Holiday Rewind and DIY Gifts

Holiday Rewind Holiday Rewind

A look back on holiday memories from a time gone by. written by: Trinity Mueller

For some, looking back on elementary school brings back nostalgic memories, but things can change. In high school, there are no longer Christmas parties, Polar Express day, Thanksgiving breakfast and many other celebrations like there were in elementary school. Maybe a rewind of those fun times could bring the holiday spirit back. “I loved making the paper chains at elementary school parties. Every year we’d write out names and a little note. It was a time we all got to connect and be friends instead of being separated,” sophomore Reagan Sledd said. Paper chains are something classes do in elementary school. Everyone in the class who is making them would take a rectangular piece of paper and some would write a little note while others would write the days until winter break. Another thing very popular was traveling. Not everyone travels during the holidays, some stay with their family around them. “I travel every year during the holidays. We either go to Grandview or Wisconsin. I go with my best friend, Maddie, and her family. I’ve always enjoyed going with them, it’s always a blast, ” Sledd said. Snow days have also changed. Students would get excited when the phone rang and the school called to notify them that a snow day was present that morning. Snow days used to be the unexpected day off school. Some would go outside with their friends, others would stay inside with hot cocoa in hand. Now, due to virtual and remote learning, snow days off might be a thing of the past. “I honestly don’t like them. If it’s a snow day, you shouldn’t work, snow used to be exciting and full of freedom. We would play games, like board games, family games. I’d also go outside with my family and play for at least an hour making snowmen, forts and, sledding,” freshmen Zach Bond said. When a snow day does come, the possibilities of the day are limitless. Things like making a snowman or building a fort. Maybe watch a movie or spend time with family. From playing in the snow to grabbing hot chocolate to warm up from the cold. “On snow days, I like to go snowmobiling with family and friends, just to hang out. If I don’t feel like going outside or I’m done with being outside, I like to curl up and watch movies. Depending on my mood, my favorite movies to watch are Elf, Christmas Story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Sledd said. Another popular thing was Polar Express day and the parties the day before Winter Break. After recess or specials, coming back to make little snacks or crafts with a movie or some Christmas music in the background before Winter Break was something some of us waited for. But now there’s not as many celebrations as there used to be. “If I could, I would bring back the parties. I really enjoyed making crafts or snacks while a movie was playing in the background. My favorite thing to do during class was making the chains to count down until Winter Break,” Bond said.

Gnome for the Holidays

DIY your way to gift giving stardom!

written by: Madison Tucker

Materials: 2 socks (larger sizes equate a larger gnome), four jingle bells, 1 two pound bag of rice (approximately 5 cups), hot glue gun, three pipe cleaners, wooden ball, rubber band, beard colored felt, scissors, permanent marker

graphics by: Maddie Hartman

photos by: Brieanna Green

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

1. Take one sock and fill three fourths of the way with rice (this sock will be your body!) - Make sure the rice is compacted at the base (more compact = a bigger body) Note: my gnome used about 3 cups of rice, but yours could vary depending on sock size 9. Fasten your “hat” over the “body” base, stuffing the body’s knotted off excess into the hat for structure

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

10. Bend the pipe cleaners to your liking within the hat

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

2. Once you’re satisfied with the body size, section off the sock with a rubber band. Pull the band ightly to keep the rice compressed 3. Using the permanent marker, draw a beard outline on the colored felt - Make sure the beard outline is proportional to the gnome’s body base 4. Cut out your beard outline and place aside 11. Take the beard and place it’s top under the hat’s rim just slightly. Hot glue the top of the beard to the body

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

12. Place the wooden ball at the beard’s top middle, wrapping the hat over its top. Hot glue the ball to the body, this will be its nose

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

13. Hot glue the bottom four edges of the hat to the body/beard (where it’s touching)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

5. Plug in the hot glue gun for later use

6. Tightly twist two of your pipe cleaners together, trying to keep them as straight as possible 7. Wrap your twisted pipe cleaners around the remaining pipe cleaner for reinforcement, while still trying to keep them straightened

8. Place the pipe cleaner twist in the hat designated sock, with one end at the sock’s toe end and the other at the opening 14. Hot glue the hat’s inner edge and the wooden ball “nose” together with one dot at the top and one on either side (three in total) 15. Take three jingle bells and hot glue them to the hat’s tip in a triangle shape

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

16. Using your last bell, hot glue it in the middle of the triangle, making a pyramid like shape 17. Name your gnome and enjoy its company all season long!