Photo from Princeton Public Library.
Photo from NPR.
Traveling Over the Holidays
Students share exciting plans and familiar destinations for this season
Image from Liberty Travel Giovanni Doss, a 10th grader, reflects this trend in his own holiday plans to Kansas City and Wisconsin.
“I’m excited to see my family and have a great time eating. I also have my license now, so I am able to drive and let my parents sleep during the trip,” he shared.
Doss’s excitement over his independence is an example of the growing appeal of road trips and more relaxed, flexible travel.
Interestingly, in a recent schoolwide survey, many students mentioned that the places they’re visiting this holiday season are familiar ones. Whether it’s visiting family in the same hometown or revisiting favorite vacation spots, many students are looking forward to places that already hold special memories.
Staff Writer
As the holiday season draws near, many students are preparing for trips to visit family, explore new cities or even return to familiar destinations. For Lindbergh highschoolers, these trips are a chance to unwind and reconnect with loved ones. From road trips to iconic landmarks, the excitement is palpable as students look forward to their holiday travels.
Recent statistics from SWNS Digital reveal that, “Road trips were the most popular form of travel in 2024 (40%), along with slow travel (traveling without a plan) (22%) and multi-generational family trips (traveling with several generations of family) (21%).” This trend highlights the growing popularity of more flexible and laid back travel experiences which resonate with many students’ plans this year.
According to the survey, 33.3% of students are traveling to destinations they’ve never been before. In contrast, 66.7% of students said they are returning to places they know well, visiting family and other vacation spots. This combination of new experiences and familiar locations shows the diverse travel perspectives among students, illustrating the desire to balance adventure with the comfort of home. Sophomore Senna Paredes summed up her excitement for her trip to Chicago.
Data provided by Holiday Travel Survey
Lily Donaldson
Radiant Winterfest
Winterfest’s celebration of everything Christmas
Hunter Whitehead Staff-Writer
Winterfest 2024 kicked off this November on the 23rd, beginning with two big events: the Winterfest 5K, which has returned for its fourth year, and the Ameren Missouri Festival of Lights. Winterfest hosts a wide variety of activities, including the Princesses and Superheroes Meet and Greet and Friday Carol-oke. The Winterfest activities that are consistently available include the Lodge at Winterfest, Ice Rink and Igloos-- all of which are available Friday through Sunday.
“Winterfest is a six-weekend celebration that draws tens of thousands of visitors to the heart of Downtown St. Louis. Situated in Kiener Plaza with picturesque views of the Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse, guests enjoy all their favorite Winterfest tradi-
is a photo of Winterfest (The Gateway Arch Park Foundation) tions together with their community, fostering the true spirit of the holidays under the warm glow of 100,000 twinkling lights,” said Manager of Corporate Partnerships, Chris Casey.
Winterfest is not only a fun event for anyone to enjoy, but it also does many things for the community. Winterfest allows people, who otherwise would not have had the opportunity, to ice skate and see twinkling Christmas lights and a vibrant fireworks show.
During Winterfest, there are many different vendors selling Christmas-themed food, drinks and souvenirs. Winterfest helps community members and local business owners by allowing them to become vendors at the event and set up shop in Kiener Plaza. Winterfest also provides for the community year-round, as the proceeds are used to fund local projects.
“By combining community-focused festivities with a mission-driven purpose, Winterfest channels proceeds and sponsorships directly back into local projects that make a lasting impact. By bringing the community together in a joyful, family-friendly atmosphere, Winterfest not only spreads holiday cheer but also fosters a deep connection to St. Louis’ iconic spaces, creating a lasting impact that extends well beyond the holiday season,” said Casey.
Winterfest activities and events are the main attractions, but some activities are more popular than others, those being the Ice Rink and s’more roasting. Both the Ice Rink and s’more roasting are available for nearly all of Winterfest.
“The event is free to enter, so take advantage of the many photo opportunities situated around Kiener Plaza, including a giant wreath that perfectly frames the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse in view. Also, the skating rink is free if you bring your own skates. Kids also skate free every Friday, courtesy of the St. Louis Blues,” said Casey.
Winterfest has its biggest event called the New Year’s Eve ‘Neon Nights’ Celebration, which takes place Tuesday, December 31st, from 4-8 p.m., and is the final event of Winterfest.
“Winterfest has a New Year’s Eve Neon Nights celebration, made possible with support from Greater St. Louis Inc., that offers a free, family-friendly way to ring in the new year, with fire dancers, DJs, visits from princesses and superheroes, and fireworks at 8 p.m.,” said Casey.
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This
This is a photo of the Winterfest Igloos. (kdsk.com)
Polar Pastimes
Students discuss their favorite winter activities
Elliot Lentz Staff Writer
“My friends and family go out to my lake which freezes every winter. We have a long-time tradition of skating and playing hockey on the lake.” - Michael Zavorka (12)
“My family always has Christmas traditions ever year we do, such as tree decorating the day before Thanksgiving, a free fun dollar tree shopping haul for little gifts for everyone, and seeing drive-thru Christmas lights.” - Lucy Sweet (10)
“Gift shopping is probably my favorite because I love shopping for my friends and family. I love seeing how happy they are when they get something they want or love, and I think its a great way to show you care about someone.” - Phoebe Potthoff (10)
“I work as an elf and a chef on the Polar Express down at Union Station during the wintertime; it’s my favorite part about Christmas time. I really enjoy getting to work with energetic
Festivals of the World
A Journey Through Unique Holidays and Traditions
All across the globe, many cultures celebrate the winter holidays in different ways. Here is an overview of a few upcoming celebrations, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year and Bodhi Day.
Hanukkah or Festival of Lights, is a Jewish festival that lasts eight days. This year, it is from December 25th, 2024 to January 2nd, 2025. Hanukkah is known to be a celebration of resilience, overcoming
Image from Hillel International
from December 26th through January 1st. Kwanzaa is a holiday that promotes unity and pride amongst people of African descent. There are seven principles associated with Kwanzaa. Each day, the goal is to learn about that principle and celebrate it. For each day, there is a candle associated with each principle that is lit.
“I’ve never personally celebrated it, but I would love to. I think that the holiday offers a lot of rich culture and meaning. And I believe that sometimes
the darkness and acknowledging the bravery of the Maccabees, who fought against the oppression and persecution of Judaism by the Seleucid Empire.
“… the Maccabees were the first Jews who fought to defend their religious beliefs rather than their lives,” according to Britannica.
The holiday commemorates the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE after the Maccabees revolted against the Seleucid Empire. After winning the battle, the Maccabees wanted to rededicate the desecrated temple and found a small amount of sacred oil to light the temple menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum. The oil lasted eight days, creating the tradition of lighting the menorah and adding one candle each night, which is why the Jewish community now celebrates Hanukkah. Jewish community member, Jason Kaplan shared how he and his family celebrated growing up.
“We lit the candles each day, made homemade matzo ball soup, said the prayers and ate brisket. The best part of Chanukkah growing up was being with my family. Even when my father was unemployed, I knew we would be fine because we were all together. Those are the times when the strength in each other conquered the fear of the unknown,” Kaplan said.
Shortly after Hanukkah, on December 26th, Kwanzaa is celebrated in African-American culture.
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Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration
there’s a misconception around it being a religious holiday, kind of like Christmas. It’s not. It’s just a cultural holiday that really anybody can kind of come on in, and they’re welcome to celebrate and learn about as well,” Sheriah Mason, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Lindbergh Schools, said.
Each candle that is lit on the Kinara represents a meaningful value in the culture, the first is Umoja which means Unity, the second is Kujichagulia which means Self-Determination, Ujima means Collective Work and Responsibility, Ujamaa means Cooperative Economics, Nia
Staff Writers
Sydney Jones and Meadow Roy
means Purpose, Kuumba means Creativity and the last candle, Imani, stands for Faith.
Learning about different cultures helps to better understand the customs and traditions of peers in the larger community.
“Also, I think from an educational standpoint, it is really important to expose students early to all of the various holidays out there, and not just the traditional ones that maybe we’re used to celebrating,” Mason said.
Then, after Kwanzaa, the Lunar New Year will be celebrated on the 29th of January, 2025.
Lunar New Year is the new year based on the Lunar calendar. The Lunar calendar is based on the moon phases, starting with the New Moon. The holiday is most popular in
China, but it is celebrated all over, including South Korea, Vietnam and countries with a large, Asian population. It is a time for families to celebrate and come together. Junior Makayla Nguyen, explained how her family celebrates Tet, which is the Lunar New Year in Vietnam.
“My family cooks a lot and we enjoy food like Banh Chung, which is a sticky rice cake. There are many superstitions such as don’t sweep the house on the first day as you’re sweeping away your luck, don’t wear black and white and don’t fight in the house as it will attract evil spirits. My favorite part is receiving red pocket envelopes called Li Xi. They are
filled with money and are given to children as good luck for the year,” Nguyen said.
Another form of celebration is the Lantern Festival, which honors deceased ancestors on the 15th day of the first month. It is filled with dancing and fireworks.
“During the festival, houses are festooned with colorful lanterns, often with riddles written on them; if the riddle is answered correctly, the solver earns a small gift. Festival celebrations also include lion and dragon dances, parades and fireworks,” Britannica said.
Lastly, on December 8th, Buddhists around the world celebrate Bodhi Day, also known as Buddha’s Enlightenment Day. This holiday celebrates the day Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and, as a result, became the Buddha. This took place about 2,600 years ago. There are a variety of traditions that Buddhists participate in during this holiday.
“Services and traditions vary amongst Buddhist sects, but all such services commemorate the Buddha’s achievement of Nirvana, and what this means for Buddhism today. Individuals may choose to commemorate the event through additional meditation, study of the Dharma, chanting of Buddhist texts (sutras), or performing kind acts towards other beings. Some Buddhists celebrate with a traditional meal of tea, cake, and readings,” according to the University of Massachusetts online. These are just a few celebrations happeing during this time of year. It is important to educate and shine light on other cultures traditions.
“That way students can get exposure, they can learn about various cultures, and then decide for themselves if it’s something that they want to participate in as well. I just think it’s really important to have a well-rounded view on the cultures and holidays shared within our society so that we can better understand one another and just better understand the cultures around us,” Mason said.
GIFTS GALORE
A HOLIDAY CATALOG FOR EVERY FRIEND AND FAMILY MEMBER
LAVIA RAOF | GRAPHICS EDITOR
As the holiday season quickly encroaches, it seems as though many struggle to decide what to gift their loved ones every year. From spending hundreds on electronics to crafting a personal, handmade gift, there’s a lot to choose from-- which only convolutes the decision-making process even more! With this small holiday catalog, here are some ideas to jog your brain for any future purchases!
Hopefully, some of these options piqued your interest! Although giving and receiving gifts are both large parts of the season, what truly matters are the people we choose to surround ourselves with. Happy Holidays Lindbergh!
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All Aboard!
The Polar Express Returns To St. Louis
Lilly Burrus and Lily Andre Staff Writers
With the holiday season fast approaching, many families have started to participate in their annual festivities and traditions. Union Station in downtown St. Louis offers various holiday activities for the public,
“I started the winter of my freshman year as an elf. I heard about the opportunity through a friend who did it, and it really intrigued me, so I decided to join. Our job is to line up the kids and take them to the train,
On the train, passengers will read the story of the Polar Express, receive hot chocolate and cookies and see performances from elves and chefs.
“Families are encouraged to wear their holiday pajamas for the experience. Once you board the train, it leaves Union Station and you will enjoy a reading of the classic book, then receive some freshly brewed hot chocolate from our chefs and a tasty cookie. Soon you will arrive at the North Pole where Santa Claus boards your train and visits every good little boy and girl to give them the magical gift of Christmas,” Union Station said.
There is a large group of people that work together to make the train ride an experience that kids won’t forget, including the actors who ensure that passengers are entertained throughout the ride. LHS senior Lillie Robinson plays a critical role in the event, as she plays both an elf and a chef on the train.
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Lillie and her coworkers dress as chefs for the Polar Express.
LIGHT UP THE SEASON!
Ready to see miles of LED Christmas lights synchronized to Christmas music? Open nightly, including holidays, the family-friendly event is one of the area’s largesrt drive through light shows. Featuring shooting stars, snowflakes, dancing candy
Santa’s Magical Kingdom is unlike any other place on Earth, and this year, it’s bigger, brighter and merrier! More than 4 million lights, with special effects and
Anheuser-Busch
has some of the most elaborate, red-brick buildings in the Germanic-Romanesque aesthetic. This time of year,
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The
brewery
the architecture is enhanced by one million sparkling lights. The holiday experience can be enjoyed in a number of ways: stroll down Pestalozzi Street, gather around the fire pit or the light-up dance floor. There will also be vintage trucks, floats and street performers. Tickets tend to sell out fast. (Open untill to December 30)
Grant’s Farm offers an arrangement of holiday experiences for all ages. Showcasing over 1 million lights, animals, Santa and Mrs. Claus and a synchronized 50-foot Christmas tree. There even is a walk-thru event, including a tram ride, a stroll through lights, meeting Santa, treats and animals. Additionally, families can enjoy breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus on select mornings, featuring a buffet and a complimentary photo with Santa. Tickets for all events are available online. (Open untill November 23 to December 30)
Photo From Grants Farm
Photo From Explore St Louis
Photo From ABC 6
Photo From @SMKStLouis on X
The Legend of Saint Nick: More than just a red suit
Long before he became the jolly man in a red suit, a kind and devoted bishop named Nicholas lived in Patara, Turkey. Nicholas was the son of wealthy parents but from an early age showed a profound sense of compassion and generosity. Rather than living in luxury, he chose to use his inherited wealth to help those in need.
In one of the most famous legends about St. Nicholas, a poor man once feared that his three daughters would have to be sold into slavery because he could not afford to help them. Nicholas gave the father money to save his daughters from their fate.
In the years that followed, Nicholas’s legend grew, going around the world spreading kindness, later dying on December 6, A.D. His feast day was celebrated by all who admired him, and his gratitude for others. The day was considered lucky, for marriages and big purchases, and his name stayed in the hearts of those who had experienced his kindness.
Over the centuries, his story traveled far beyond Turkey. By the 18th century, in the city of New York, Dutch families began to gather every December 6th to honor St. Nicholas’s memory. They called him Sinter Klaas, a name that carried the magic of the old world into the new. The legend of the kind saint who gave to the poor and protected children.
As time passed, the image of St. Nicholas began to change, influenced by new cultures and customs. In 1804, John Pintard, a member of the New York Historical Society, distributed woodcuts (printmaking strategy) featuring St. Nicholas. In the illustration, there were stockings hanging by a fireplace, filled with toys and fruit as symbols of the joy and generosity Nicholas had always been associated with. The name Sinter Klaas slowly transformed into the familiar Santa Claus, and his story became an inseparable part of American tradition. Nicholas’s spirit lived on, not only as a figure of kindness but as the jolly old man who would come to bring joy and gifts to children all over the world, every December 25th.
Madeline Boyd | Staff Writer
Some parents find celebrating St Nick a good way to better explain the role of Santa Claus.
“It turned out to be one of our most meaningful traditions to date and a way to draw on a more charitable mindset this time of year,” Patricia Shannon from Southern Living said.
Several families leave out their shoes based on the same old tale of St. Nick once dropped coins down the chimney of a poor man’s house to pay for the dowry of his daughters.
“These days, children leave shoes out in hopes that they will receive small gifts inside of them the next morning,” Shannon said.
Now, the origins of Nicholas’s name stay relevant in some student’s lives. Senior Grace Breed started her schooling at St. Paul later moved to the Lindbergh district in third grade, and continued to learn more about religion by taking PSR (Parish School of Religion).
“Being at a private school and learning about my religion at a young age influenced my family’s practices, and now we celebrate St. Nick’s Day as part of the Christmas season,” Breed said. “Me and my siblings wake up extra early to go out to my living room where we find gifts laid out in the living room,” Breed said.
Also included in the tradition are her two dogs.
“Ever since my family got our dogs, they have also gotten treats and toys that are all Christmas themed,” Breed said. “It’s fun to have my whole family involved.”
The old tale of Saint Nicholas laid the foundation for the Santa Claus legend. By the time Santa Claus took his current shape in the 19th century, enhanced by the work of poets and artists like Clement Clarke Moore and Thomas Nast, Saint Nicholas’s legacy of charity and kindness had transformed into the beloved, magical figure who now embodies the spirit of Christmas around the world. Whether as Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, his influence on the holiday season is a lasting reminder of the values of generosity and the joy of giving.
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