30 minute read
IT’S TIME TO HIT THE BOOKS FINALS WILL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT
Culture
Culture Editor: Katelin Pompa – xzgw@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu
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The IUP library is open Wednesday through Thursday from 8 to 12 a.m.
It’s time to hit the books
Finals will be here before you know it
Finding a place to study may be difficult, but it has proven to be more difficult during a pandemic since many places are now off-limits.
The end of the semester has almost arrived at IUP, which means finals are also on their way.
As students prepare for finals, they have had to be creative in finding new spaces to study as social distancing continues adaptation to the situation has become the new reality at IUP.
Claire Shemon (junior, biology) said that the library had been her favorite spot to study in with groups prior to the pandemic due to the study rooms.
“The white board allows us to go over problems and concepts, and to teach it to each other to see if we know it and can explain it,” she said. “This worked amazing for physics, chemistry, calculus and biology.”
Now she said her study groups use Zoom because not all of them are on campus.
When studying alone, Shemon said she preferred using local coffee shops due to their quiet nature. Her favorite coffee shop for studying was Commonplace. (congerdesign/Pixabay)
Bailey Walters (sophomore, psychology) also said she enjoyed going to coffee shops to study. She preferred using Starbucks when they are open.
“I love the atmosphere,” she saiad. “It is always calm, and they play great music.”
According to Walters, there has never been any distraction while she studied there.
“If it ever gets too loud, I can always pop in my headphones and get to work, too. I have never been disturbed while doing my work either.”
Elissa Ridenour (junior, biology) said that the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) building was a good spot when she needed a lot of space for studying.
“The building has no one in it. I just find an empty classroom and wipe down my area and get to work,” she said, “There is a whiteboard and everything.”
Though she is not sure if it is allowed or not, she said she is careful while using the rooms.
“I do take precautions, like wiping down my chair and area when I get there and before I leave,” Ridenour said. “I have not gotten yelled at yet for it.”
Tyler Degenhart (sophomore, biology) said he found it easy to study anywhere due to the motto he had.
“If you can’t do work everywhere, then you can’t do work anywhere,” he said.
Due to the changes within the semester, students said they were still worried about finals. Their worries were more toward projects rather than studying, though.
“I’m only really worried about finishing my final painting for my oil painting class,” Shemon said. “I missed the last two weeks because I was sick and in quarantine with COVID.”
However, Shemon said she is still prepared for the rest of her finals.
The last day of classes for the semester is Monday with finals taking place between Dec. 8 and 11.
The final exam schedule can be found on IUP’s website at https:// www.iup.edu/news-events/calendar/academic/fall-2020-final-examschedule/.
Good luck on your finals, IUP. Remember to get some sleep and don’t overload on caffeine.
Ready, Set, Go
IUP’s first virtual 5k
AMARI WALKER was available by downloading the submitted in. Staff Writer PDF document on the HSS website A few lucky winners of the Amajqtbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP to be worn as they ran/walked. As they ran/walked, they were to post on their social media to zon gift cards will be selected randomly and contacted through their school email, so if you participat-
Normally, the College of Health raise awareness for the virtual 5k ed, make sure you keep an eye out and Human Services (HHS) hosts and show off the fact they got for it. Being that we are all college their annual food drive to help out to take part in something that students, money is tight. This will the food pantry at IUP, but it was a benefits local students in need of be a great way to treat yourself or little different this year. food supplies. To check out these someone else to a special gift with
Instead, they decided to host photos, search the hashtags #IUP- the upcoming Christmas season. IUP’s first virtual 5k run. FoodPantry5k and #Giving Tuesday All proceeds from the virtual 5k
For those who felt like they to see what the run was like. race will be going to IUP’s Food needed some more fresh air after After participants completed Pantry located at G12 Suites in Thanksgiving break, this was their the 5k, they were to complete a Pratt. For those who miss out, chance to take a breather before time sheet that was linked under don’t worry, you can still donate to going back to classes and work. IUP’s HHS website. The time sheet the food pantry.
The virtual 5k took place from listed the name of the participant, The food pantry helps to enNov. 21 to Dec. 1, and participants how fast they completed the 5k force the reality of food insecurity, were able to raise awareness to and their school email. and they hope to positively affect help out IUP’s Food Pantry. In addition to completing the the students that may need extra
You could walk or run wherever 5k race, their names, picture and assistance. Their hope is to play you were at any time. Participants times will be posted on IUP’s HHS a part in reducing the stress that were to set a timer before they Facebook page for everyone to students may experience during started running/walking and see. their time at IUP. pressed stop once they were done The race held its own special Additionally, the pantry is to check their progress on their prizes for those who participat- always looking for volunteers. If fitness journey. ed, too. As a reward, there was a you’re interested in more infor-
Participants also had the chance raffle in which those who com- mation, you can email them at to have their own race bib. This pleted the 5k were automatically food-pantry@iup.edu.
Culture
STATIC plans for the rest of the semester
HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
The Student Activity Committee (STATIC) has a few more events to offer before the end of the semester, and they are well worth checking out to help ease the stress of the approaching finals week.
On Wednesday, STATIC is hosting the event titled “DIY Spa Tutorials” from 8 to 10 p.m. Take the opportunity to learn how to destress a little more with some DIY spa treatments and helpful relaxation tips. The event will be virtual and will be hosted on STATIC’s Facebook and Instagram pages’ livestreams and stories.
The spa event is going to be hosted live, is free for members of the IUP community and requires no preregistration. You could register for a pre-assembled spa kit for your use during the event and pick it up at STATIC’s office in the Hadley Union Building (HUB 215-216) or check out the official DIY Spa Tutorials recipes and ingredients list instead.
The list is available on STATIC’s webpage for this special spa night event. Take this as a sign that you deserve some fantastic relaxation tips and tricks and a lovely spa experience before the stress of finals comes along.
Another of STATIC’s wellknown Netflix Watch Parties is coming up Thursday. This Watch Party will be a double feature. The two films being shown will be “The Lorax” and “The Grinch.” The event begins at 8 p.m. and will run to about 11 p.m.
“The Lorax” stars Zac Efron voicing the main character, Ted. The film follows the boy’s journey to reignite his town’s love and appreciation for nature and restore their run-down environment to its former glory by reintroducing the neighborhood to the magnificent Truffula tree and simultaneously winning the heart of his crush, Audrey, voiced by Taylor Swift.
“The Grinch” is the 2018 animated version of the well-known Grinch story. The big, bad green Grinch himself is voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, and his tiny kind-hearted counterpart, Cindy Lou Who, is voiced by Cameron Seely. Much like in the live-action 2000 film, in this version, Cindy Lou Who just might change the Grinch’s plans to ruin Christmas for good.
On Saturday, STATIC is hosting “Live at IUP: An Evening with Josh Peck.” The event will take place on Zoom from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The Zoom waiting room will be opened at 7:30 p.m. and no preregistration is required. The event is completely free, and the Zoom link is available on STATIC’s webpage for this event.
There will be a question-and-answer portion, and audience members can choose to submit their questions for Peck to possibly answer during the event. To submit any audience questions, you can send STATIC a direct message through their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages or send them an email containing your questions.
Peck is a celebrity actor, comedian and YouTube personality most-likely best known for his starring role in the Nickelodeon sitcom “Drake and Josh” from 2004 to 2007. Peck also occasionally makes appearances in YouTube personality David Dobrik’s vlogs.
Tune in with STATIC for a night of laughs and good humor with Peck as the entertainer of choice for your perfect Saturday night in.
Be sure to check the STATIC’s socials media pages for updates the rest of this semester, and new events next year.
(Free-photos/Pixabay)
Finals can be very stressful, but finding study online aids can make it easier.
Best websites to help ace final exams
HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
It’s no secret that finals are a stressful time for everyone, students and professors alike, but luckily there are plenty of helpful resources to help you prepare.
As technology use swells, more app and website creators are offering helpful study resources for every level of learning. While some students may still prefer using pen and paper to take notes or make flashcards for memorization purposes, there are endless virtual choices to help you start your study journey online. From websites that make virtual flashcards to apps that help you submit your worked-out chemistry equations, there is something out there for every learning style and need.
“When studying for finals, I do not typically utilize websites,” Hayley Schehr (senior, natural science) said. “I usually rely heavily on class notes and textbook information.”
However, Schehr said she does use Quizlet in terms of a beneficial website.
“Quizlet allows students to review the flashcards they’ve made at any point,” she said. “I find this really helpful because whenever I find downtime, I can easily access the app and study for my finals without having to have all of the class materials in front of me.”
Quizlet not only allows students to view and review the sets they’ve made, but it can also help students organize all the information they’ll need to know. You can choose to break up a study set into chapters and then include them in a “class.” This lets you gather your study sets so you can access the information you need to review.
Quizlet is also an increasingly popular website for students because you can choose to view a study set created by another student. If you are somehow running low on study time, or you simply don’t want to make a new study set, you can search for key words and access public flashcard sets made by other users.
“Quizlet is my favorite because I get to type the information I would like to study onto flashcards and review them at my leisure,” Schehr said. “This helps me to organize my thoughts and select key concepts from class notes to concentrate on.”
She said that Quizlet allows you to make large sets of flash cards and categorize them and mark the terms you’ve mastered so that the website can separate them from those that need extra practice. It’s also possible to mix up the order of terms and decide which side of the flashcard is visible.
Quizlet has plenty of perks, but it may not work for studying every subject. For subjects that involves math, for example, may require more comprehension of mathematical rules, concepts and equations than the memorization of terms. Thus, other sites and apps prove to be of more use.
“I don’t typically use apps to study for finals, but in the past when I’ve had math classes, I have used Photomath because it helps break down how to do the problems,” Olivia Tavoletti (senior, marketing) said.
“Photomath allows you to scan the math problem and then will show you step-by-step how to solve it and get the answer. It’s really helpful if you’re missing a step or don’t understand how to go about solving something.”
Some apps can help you turn your math or chemistry written work into PDFs to make it easier for you to submit them to your professor virtually. Apps like PDF element and Genius Scan allow you to take a photo of your “show your work” page, and the app converts it to a PDF file for easy submission. This option might help you get partial credit on your exams and allows the professor to better understand where you might have been coming from with a certain answer, even if it was incorrect.
Thought it may feel like a good idea to study until you drop, studies have actually shown that taking small breaks during your study time is beneficial, not only to your mentality, but also to your learning. By working for certain longer periods and following those long periods up with short breaks, you can give your brain time to digest the information you were studying before your break. Breaking up your material into manageable chunks also ensures your brain has an easier time focusing on the next section of material it will have to digest.
“Although there is a lot of work to be done, it is important to avoid becoming wrapped up in the stress of the week,” Schehr said. “Incorporating breaks into your schedule, whether it’s going for a walk or listening to music, helps to clear your mind and make you more focused when you get back to studying.”
Tavoletti said she will study for an hour and then take a 15-minute break to refresh and eat a snack. Then, she goes back to studying for another hour.
Giving your mind even a few minutes of rest between study periods can substantially boost your brain’s ability to absorb the material. Also, finding a place to specifically dedicate to studying can help you focus far more easily. If you try to study in your bed, odds are you’ll be more likely to fall asleep than better understand the information you need to.
“It’s good to find a space where you won’t be easily distracted,” Tavoletti said.
Despite the high stress of finals week, there can be ways to make studying less painful and possibly even enjoyable. By involving friends from your classes, you can come up with new creative ways to memorize material together or practice for your French oral exam aloud.
You can even use some of the websites out there to make your studying endeavors into a game. There are term and definition matching games and timed challenges to make finals studying more entertaining and less of a chore.
Good luck, IUP.
IUP is winding down with these fun plans
HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
IUP is still finding great ways to entertain students after the Thanksgiving break, whether they are on-campus or distance learning for the rest of this semester.
There are still some activities being planned in order to keep students involved in IUP events. From studying for finals efficiently to enjoying some IUP students’ musical talent, there is something for everyone to safely participate in as most of the events that will take place will be virtual.
On Thursday at 6 p.m., IUP will host another of its Crimson Common Hour event. These are workshops specifically designed to help students achieve success throughout their college career. The events are hosted by the MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
With all the stress going on this year, it’s more important now than ever to cherish and enjoy the holidays.
The holidays are something most people look forward to all year. Many enjoy the music, decorating, food and merriness that come along with the season.
This year, the holidays will have to look a bit different. Shopping for gifts will be done mostly online. Many extended family members won’t be able to gather.
Holiday parties will have to be limited to just close family and friends who have previously been conjugating. There will be less holiday events and everything will have to be outdoors and socially distanced.
While there will be many restrictions, there’s still ways that we can celebrate and have fun.
One of the best ways to celebrate is binging holiday movies. While lots of them are cheesy, the classics are always fun to re-watch. Netflix and Disney+ have some University College and Learning Education and Development (LEAD) peer mentors. The hosts are specifically chosen to help students boost their study skills, manage anxiety surrounding classes and testing, take efficient and effective notes during classes and set realistic goals for good holiday movies to binge, both old and new.
Some of these movies include the original “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Home Alone” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Making holiday treats is another way to get into the spirit. Making holiday cookies and snacks while spending time with friends and close family is a great way to celebrate. There are many fun and original recipes to follow on Pinterest that maybe you have not made or seen before.
Some of the cookies you can make during the season are buttercream frosted sugar cookies, Russian tea cookies and the German spitzbub cookie. Other holiday snacks you can make can include peppermint bark, fudge, caramels and homemade peppermint patties.
Decorating can be another fun way to get into the holiday spirit. Doing that with your family at home or even your dorm or apartment can help lift your spirits and have fun. Even if you don’t have the funds to buy decorations, there are lots of cheap homemade holiday decorations. You can make (The Penn Archives) themselves during their studies.
This Crimson Common Hour will be focused specifically on studying for finals. There is a link on IUP’s Crimson Common Hours event page where you must register for the event in order to participate. To register online, you must enter your first and last paper snowflakes, cut out and color Christmas trees or make your own paper ornaments.
If you prefer to shop for decorations but want to save some money, stores like TJ Maxx, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Walmart have affordable and fun decoration options.
Another fun way to get into the holiday spirit is to visit a holiday tree farm. In fact, Indiana County is the Christmas tree capital of the world. It’s a free, fun way to get into the spirit and celebrate.
You can go and get hot chocolate or cider, take a horse-drawn hayride and maybe see some farm animals. It’s a great, safe activity to do with friends since you would be outside and wearing masks.
Making gingerbread houses has turned into a more popular tradition in recent years, especially on social media. Friends and family can make their own gingerbread houses, take photos of them and then post them on their social medias with a poll so their followers can vote on the best decorated gingerbread house. It’s a fun competition to do with both friends and family. Then, afterward, you get to eat your creations. name and your IUP email. The event will take place virtually on Zoom.
Also taking place Thursday, The Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE) presents Breaking the Barrier. They are presenting their final installation of the Breaking the Barrier series, which began Oct. 8, with the topic of focus being racism/anti-racism. Each of the events encourage and support friendly open-minded discussion about various topics related to diversity and inclusion.
The first discussion was about racism and preventing racism, the second about intersectionality, identity awareness and development, the third about systems and structures of oppression, and the second to last event focused the discussion on sexual orientation. These events always take place on Thursday afternoons from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, IUP’s Lively Arts will be hosting a YouTube Live Stream of a recital. It is titled “IUP String Project Fall Student Recital” and will take place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The IUP Department of Music has a YouTube channel on which this event will be streamed. The event will have no public audience and is free for all IUP community members. It does not require preregistration.
The fall recital, of the IUP music students from the String Project will feature solo performances as well as ensemble pieces for the audience to safely enjoy.
To watch this student recital simply visit the IUP Department of Music’s YouTube page at the time it begins to enjoy the live performance of IUP’s own music department students.
To find more events, check the
Spreading holiday cheer
IUP website. (Free-Photos/Pixabay) Christmas is one of the many holidays during winter.
December 2, 2020
Winter holidays celebrated by many
Culture
Hawk hacks to a successful finals week
This year, Hanukkah will start Dec. 10 and end Dec. 18.
CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
After an unprecedented year marked by a pandemic, violence and political uncertainty, December is finally bringing holidays to cheer us up.
In the U.S., the best-known and most celebrated December holiday is Christmas. The day has not only become a holiday to spend time with the family, but also to spend some money. According to CNBC, Americans collectively spend around 135 billion dollars every Christmas.
Besides that, the National Christmas Tree Association estimated that about 25 to 30 million Christmas trees are sold every year.
Historians believe that Christmas started as a variation of either Yule or the Saturnalia. From Dec. 21 until Jan. 1, Yule was celebrated by early Germans and Nordics to honor the god Odin, to whom early Germans feared. Saturnalia was its Roman counterpart, as they celebrated the god Saturn instead. In both holidays, people would engage in long feasts and share goods with each other.
Nowadays, Yule is only celebrated by Neopagans, but its legacy lives in Nordic countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The word for the Christmas season, “jul,” is a homophone to Yule. Saturnalia is no longer celebrated.
Both holidays have only evolved into what we know as Christmas after the Catholic Church took control over Europe during the Middle Ages, and although Christmas is the most famous winter holiday celebrated by Christians, it is not the only one.
In Germany, the Netherlands and Ukraine, kids long for the Day of Saint Nicholas (Dec. 5). As the name suggests, the day celebrates Saint Nicholas, the saint who inspired the American Santa Claus. On this day, kids who were “nice” are rewarded with presents and cash.
In some parts of Latin America, particularly Argentina, South Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, kids who were nice have to wait a little more—until Jan. 5—as tradition says that the three Biblical Magi are the ones who reward children with gifts. This day is known as Día de Los Reyes in Spanish and Día de Reis in Portuguese.
The impact of Christmas in Western civilization is so big that it led followers of other religions to adapt their own celebrations into something similar so the kids could have the same experience. For American Jews, Hannukah is one of the most important holidays of the year, but for Israeli Jews, the holiday is not held with that much esteem.
“We were sitting at an [American] Hanukkah party and looking at how crazy it is,” Stanford professor Liran Einav, who was born in Israel, said in an interview with The Washington Post. “In Israel, [Hanukkah] is a holiday but is not so special.”
According to a study published in the Economic Journal, the importance of Hannukah among American Jews comes from being close in time to Christmas. The holiday, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrates the reclaim of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and is celebrated on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev. This means that it always falls around mid- to late-December.
Despite its tie to religion, Christmas Day, however, has outgrown outside of its religious bubble.
In some countries, such as the U.K., Nigeria and New Zealand, (EvgeniT/Pixabay)
the holiday is such a big deal that a second Christmas Day was created under the name of Boxing Day. Celebrated Dec. 26, Boxing Day originally started as a holiday in which the Church of England would hand out gift boxes with money to the poor on the day after Christmas.
Nowadays, Boxing Day is a big shopping holiday in the U.K. Similar to the Black Friday phenomena in the America, British retailers realized that dropping the prices of goods on the day after a holiday typically attracts millions of customers. In parts of Canada, however, stores are closed on Boxing Day to give retail workers some relief after the Christmas season.
Boxing Day is not the only holiday that takes place Dec. 26. Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration honoring the Nguzo Saba, meaning “seven principles” in Swahili, also begins.
Although it was invented only in 1966, Kwanzaa has already established itself as one of the most popular winter holidays. This is because the holiday also seeks to celebrate African Americans and their heritage. It has outgrown its meaning, and it became a statement with a clear message: African American heritage will not be erased from history.
“For Black power activists, Kwanzaa was just as important as the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Keith Mayes said his book about the holiday. “Kwanzaa was their answer to what they understood as the ubiquity of white cultural practices that oppressed them as thoroughly as had Jim Crow laws.”
Whether it is celebrating a heritage, worshipping religion or simply enjoying a day to shop, the winter holidays will bring relief to many and end this unprecedented year on a positive note. (eslfuntaiwan/Pixabay) Studying is an important part of finals week. OLIVIA CARBONE forget “me time.” Finally, cramming Staff Writer kzzw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP won’t help you in the long run. All of these tips can help ensure a successful finals week, especially since it’s easier to blow off school-
It’s no secret that almost every- work because of everything being thing about this year has been out online learning. We have condiof the ordinary, between restrictions, tioned ourselves into thinking, “Oh masking, social distancing and on- it’s not that bad. I have all week to line school, pretty much everything do this, and the answers are online.” has changed. Then we reach the day it’s due, and
Now, post-Thanksgiving, the we realize it’s a lot more work than stress on every college student be- we thought. gins to take over. The stress of finals “I’ve been watching Netflix this is quickly underway, especially since semester more than I ever did,” they’ll look a lot different this year. Alexis Smith (senior, biology) said.
Students seem to have similar, “Which, in turn, is making it harder yet different ways of coping with the to concentrate on my work.” stress of upcoming finals. For most people, Netflix has “I get very emotional and been the reason why they aren’t stressed out,” Melanie Hammond getting their work done, and finals (senior, nursing) said. “That’s not week won’t be much different. Even even being sarcastic. More emotions though we are still in a pandemwill be present this finals week now ic, there are many places to take more than ever due to the software finals outside of the home. This that video students use when they’re includes local libraries, coffee shops, taking their exams and just the stress outdoors (weather permitting) and of online learning.” much more.
She said that due to online learn- “Your scenery of where you’re ing, it’s very easy to procrastinate on working can impact your motivataking your exams since they may be tion,” Mason Carothers (junior, open for a whole week or the whole health and physical education) said. day. “If you’re working in a dark room,
“During finals week, I use naps you will likely not want to do your to procrastinate and coffee to boost work, but if you’re somewhere in my energy,” Jennifer Miller (senior, public, it makes it easier.” communications media) said. After Thanksgiving is when
According to psychcentral.com, most college students are anxious Dr. John M. Grohol came up with compared to earlier in the semester. seven tips to ensure successful finals. They know that their grades depend
First, schedule your time to focus on these final two weeks, especially on studying. Second, don’t blow off if they are close to the next highest sleep. Third, shutdown social media letter grade. and gaming. Fourth, don’t blow off If you have a college student in eating. Fifth, rewrite or summarize your life, give them a hug and tell your notes/chapters. Sixth, don’t them they are doing great.
Culture December 2, 2020 17 How to surprise your friends with Secret Santa
Secret Santa is a great way to surprise your friends and family with gifts.
HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
If you’re looking for a new holiday tradition to enjoy with your friends or family, look no further; Secret Santa gift exchanges are the perfect choice for all crowds.
Secret Santa is a Christmas tradition that involves a gift exchange within a group of people. Each group member is randomly assigned another member to find a present for. The identity of the gift-giver is supposed to remain a secret. This Christmas gift-giving game involves no stealing of gifts like the similarly popular “White Elephant” or “Yankee Swap.”
“While I have no fun memories of Secret Santa traditions yet, I have many, many evil plans to drag a couple people I know into one eventually,” Gabriella Byrne (junior, English writing studies) said.
A Secret Santa can be a free for all, but they often come with a limit on the amount of money each giver is allowed to spend to make sure the gifting is “fair” to all participating. The small limitation can make it far more enjoyable for everyone involved, and it ensures that any potential awkwardness when it comes to available finances is eliminated.
“The great thing about Secret Santa gifts is that the gift does not have to be personal or expensive or over the top in any way,” Byrne said. “Part of the fun is the part that it is secret. So, a general gift any person could give another is the way to go.”
She recommends getting a funny card and a little keychain/ charm/small item the person can carry anywhere that goes along with that tidbit of information you know about that person and create a gift centered around it.
“Add a joke in the card with a little bit of personal knowledge you have on that person to give a hint on who gifted it,” she said.
If you don’t know your assigned person, well, one of the best ideas for a gift can involve a certain trend or even using your attention to detail to make some safe assumptions about that person. If they always seem to be wearing a different shade of lipstick, maybe make a guess about a new color or brand they might enjoy. Maybe they always seem to be getting stuck in the rain without an umbrella, and you’d like to make sure they get to stay warm and dry when the clouds appear from now on. Making careful assumptions involving their general age bracket can also be a safe bet to find the perfect Secret Santa gift.
“An idea that comes to mind that I know I would enjoy are sticker packs,” Sean Young (Monicore/Pixabay)
(senior, marketing) said. “They are perfect for creative people to decorate and sticker bomb whatever they like. As a plus, if you know what the person or group is into, then you can be more specific in the subject matter of the stickers like superheroes, sports, brands, etc.”
The point of this particular tradition is not to give the best gift out of everyone in the group so there is no friendly, or unfriendly, competition. Also, since it involves no gift “stealing,” it invites the perfect opportunity to get to know the people around you better. This is a great way to enjoy each other’s company in an exciting and surprising, yet comfortably safe social environment. It would be perfect for a holiday office party and could succeed in just about any friend group. “I have never participated in a Secret Santa myself, but boy, would I love to,” Byrne said. “I look forward to being the person that suggests it to my future coworkers in order to get to know each other better.”
Secret Santa is usually designed to be a “safe” way to find gifts for new friends or distant family members, yet some decide to go all out and make memories that their gift-giving party members are unlikely to forget.
“I once saw my friend gift his Secret Santa a wedding ring and proposed (she said yes),” Young said. “It was beautiful and touching, but it was really hard to follow that with a sampler pack of incense.”
The entire reason for the tradition, however, is spreading Christmas cheer and goodwill among friends and family and possibly fostering a few budding friendships in the process.
“I enjoy the end result of exchanging gifts and having fun holiday cheer together,” Young said. “However, finding good gifts that are personal and satisfying is dreadful for me.
While the idea of choosing a gift for someone you might not know inside and out may seem daunting at first, paying attention to your instincts about the person can help you find your way.
Keeping an open mind, remembering that it’s not a competition and having a good sense of humor is definitely the way to succeed with this entertaining and kind-hearted holiday tradition among coworkers, friends or family members this Christmas.
Happy holidays, Hawks.
