With the holiday season quickly approaching, many members of the Germantown Academy (GA) community are ready to write their wish lists. Looking forward to the gifts and traditions that make this time of the year remarkable, students and faculty discuss what they hope to receive, the trends that influence this year’s choices, and the moments they anticipate as the holidays come closer. With the help of the GA community, capturing the yearly festive excitement has been made possible.
For the GA community, the holiday season brings both wish lists and meaningful memories. For Mrs. Anne Leonard, Upper School Assistant to the Director of College Counseling, one of the bigger purchases she has her eye on is something she’s never bought for herself.
“Something I wanted to buy but haven’t is a new car,” Mrs. Leonard said. “I’ve had several used cars over the years. I’ve inherited cars from my parents.”
When it comes to gifts, Mrs. Leonard says even something small can be impactful.
“I think even a small gift would be a Barnes & Noble gift card,” Mrs. Leonard said. “I love to read, buy books and look around Barnes & Noble, so even if it’s a small gift card, I would use all of it and enhance my book collection.”
Mrs. Leonard also mentioned a more practical need on her list this year.
“I really need a new couch,” Mrs. Leonard said. “Of course I’m not gonna ask someone for a couch, but somewhere I could get one would be great.”
Still, the gifts that mean the most aren’t always the big or expensive ones, but rather the ones with emotional value.
“My niece and nephew who are eight and six gave me two stuffies of Harry Potter and a Hedwig,” Mrs. Leonard said. “I love them so much, they’re so cute and they make me think of them all the time.”
Sometimes, a gift doesn’t have to come wrapped up as a present. For Alex Kelly ‘27, his most recent Christmas gift was an unforgettable experience with his family.
“Last year, as a gift, I got to go to New York City, where I saw a Broadway show and visited the Empire State building,” Kelly said. “The trip was especially special to me because I had never been to New York City before.”
For many students, there are some noticeable trends in their gift lists. Touching on the themes for the upcoming winter, Matthew Hadlock ‘27 and Chris Weber ‘27 suggested a few clothing brands and styles that have become increasingly popular over the past year.
“A new quarter-zip or some new sweatpants would be nice,” Hadlock said. “I like Lululemon, it’s just a little pricey.”
“Personally for me, and what I’ve seen with my peers, Alo is the go-to clothing brand this year,” Weber said.
Despite clothing brands playing a role in many student’s gift lists, Weber also reflected that, for gift giving, small acts of kindness can mean just as much as some new clothes or other presents.
“I think even a simple gratitude letter can play an important role,” Weber said. “For example, I give my mom and dad a letter each year to express how grateful I am for them.”
With holiday wishlists and gift-giving, the excitement for the season in general also arises. Hadlock and Weber wrapped up what they’ve been noticing before this holiday season by looking back on some of their favorite memories from this time of the year.
“Opening presents with your family is only something you get to do at this time of the year and I get to see some Christmas light shows with them, which is awesome to see the hard work that goes behind making something so nice,” Hadlock said.
“I’m very excited to hang out with my family and play some football with my cousins, or just watch some games with my family,” Weber said. “During the Christmas season, going shopping and decorating with my family is special to me, just the vibe in general is great.”
As the GA community looks ahead to winter break, their traditions and wishlists illustrate what makes the holiday season so special at GA. Whether it be getting a present that they really wanted, a message from loved ones, or even just spending time with family and friends, each individual in the GA community has something special that defines their holiday season.