The fall season has slowly come to an end, making way for winter weather and the nearing holiday season. As the Germantown Academy (GA) community gets ready to enjoy holiday festivities, the environment of House spaces takes up a large role in the promotion of holiday spirit throughout the Upper School.
The leaders of each House, including Prefects and House Heads, generally aim to make each House space a comfortable and welcoming place, thus supporting the idea of decorating the spaces during the holidays. The tradition has become an important and integrated part of GA’s holiday spirit.
“I think House spaces are a nice place to spend your time with your friends, so decoration during the holidays is important and fits the vibe,” Mirabelle Hayes ‘26, Osbourn Prefect, said.
House lounges serve many purposes for students and teachers alike. They are areas to gather and socialize as well as study spaces, and their role in GA student life emphasizes how House lounges should welcome all students.
Comfort and inclusivity in House spaces play a great role in helping students better manage the pressures placed on them throughout the school year. Especially in the stressful times before breaks, decorating House spaces allows for an outlet of creativity and holiday excitement while also making the school feel more inviting.
“I think a welcoming space makes people feel more comfortable,” Ms. Sara Krupnick-Ritz, Truesdell House head, said. “I think when you’re comfortable, you’re more likely to interact with other people, [and] you’re more likely to find a place you want to do your work.”
The decoration allows for many ideas and, therefore, people to come together and celebrate spirit and special holiday occasions. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate in decorating and generating a festive atmosphere. This allows for community interaction and a shared experience of holiday celebrations.
“I think it [brings] a lot of spirit to GA,” Catalina Urrutia-Lozano ‘28, 10th grade Form Rep, said. “Around the holiday season, everybody’s excited for all the holidays, so I think it really hypes everybody up.”
Each House has different traditions for decorating their House space, and the decorations vary each year. This year, for example, Truesdell has taken an interesting approach, turning this enjoyable winter activity into a bonding experience for new students and their mentors before opening up the creativity to the entire House.
“We’re going to have a two-step holiday/Winter Wonderland kind of event,” Ms. Ritz said. “We’re going to do one with the mentors, and then we’re going to do one as a freshman leadership activity, and one more where the whole House can contribute.”
Truesdell’s integration of House decorating with the student body has allowed the House space to become a welcoming place formed by the efforts and creativity of Truesdell faculty and students together. Roberts has also taken its own approach to their annual House decorating event.
“One thing that I know that we’ve done in the past in Roberts is something that’s a little bit more about the season itself, as opposed to the holidays,” Ms. Allison Rader, Roberts House head, said. “So we’ve done snowflakes and things like that to kind of brighten up the season.”
While plans for House space decoration are still being finalized, it is important for student voices and opinions to be heard throughout the entire process.
“I’ve talked a little bit with the Prefects about what they want to do, because I think it’s also really important that it’s not just me, but that the student leaders are thinking of ways to involve the House in that space,” Ms. Rader said.
Although it will not happen this year, in future years, House decorating may become a House competition, encouraging student participation and rewarding their hard work. Details are still being finalized, but it may be something to look forward to in future winter seasons.
“If it’s a competition, a lot of people participate more,” Urrutia-Lozano said. “I feel like just this, it’ll be more just the people that really like art… but when it’s a competition people that normally don’t do that type of stuff still come in. I feel like it’s more of a community thing.”
House lounges provide a place for smaller community gatherings, as well as a place to get work done or to relax, making them an essential part of the GA community. Decorating the House lounges can remind students of the many holidays coming up after all the major assessments and provide comfort during stressful times. They allow students to feel more at home and make the Upper School a more welcoming and inclusive place.
“It’s just about being light-hearted and playful in a place like school, where it can feel very high stakes, and it can be a stressful environment,” Ms. Ritz said. “It’s a place where hopefully, even in the midst of all your hard work, you can walk by and feel lighter.”