amount of Hanukkah-themed media out there shrivels in comparison to Christmas.

When you search “Christmas movies” on Wikipedia, there’s a list of over 100 films.

When you search “Hanukkah movies,” there’s one sentence: “The So for the page ‘Hanukkah Phillies and for movies’ does not Hanukkah, the exist.”

So for the season usually P h i l l i e s an d ends in another for Hanukkah, disappointment. the season usually ends in Neither could another sound live up to the disappointment.

Neither could high bars my live up to the dad and I set, high bars my dad and I set, and over the and over the years, I think we years, I think we both have come both have come to accept our to accept our roles living in roles living in the the shadows.

But we refuse shadows. to take it sitting down. My dad will defend his Fightin’ Phils with all the brotherly love he has, and I will do the same for my Festival of Lights.

After all, they’re all we have to hold on to. Just as the Phillies are the team my dad was born with, Hanukkah is the holiday that was given to me.

It has always been my way to feel included in holiday festivities amid a sea of Christmas cheer.

And it’s that sense of belonging to something, whether it’s a blindly faithful fan base or a small religious group, that really makes you proud.

So yes, I’ll still brag to all my non-Jewish friends about how I get eight whole nights of presents. Like any good Phillies fan, I’ll take my victories where I can get them.

“

Scott Brown is a Medill freshman. He can be reached at scottbrown2017@u.northwestern.edu.

Why I’m dreaming of a greener Christmas JONATHAN LI

GUEST COLUMNIST

Christmastime. Just hearing the word lifts the spirits of even the most jaded individuals. Christmas means caroling, reuniting with friends and family, stuffing our deprived bodies with quality food and, most importantly, forgetting about internships and the harsh realities of the real world. Indeed, it is the most wonderful time of the year for everyone, but what about the day after?

The day after Christmas is like a scene out of “The Walking Dead.” Each year, I look out at deadly quiet streets and see trash cans overflowing with paper gift wrap and plastic wrappers, Christmas trees piling high on street corners and lavish front lawn displays reflecting off cars. Growing up in an environmentally conscious household, I am used to turning off Christmas lights before we went to bed, limiting our Christmas decorations to a single wreath and handing out unwrapped Christmas presents. People are going to unwrap them anyway, so why bother wasting paper?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of household waste

increases by more than 25 percent between up the presentation, spruce needles and pineThanksgiving and New Year’s Day, equivalent cones are great, eco-friendly alternatives to to an additional 1 million tons of waste into putting on non-degradable ribbons. our landfills.

Regift. RegiftThis showcases ing doesn’t make the need for you a modern day Scrooge screamgreater public awareness of our ing “Bah, Humenvironmental bug!” at Ameriimpact durcan materialism. ing the holiday With the average season. Even American prothough being jected to spend almost $800 this eco-friendly is holiday season, do probably the you really want to last thing on wait in those long most people’s holiday lines getminds, being ting something green doesn’t have to be diffifor someone that cult with these he or she might simple tips. not really want?

Reuse. WrapAs a college stuping paper can dent, you can do rarely be recyyourself a favor by Graphic by Virginia Van Keuren/The Daily Northwestern giving away those cled due to the dye or laminaSecret Santa prestion. So choose to wrap your presents with ents that have been collecting dust because CTA maps and newspapers, or use a basket as the saying goes, one man’s trash is another and old canvas bags. If you’re looking to step man’s treasure.

Avoid electronics. Think outside the realm of traditional gifts and find a creative way to spend your money and time. Here are some ideas to get you started: 1) Shared experiences. Give things that you can go to with your friends, like purchasing concert tickets ahead of time, covering the next dinner outing or taking care of the tab the next time you go out. 2) Necessities. Promise to do your friend’s laundry for a month, donate to their Dance Marathon page or buy an e-book for that class that both of you are taking next quarter.

Buy a potted tree. According to the EPA, 33 million live Christmas trees are brought to American homes each year and subsequently discarded. Buy a potted Christmas tree so you won’t need to worry about buying a new one the following year. As an added bonus, they last a lifetime.

Being green during the holidays doesn’t have to make you a Grinch. This Christmas, consider giving a gift back to the environment.

Each person who commits brings us all one step closer to a more sustainable future so your great-great-great grandchildren can enjoy Christmas as much as you did.

Jonathan Li is a McCormick junior. He can be reached at JonathanLi2015@u.northwestern.edu.

the daily northwestern | HOliday Guide 7

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Holiday Food Restrictions Bring meatless Gluten free won’t meals to the table ruin the season By amanda suarez

the daily northwestern @amandashow1122

As a new vegetarian, I was a little anxious about this upcoming holiday season.

After all, the centerpiece of Thanksgiving is usually a giant turkey.

I’m not the only Northwestern student facing the prospect of a meat-free holiday this year. I didn’t have to search long to find some fellow herbivores.

Weinberg freshman Araminta Gwynne has been a vegetarian for eight years.

“Everyone in my immediate family is vegetarian, but my extended family are all hunters and meat lovers,” she said.

“I used to hate Thanksgiving because I always accidentally ate meat or didn’t know what to eat because Thanksgiving is all about food.”

Gwynne said she and her family usually bring their own food to family gatherings over the holidays to make sure they have something to eat. Although she said Tofurky and other fake turkeys aren’t worth the time or money, she wished someone had told her about vegetarian gravy sooner.

“And there’s always pumpkin pie, which was the best anyway,” she said.

With Christmas parties around the corner, vegetarians face a new challenge in having no control over the menu at all.

It may be rude to expect hosts to make special exceptions for you if they are hosting a large party, but it is a good idea to ask the host specifically which dishes are vegetarian, because sometimes you can accidentally eat something that contains meat. Stick to smaller meals and sides, which are more likely to be vegetarian.

Gwynne has come to see the limited food options at parties as a benefit.

“It’s actually nice since it makes parties more about the people and the conversation than just about food,” she said.

Family gatherings aren’t the only tricky meals for vegetarians. The holiday season is also a huge time for meeting up with friends you haven’t seen in a while, which usually involves dinner and a movie. Although most restaurants offer fish sandwiches or fish dishes of some sort for pescetarians, vegetarians might find themselves at burger joints or restaurants that serve primarily meat. You can always get salad and soup, but even some salads have chicken on them and are pre-mixed, so you can’t request to have the meat taken off. Coordinate with your friends so you can avoid restaurants where you’ll be stuck with nothing but the complimentary bread.

This holiday season, vegetarians should also experiment with alternatives to traditional foods. This technique made Thanksgiving a success for me. Not having turkey on Turkey Day didn’t mean I couldn’t celebrate the same as everyone else. My mom made grape salad, which is a combination of green and red grapes, cream cheese, pecans and brown sugar.

It’s perfect for any holiday, and you can bet I’m going to ask for it again at Christmas. My mom and I also collaborated on making vegetarian stuffing, which is very simple and very tasty. It’s a simple substitution: just use vegetable broth instead of turkey broth for the bread crumbs, celery and onions to absorb. Overall, I was happy, full and still felt the same holiday spirit. amandasuarez2017@u.northwestern.edu

By Paige Leskin

the daily northwestern @paigeleskin

The holiday season always seems accompanied by an influx of festive dinners and plates of desserts. It’s usually acceptable to eat to your heart’s content, but it can be a precarious situation for someone who can’t ingest gluten.

I learned I had Celiac disease in February, and it was far from easy news to handle.

The disorder means I can’t eat anything with gluten, a protein present in bread products like pasta and cakes (but it also sneaks into foods like licorice and soy sauce).

If I digest any bit of gluten, I get sick.

So as my holiday season approaches sans gluten, I can’t help thinking it will be my worst nightmare.

Medill freshman Alix Kramer knows how difficult the holidays are.

Although she doesn’t have Celiac, she has been allergic to gluten, as well as eggs and milk, for a year and a half.

“I know what everything tastes like because I’ve had it all before,” she said, adding that this makes some treats even harder to resist.

My diagnosis was only nine months ago, so I also know too well the taste of pies, cookies and brownies, desserts that are staples of the holidays.

It’s hard enough dealing with the urge to cheat on my gluten-free diet on a regular basis.

Despite being surrounded by a lot of prohibited food during the holiday break, I think the impulse can

be mitigated. Medill freshman Ben Schaefer has had Celiac since he was 1, and he has never experienced a Christmas with gluten. Time has helped him adapt to the season, but his solutions are quite easy.

Schaefer suggests getting your family and friends involved.

Living gluten He said his friends have free isn’t always helped by a choice, but it keeping stashes of doesn’t have to gluten-free kill your season. snacks at their houses, Make the most so he never of it, and have has to worry a delicious about not having someholiday. thing to eat.

“It used to bother me a lot (that I couldn’t eat gluten),” Schaefer said. “But the change isn’t even that noticeable anymore.”

The key to this season for the gluten-free folks is simple: Get others involved.

Find gluten-free recipes for your family to make.

Kramer’s mom makes her special matzo for Hanukkah. Give boxes of cookies to your friends to keep at their houses. Find desserts at local bakeries that are both gluten-free and tasty.

Living gluten-free isn’t always a choice, but it doesn’t have to kill your season. Make the most of it, and have a delicious holiday.

“

paigeleskin2017@u.northwestern.edu

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8 Holiday Guide | the daily northwestern

wednesday, december 4, 2013

the daily northwestern | Holiday Guide 9

wednesday, december 4, 2013

Pumpkin recipes will warm you up Pincidents: Tips for making snowflakes, dreidels and much more Pumpkin Custard

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread This bread is easy to make and delicious. All you’ll need are a whisk for beating the eggs, a 9-by-5 inch bread pan, an electric mixer and several bowls. (Recipe modified from an original on recipesquickneasy.com.)

Ingredients 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree 3 egg whites ½ cup whole milk 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar 2.5 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup canola oil For cream cheese filling: 8-ounce package of low fat cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 egg white

By hayley glatter

4. In another bowl, mix ingredients for the filling with an electric mixer.

Pumpkin custard is basically pumpkin pie without the hassle or calories of a traditional pie crust. The only supplies you’ll need are a whisk for beating the eggs, a large bowl, four 5-ounce baking dishes and a cookie sheet. (Recipe modified from an original on blueapron.com.)

5. Transfer half the pumpkin batter into the 9x5-inch bread pan. Spoon cream cheese filling evenly over the batter. Add remaining pumpkin batter. With a knife, gently swirl the filling through the batter, being careful not to touch the bottom or sides.

Ingredients: 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree 2 beaten eggs 1 cup whole milk 1 cup brown sugar 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

5. Bake for 1 hour.

Directions:

6. Cool and eat.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add to the wet ingredients mixture and stir.

Directions:

2. Mix all ingredients together.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of the 9x5-inch bread pan

3. Lightly oil the four baking dishes (I used small glass bowls) and pour about a fourth of the pumpkin batter into each.

2. Mix pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, three egg whites, milk, canola oil in a bowl.

4. Place the dishes on a cookie sheet and cook for 40-45 minutes, until the batter has set.

5. Let cool and eat.

Pumpkin Cookies These little cookies are delicious but not too sweet. This recipe will make about 30 cookies. You’ll need a whisk, a cookie sheet, two large bowls, a small saucepan and a mixer. (Recipe modified from an original on parentpretty.com.)

Ingredients: ½ a 15-can pumpkin puree 1 egg 1 cup softened butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla For optional frosting: ¼ cup butter ¼ cup whole milk ¼ cup brown sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 1-2 cups powdered sugar Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Use the mixer to beat the eggs, butter, vanilla and granulated sugar in a bowl.

3. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until smooth

6. For frosting, melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over the stove. Transfer to a bowl and stir in milk and vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar with the mixer.

4. Add pumpkin, then the flour.

On ungreased cookie sheets, arrange small globs of dough.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Sophia Bollag/Daily Senior Staffer

the daily northwestern @hayleyg6994

Downtown Evanston has been outfitted in glistening lights and wreaths, and in comparison, your room is looking a little drab.

Turn your social media time into something constructive by checking out these holidaythemed Pinterest ideas to quickly and cheaply create some holiday cheer.

For complete instructions for all crafts visit dailynorthwestern.com.

Snowflakes The first time it snows, it’s absolutely magical. The second time? Awe-inspiring. The third?

Gorgeous. The 47th time in three months?

Dreadful.

Once March rolls around, snow is not exactly a welcome sight, but during the holiday season, the puffy white stuff is like a dream straight out of a fairytale. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t always (read: is never) dependable. So, to guarantee myself a pseudo-white Christmas, I headed to Pinterest.

As a child, I was the Salvador Dalí of paper snowflakes. I started with grand ambitions of beauty and ended with accidental confetti and something abstract. With the Pinterest craft instructions by my side, however, my flakes turned out far better.

These designs look complicated, but they’re totally doable. When completing these patterns, I sketched the design on my paper prior to cutting.

If you’re a wizard with scissors, you can probably skip this, but if you’re closer to the Neville side than the Hermione side of competence, I would recommend lightly drawing your pattern before cutting.

After sketching the designs, I cut them out and unfolded the flakes. I was surprised to see how closely they resembled the example.

For someone who is not artistic, these flakes were a quick, easy decoration that required me to buy absolutely nothing. This year, I’ll enjoy my white Christmas inside with my snowflakes, without the bone-chilling cold that nature brings.

Frosty Door Step aside, “Jingle Bells,” because “Frosty the Snowman” is the greatest holiday song ever.

As a Jewish girl, when “Frosty” comes on the radio I feel far less like a poser singing it than I do when belting out “Ode to Joy.” As a result, the little guy with a stovepipe hat has always held a special place in my heart.

To honor my favorite Christmas song character (#sorrynotsorry Rudolph), with a little help from Pinterest, I decorated my dorm door to resemble Frosty the Snowman.

It was pretty simple after I amassed the correct paper colors and removed the decoration that has identified my door as mine since Wildcat Welcome. Hopefully everyone still remembers my name.

This craft allows for some creative interpretation and personal touches. Don’t want Frosty to have his traditionally red scarf? Go rogue, and put polka dots on it. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but you only live once, so you should make your Frosty a rebel, if you’re so inclined.

After carefully cutting out all of Frosty’s extremities, I taped him to the door and took a step back. He’s so welcoming, and now that I have a paper friend guarding my room, the unfortunate reality of finals is a little less daunting.

Candy Cane Marshmallows When I arrived at Northwestern, I had grand ambitions of baking. I pictured bonding over late-night cookie dough and cupcake frosting while simultaneously joining every club and getting straight A’s.

Needless to say, my dream-like vision has not been realized because, despite popular belief, I am not Hermione Granger and therefore do not possess a Time-Turner. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in my day, and with three (read: six) of these precious hours spent tweeting at celebrities and Facebook stalking hot messes from high school, I haven’t exactly had much time for baking.

That’s why this peppermint marshmallow recipe is so perfect. It looks difficult, but in reality, you did everything in less than 15 minutes.

The only ingredients needed for this recipe

are candy canes, marshmallows and chocolate.

I began by melting down my chocolate and skewering my marshmallows with one candy cane each.

For those like me who struggle to make fondue-esque desserts, the hooked end of a candy cane is an excellent grip that prevents marshmallow slipping. And, after finishing the dipping process and coating the marshmallows in crushed candy canes, my treat looked holidayready. Not only was this dessert easy, but it was also fun to make.

Dreidel I am not ashamed to admit I brought a pair of 2006 bar mitzvah pants to college. They are exceedingly comfortable, and the fact is, just like the pants say, Michael’s bar mitzvah was nothing but net.

The first time I brought these pants out, my roommate was perplexed. She didn’t laugh at the fact that I still had pants I received in the seventh grade. She didn’t chuckle that I received them as a free giveaway. She didn’t understand any of it because she had never been to a bar or bat mitzvah.

After retroactively inviting her to my own bat mitzvah (it was a 2007 sea-themed extravaganza, if you were wondering), I set out to educate her.

Naturally, this education involved learning how to play the Hanukkah game dreidel. I sought to enlighten my Northwestern friends on the finer points of spinning the toy and the wondrous gelt that could be won if victorious.

Unfortunately, a dreidel was not on my college packing list. Luckily, Pinterest was there, as always, to lend a helping hand. I found a very simple dreidel template that had my friends and me playing in a matter of minutes.

After cutting out and constructing the dreidel template, I used a pencil to serve as the spinning axis. It was not as resilient as the plastic toys I was accustomed to, but it turned out to be somewhat usable. So, if you’re itching to learn four new Hebrew letters and want to win some chocolate coins, Pinterest has your answer. hayleyglatter2016@u.northwestern.edu

Hayley Glatter/The Daily Northwestern

holiday pincidents Bring some holiday cheer to your room with these easy Pinterest decorations.

Interested in a Graduate Degree in IMC? ´

´

NU Student Health Insurance

“Heads Up”

For Graduating and New Entering Students

Please join us for our

MASTER’S DEGREE IN INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION SESSION Hosted by Associate Dean Frank J. Mulhern

Thursday, December 5 1:00pm–2:00pm McCormick Tribune Center Forum Please RSVP to rebeccaslater@northwestern.edu

Registered students graduating at the end of Fall Quarter 2013 may request cancelation of their University sponsored Aetna Student Health Plan by submitting a dated and signed letter no later than the close of business on Friday, December 13. Requests maybe turned in to either of the Student Insurance Office locations on both campuses.

New entering students for Winter Quarter 2014 please comply with the University insurance requirement during the Open Enrollment period of November 1, 2013–February 11, 2014.

New Students, sign into your CAESAR Account, using your Net Id and password. Follow the instructions to complete the online Coverage Selection Form. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to you after submission of the form. Failure to comply will result in automatic enrollment into the sponsored Plan and a charge of $2,300.00 placed upon your active Student Account.

For further information contact the Student Insurance Office: Evanston Campus – (847) 491-2113 633 Emerson, Student Health Chicago Campus – (312) 503-1242 357 E. Chicago Ave., Room 131 E-mail: student.insurance@northwestern.edu.

10 holiday guide | the daily northwestern Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Covers: play this, skip that Holiday

Playlist 1. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” – My Chemical Romance

2. “Last Christmas” – Wham!

3. “Party Hard” – Zach Gill 4. “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” – Alvin and The Chipmunks 5. “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” – Gayla Peevey 6. “Dominick the Christmas Donkey” – Lou Monte Sources: Harry E. Walker/MCT, Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/MCT, Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT

covering carols Mary J. Blige, Jewel and Kelly Clarkson all released covers of traditional holiday songs this year. The Daily picked out the best.

By Steven Montero

daily senior staffer @Steven_Montero

As with every holiday season, popular music will soon be inundated with covers of holiday classics.

The Daily presents some remakes that deserve to be played on repeat, and others you should just skip.

REPEAT: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Kelly Clarkson, “Wrapped in Red” Kelly Clarkson graces the holiday season with her voice for the first time, and it is spectacular. Her rendition of this Christmas classic is bested only by a pair of her original songs on the album, including the its namesake, “Wrapped in Red.” Clarkson stays true to the original carol’s melody and adds her powerful voice. Her high note on the last chorus will give you such chills you’ll think Jack Frost is nipping at your nose.

PLAY: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” Bad Religion, “Christmas Songs” Despite the obvious humor in the fact that

a group called Bad Religion made a holiday album, the records itself is enjoyable. “Hark!” opens up the EP, however, which is unfortunate. The track is not a great reflection of the music as a whole, as a hoarse chorus of punk rockers attempt to turn this from holy hymn to rock riot. A listen to the other songs makes up for the unspectacular start.

REPEAT: “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” Mary J. Blige, “A Mary Christmas” Big band meets Christmas carols in this lively rendition of the holiday’s favorite hero. Mary J. Blige brings her booming voice and personality to the tune by inviting instruments into the mix at the beginning and ending on a final comment of, “That was fun!” Definitely a song to play on Christmas morning as you shake and shimmy your way out of bed and on toward the gifts.

SKIP: “Tannenbaum” Trace Adkins, “The King’s Gift” This is one gift no one wants. Trace Adkins’ attempt to fuse country with his collection of Celtic Christmas carols falls short of even decent, especially in this one rendition. As he moans “Oh,

Christmas tree,” you might find yourself yelling “Oh, please save me.”

PLAY: “Santa Baby” Tamar Braxton, “Winter Loverland” Tamar Braxton does a great job on the vocals, but there’s something to be desired with this one. It doesn’t have the greatest holiday charm to it, despite its sultry sounds. And even though Braxton is sprinting ahead with her musical revival this year, this is one point in her race where she should have gotten better directions to the “Winter Loverland.”

REPEAT: “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!”

Jewel, “Let it Snow: A Holiday Collection” Once again, another artist proves why keeping it classic is vital to every holiday album. Jewel excels at forming her own version of this timeless song. It is definitely a track your favorite coffee house should add to its playlist as you sip on hot chocolate and peppermint mochas in the coming weeks. stevenmontero2014@u.northwestern.edu

7. “Snow (Hey Oh)” – Red Hot Chili Peppers 8. “The Christmas Waltz “ – Frank Sinatra 9. “Winter Pockets” – Wild Child 10. “Frosty the Snowman” – Zee Avi 11. “¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?” – Guster 12. “I’m the Fairy On Top of the Christmas Tree” – Various Artists 13. “Have a Punky Christmas Everybody!”

– The Mangkuks —Ditty Bhandari

the daily northwestern | Holiday Guide 11

wednesday, december 4, 2013

A college student’s guide to finding the perfect gifts

By Meera Patel

the daily northwestern @SoShaloni

Gifts are symbols. They embody the feelings that you have towards a person, whether those are good, bad or mixed. It’s no wonder there’s so much pressure to find the perfect holiday gift; how do you convey your emotions toward a person in a single object?

Not to worry. Here’s a rundown of what to purchase for the important people in a college student’s life.

just for fun, you have to get a significant other something that represents your relationship. If it’s casual, go with jewelry. If you’re in a serious relationship, get your special someone a Slinky.

The Slinky is a great decision, since it can be used as stress relief, a time waster, or if you’re really into it, work out equipment. If a “serious talk” ever comes up, be sure to remind bring up the Slinky you got for Christmas — it’ll be a good distraction.

reminds them to save up for when they have to pay you to tell people that you are, in fact, related.

Teaching assistant you’re not-so-secretly in love with

Best friend Instead of getting cliche matching “best friends” necklaces, try getting matching spatulas. Staying best friends takes hard work, and now you have intimidating tools you can use to face the world.

Make sure they’re pink.

Roommates You live with these people. If they don’t like your present, they’ll probably throw all your belongings out your window, so no pressure.

Essentially, you need to sum up all the pep talks, passive aggressive sticky notes, sexiles given and received and the elaborate schemes you carried out to get people out of your room when it was time to sleep, into one present. The solution? An extremely ugly, thick sweater. It will keep them warm for all the great times, and will look terrible for all the bad times. They’ll love it.

Significant other Whether you’re in this for the long haul or

person means nights of your wallowing in self-pity, while success for you means… Well, you’re not really sure what your enemies do if you one-up them. But still, since this is a competition after all, give him or her a Paula Deen cookbook, but replace its cover with one from a Gwyneth Paltrow cookbook. This way, your arch nemesis will think he or she is eating healthy, but is in fact putting three sticks of butter in every dish. Sit back, and enjoy the results.

Every time you go into office hours, you lose the ability to speak coherent sentences and knock over objects left and right. Despite this, there is an easy way to get your TA to fall in love with you: Send him or her cupcakes, each with a letter of your name on the top. The recipient definitely won’t try to eat them and instead will take the hint and unscramble the letters to figure out who the sender is. Once your TA figures it out, he or she will immediately email you asking you to come in for “extra tutoring,” and you’ll be all set.

Phew, that’s one thing off your to-do list. Now all that’s left is ordering all these socially acceptable presents. Be sure to get the reactions on tape when your recipients open them. meera@u.northwestern.edu

Parent Your parents deserve special gifts. They raised you, after all. Your birthday is coming up sometime in the next year, so remind them of the most important day of their lives. Invest in a cake platter of some sort. If you’re low on funds, a plate from your dish cabinet back home will suffice.

They’ll be overcome with excitement for the upcoming birthday and will start planning an elaborate party for you right away.

Siblings Ah, your siblings. The people you fight with every time you meet, yet still have to spend holidays with. Whether you’re on good terms or bad terms with your siblings, get them a wallet. This

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Arch nemesis You openly despise this person. Success for this

Illustration by Virgiia Van Keuren/The Daily Northwestern

12 Holiday Guide | the daily northwestern Wednesday, december 4, 2013

Make the most of Reading Period celebrations

By Cat Zakrzewski

daily senior staffer @Cat_Zakrzewski

If you are one of the lucky students who evaded McCormick exams, Medill final projects and those Weinberg professors who bend the rules and still assign papers during Reading Period, chances are you might be stopping by some holiday parties before finals begin. For those not going on Ski Trip, Reading Period may be your last chance to have fun with your Northwestern friends until 2014. Here are some tips to help you make memories that will last you through Winter Break (aka binge-watching Netflix for three weeks straight).

Stock up on ugly Christmas sweaters.

Maybe Macklemore is to blame, but ugly

Christmas sweaters seem to be the norm at most holiday events around campus. Before you break your bank account on the overpriced selection at Urban Outfitters, check out thrift shops and second-hand stores in Evanston or nearby Chicago neighborhoods. Typically students gain bragging rights by having the ugliest sweater, and you’ll find much better treasures (think light-up reindeer noses and sequin Santas) if you search a little harder.

Be practical about holiday-themed costumes.

Holiday parties offer the perfect opportunity to break out your Santa hats and reindeer antlers. But take a hint from Santa checking his list, and think twice before leaving the house in a holiday costume. Although it may be your dream to wear flannel pajamas or footie pajamas to a party, they are much less comfortable on a hot, crowded dance floor than they are

when you’re lounging on the couch. Also, some freshman girls inevitably will have the brilliant idea to wear wrapping paper and dress as presents. Spoiler alert: Paper rips.

1, one of the best things about Christmas parties is the music. December is the only time of year you can’t have too much Mariah Carey, so embrace it.

Warm drinks are for snowy days.

Enjoy it.

Although apple cider and hot chocolate may seem like a pleasant departure from the typical college party libations, they become increasingly less appealing when you are sipping them crammed in a room with dozens of other people also wearing heavy sweaters, fluffy pajamas and fleece hats. Proceed with caution and take advantage of eggnog before it runs out.

For NU students, the words “I have so much work to do” come as naturally as breathing and fangirling about “Harry Potter.” Reading Period days are for homework, but if you can manage to escape 4S at night, try not to be the person talking about how many pages you have left to write of your political science paper due next week.

Make the most of your Fall Quarter before your love of snow turns to hate, your soul dies a little and you don’t leave your house unless forced until Spring Quarter.

Never turn down the seasonal music.

Although I may biased as someone who listened to NSYNC’s “Home for Christmas” while pulling together a Halloween costume on Nov.

czak15@u.northwestern.edu

Impress friends with crowd-pleasing white elephant gifts

By Mark Ficken

the daily northwestern @mark_ficken

Alas, you’ve been pulled into another white elephant gift exchange. Are you trying to erase those horrible memories of white elephants past? You know, the one where you were left with one dirty sock while all your friends walked away with riches beyond compare?

If you want to win white elephant this year, you’re reading the right article.

To win white elephant and become the king of Christmas, it is important to assess the group of people for whom you will be buying gifts (read: competing for the title of supreme white elephant gift giver). Here are a few examples of the right gifts for each group.

The engineering crowd: Minecraft creeper mug This combines the two things that make an engineer’s world go round: Minecraft and

extreme caffeinating. Now you can bestow upon your fellow players the Holy Grail of white elephant gifts.

Up late studying for your multivariable calculus final? Can’t wait to log on and destroy some creepers with your trusty pickaxe? Now your gift receiver can turn to his or her mug and ask why he or she would ever choose such a major in the first place, instead of just becoming famous on the Internet.

Price: $14.99 on Jinx The pre-professional crowd: Med School/Law School/MBA Degree in a Box Be sure to anger all your pre-professional friends and amuse everyone else with these boxes that promise to “provide a complete education” in whatever field you choose.

Who knew law school, med school or business school was that easy? The gift comes with a fill-in-the-blanks degree upon completion.

You know, so it can go on your resume.

Price: $14.95 on mental_floss

The “party hard” crowd: self-censoring black bar sunglasses/bottle opener ring combo Help save your friends from the terror of waking up the morning after and being identified in all those embarrassing photos of their fourth keg stand with glasses that create an automatic censor bar over their eyes.

At the same time, tell them you’re not judging their life decisions by providing them with an easier way to open another bottle of whatever bottom-shelf booze is available. A ring that doubles as a bottle opener is sure to prove useful to this crowd. This gift says to your friends, “You do you.”

Price: $11.98; glasses from Amazon, bottle opener from ThinkGeek The “we refuse to be lumped into one stereotypical group” group: Shark with Frickin’ Laser Pointer action figure Because why not?

Price: $12.99 at ThinkGeek

Another crucial part of winning white elephant is the presentation.

The wrapping needs to look professionally done, period. If you can’t wrap, then get your friend to do it for you. Offer him or her anything up to and possibly even including your firstborn child.

But just because it looks pretty and presentable doesn’t mean that something sinister can’t lie beneath the guise of ribbon and wrapping paper.

A few classic favorites include, but are not limited to: multiple layers of wrapping paper, multiple boxes, a lockbox and bag of keys (my personal favorite), duct tape, glue or any combination of the above. Make your recipient work the $15 you spent. That could have bought you two drinks at Norbucks, or something.

Or if you just don’t want to go to all the effort, you could get a $10 Starbucks card and a $5 bag to shove it into like everyone else. markficken2017@u.northwestern.edu

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | HOLIDAY GUIDE 13

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

12 days of fitness: Staying in shape over break In the coming weeks, you’ll have many excuses to drink hot chocolate, devour pumpkin pie and slather whipped cream on everything edible within reach. Unfortunately, our favorite treats take a toll on our bodies. Every year, it seems we put on a few extra pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, pounds we have to work hard to get rid of in preparation for the spring and bikini season. But don’t fret! Here are 12 mini-workouts for each of the 12 days of Christmas. — Meera Patel

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Do the P90X Ab Ripper X workout once.

Stretch afterwards by reaching up to touch the highest holiday decorations you can find.

Do five sets of 10 pushups or five sets of 25 pushups, depending on your skill level. Then reward yourself with some peppermint hot chocolate.

You’re probably tired of watching sappy movies, so watch “Black Christmas� and do nine sit-ups every time someone dies.

Watch “A Christmas Carol,� and every time someone says “Christmas,� do knee-highs for two minutes.

Because the title has six words, listen to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town� while doing suicide drills — sprinting from a starting point to progressively farther end points.

In honor of the song’s lyric, “10 lords-a-leaping,� get out your jump rope and do 10 reps of 50 jumps each.

Run three miles, wearing red and green workout clothes to show spirit. Don’t have red and green workout clothes? You have an excuse to go shopping.

Go downtown and do some sightseeing with the holiday lights and decorations. Speed-walk in seven-minute intervals alternated with one minute of slower walking.

Shop at 11 stores, staying out for at least two hours. You’ll burn calories, and you still get to enjoy the holiday shopping spirit.

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14 HOLIDAY GUIDE | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

NU football fans must find bowl game alternatives

By PRESTON R. MICHELSON

the daily northwestern @prestonmich

For those who follow sports, Winter Break means college football bowl games — tons of them. It ramps up with events like the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which is decidedly not famous.

Any football game scheduled before the new year is traditionally considered to be a warm-up for the real slate.

Whether or not it needs to be said, Northwestern will not be in a bowl game this year. NU narrowly missed bids to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl and The Heart of Dallas Bowl, so the Wildcat faithful will be left without hometown pigskin over the break.

Whether that’s a respite or a shame is up for debate. What’s certain is that with no heartbreaking defeats to rely on, fans are at a loss. So what now? Luckily, there are a few options for replacing NU football over the break: Watch Northwestern basketball: The Cats play five games during Winter Break, including two Big

Decorate your dorm for the holidays

By AMANDA SUAREZ

the daily northwestern @amandashow1122

Sometimes when you’re away from home it can be hard to feel the joy of the holiday season. Here are some tips for sprucing up your apartment or dorm to make it more homey for the holidays (while following your landlord’s and Residential Services’ safety regulations, of course).

• Make an advent calendar to keep a countdown to Winter Break, Christmas or any other holiday you celebrate. You can make one out of felt or fabric with square pockets for each calendar date leading up to the big day. For an added bonus, you can keep candy or small presents in each day’s pocket. You can also just use a small whiteboard to keep track of the days. Make sure to decorate it.

• Create an indoor winter wonderland by purchasing white, glittery candle holders and electric mini candles. The flickering of the light inside the white shimmer will make it easy to imagine your whole room is covered in snow, without you having to worry about bundling up. To imitate even more snow, make paper snowflake chains to hang on the walls or across your doorway (which, by the way, is a satisfying way to recycle that 20-page midterm essay you’re tempted to toss out.

• Use holiday-scented air fresheners, like cranberry, sugar cookie, spruce tree or peppermint.

Scent is one of the best ways to stir up memories, making this a great technique to evoke the holiday spirit.

• Deck out your dorm bed with tinsel. It’s a small way to add a festive touch to your room.

• Make some white hot chocolate with candy canes, the perfect treat for a night in with your roommate. You can even use plain mugs and decorate them with red and green Sharpies.

• Invest in a miniature Christmas tree to fill your whole room with a holiday aura. Department stores have dozens of cute styles and colors.

Whole Foods also sells small, inexpensive rosemary bushes that look like little Christmas trees.

You can even purchase or make mini ornaments to adorn it or small presents to put underneath it.

• Transform your hall refrigerator into a snowman. All you have to do is use construction paper to cut out a carrot nose, two button eyes and a corncob pipe (if you’re feeling really festive), tape them up and voila! You don’t even have to worry about him melting.

• Make a sign wishing your floormates happy holidays to hang on your door. It will get your whole hall into the holiday spirit. amandasuarez2017@u.northwestern.edu

Ten match-ups with Wisconsin and Michigan on Jan. 2 and Jan. 5, respectively. NU also has some nonconference duels like Brown and Mississippi Valley State that could bode well. Go ahead and start planning for March — because this is going to be the year.

another football. It is played in the States, but I’m told the best action is in Europe. So read up, figure out what offside is and wake up ridiculously early on weekends to tune in.

Source: ESPN

Play football with the family: OK, I’m from Miami (Florida, not Ohio), so I picture this on the beach. But I bet it’s just as compelling to play on a snow-covered backyard. You should probably play two-hand touch — you don’t want Grandpa getting hurt.

Learn about the other football: Yes, there is

Dust off your old gaming system and play Tecmo Bowl: If you are a total ‘90s kid, you’ll remember cranking up the NES, blowing on the cartridge and watching the pixelated theatrics of Bo Jackson. To recover from the pain that is this football season, it would be cathartic to trounce on some unwitting opponents. If you no longer own an NES (how dare you!), don’t fret — you can play it online.

Start a Wildcats-in-the-Pros fantasy league: Quick! Grab Jeremy Ebert before he gets placed on the practice squad again! Mike Kafka is a free

agent? Doesn’t matter, get him! He might get signed! Corey Wootton is playing for the Bears?

And he’s starting and playing well? Well, that goes against this gag. Grab him too, I guess.

Of course, you could always watch some other bowl games. Some of them are shaping up to be pretty riveting, but don’t go out of your way to watch any pre-New Year’s Day. You’ll be left sore and disappointed. Even more than after the Ohio State game. Or the Wisconsin game. Or Minnesota. Or Iowa. Or Nebraska. Or Michigan. Or Michigan State. But I digress. prestonmichelson2017@u.northwestern.edu Illustrations by Virginia Van Keuren/The Daily Northwestern

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | HOLIDAY GUIDE 15

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

Wear the right outfit for every holiday event

By ERICA WITTE

the daily northwestern @ericawitte

As you reunite with hometown friends and family members over winter break, you may become overwhelmed with the number of festivities for which you’re required to have a stylish outfit. Whether you’re constructing the perfect gingerbread house or hitting the slopes, here you’ll find a guide to the most festive outfits of the season.

Snowed in Winter in colder climates guarantees days when all you’ll want to do is snuggle up by the fire, drink hot cocoa and watch holiday movies. For these snowed-in occasions, a cozy onesie is the best way to go, but any snuggly pajamas will do the trick. Bonus points awarded if the pajamas have a seasonal print. Throw on a pair of fuzzy socks to complete the look — just promise you’ll never leave the house in this ensemble.

An elegant affair Whether it’s a big family dinner or a fancy Christmas soiree, chances are you will attend a gathering that requires the perfect holiday dress. Choose one in a festive color, like red, green or gold. Once you’ve narrowed the store’s selection down to, well, almost all its holiday dresses, move onto the second criteria — fabric. Lace and velvet are the

perfect fabrics for a holiday frock, and added shimmer or embellishments never hurt. Be sure the dress is appropriate for Grandma’s eyes during a family get-together, yet flirty enough to party with friends afterward. If that combination is impossible to find, just throw on a cardigan for Grandma.

Frosty adventures If you’re heading to Millennium Park for an ice skating extravaganza, opt for a long cardigan that covers your backside. That way, if you fall (which you will), you can avoid marking your cute maroon-colored jeans with the ever-embarrassing wet butt stain. Also, the massive amount of material that is your sweater will double as a blanket to snuggle with on the ride back to campus. Throw on an infinity scarf, a hat and gloves to keep yourself warm because chances are it will be below freezing.

The classic countdown All eyes will be on you this New Year’s Eve if you opt for an attention-demanding, over-the-top sparkly dress. Plus, if your party lacks a disco ball, your friends will be thrilled when your ensemble lights up the room. Although you may not get too much wear out of a sequined dress during Winter Quarter at Northwestern, the good news is that it will still be fabulous when you ring in 2015. Really, sparkles on New Year’s Eve will never go out of style. ericawitte2017@u.northwestern.edu

Photos by Brian Lee/Daily Senior Staffer

Confront winter weather with stylish sweaters We all know what sweater season means: All clothing stores are stocking up on cute, fuzzy, warm sweaters.

Sometimes you get your hands on so many you don’t know how to create a unique look for each one. Or maybe you’re stuck just deciding what style to buy. The following with some new and classic ideas for sweater lovers everywhere.

For ladies: 1. Pick a solid winter color, like

forest green, and make a classy Christmas look with gold accents.

2. Vest it up! Create a brand new look for your sweater just by adding a cute denim vest. Going for something more formal? Use a black vest to dress it up.

3. Really shine in a classic holiday print with a twist: sequins! They brighten up any sweater, and many sequined designs are being sold in stores this season. Pair this look with

a statement necklace and a sparkly headband.

4. Blast from the past! Bring everyone back to the ‘80s by borrowing an oversized sweater from a parent and matching it with leggings.

5. Make a statement in a dressy allblack ensemble, but have some fun by highlighting a flashy holiday design.

For gentlemen: 1. Look snazzy by pairing a winterthemed cardigan with a one- or two-

colored button down.

2. Rock a bright blue to set the winter mood. Blue is an extremely versatile color. A plain blue sweater can create a cool look to match the frosty weather.

3. Pick out a sweater with a crazy pattern. It will definitely be a conversation starter, and it turns an ordinary wardrobe staple into a unique piece of art.

— Amanda Suarez

Amanda Suarez/The Daily Northwestern

NU SENIORS: DID YOU MISS YOUR

YEARBOOK

PORTRAIT? DON'T FREAK OUT Photographers are back @ Norris January 15–23!

Sign up at: www.OurYear.com NU Code: 87150

EST 1851 Northwestern University

Syllabus Yearbook 2014

Questions? email: syllabus@northwestern.edu web site: www.NUsyllabus.com PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL BE IN NORRIS FOR A LIMITED TIME. Several poses will be taken – in your own clothes and with cap and gown. Your choice will be available for purchase.

All senior portraits must be taken by Prestige Portraits/Life Touch. $10 sitting fee required.

IMAGINE TOP SCHOOLS LIVE CLASSES FOR CREDIT ONLINE

We are now enrolling top college students from schools across the country for the spring semester.

Check out our course catalog — you can apply for just one class or for an entire semester.

Courses from:

Learn more and apply online at SemesterOnline.org/explore

More information about Semester Online, including information on individual student eligibility, enrollment criteria and availability of course credit, is available online at SemesterOnline.org. Semester Online is a trademark of �U, Inc.