As we approach winter break, the GA community is gearing up for holiday traditions and more. Starting from Dec. 21 and ending Jan. 6, winter break is two weeks long. During this time, students and faculty enjoy going on vacation, spending time with family and relaxing before school starts up again.
Ms. Diane Goldstein, Upper School Physics and Engineering Teacher, plans to meet up with her kids and relatives.
“One of my daughters just moved to Brooklyn, so I have a feeling we’re going to try to do a couple of trips into New York,” Ms. Goldstein said. “Maybe back to Rhode island. My family’s from Rhode Island.”
Ms. Goldstein celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah. For Hanukkah, she has her friends over for a big latke fest. Latkes are small Jewish potato fried pancakes, typically including onions. This food is served with applesauce or sour cream as a dip.
“I like them shredded,” Ms. Goldstein said. “Right from scratch, make a big mess. Potato starch gets everywhere.”
Anushka Sen ‘28 plans on embracing the warm sun during her break.
“We are going to Hawaii,” Sen said. “My family’s very divided; half of us like the beach and half of us like the mountains. So I think we’re splitting our days between the beach and some national parks. Checking out some volcanoes should be cool.”
Sen likes the beach more than the mountains. She’s taking some time before getting ready for the rest of the school year. Sen will visit Kula, located on the island, Maui, the second largest of Hawaii’s islands and the island Hawaii itself.
“I believe it’s a national park. There’s a famous sunrise point that we’re going to,” Sen said.
In Hawaii there are two national parks: Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. She and her family are visiting both.
Chase Winter ‘27 doesn’t have too many plans for winter break, but looks forward to seeing some relatives he hasn’t seen in a while.
“Previous years we used to travel after Christmas to Vermont, but this year and last, we stayed home,” Winter said. “I usually get together with my cousins and uncles and aunts and everyone. We’d eat dinner and open presents.”
Mrs. Robynne Graffam, Upper School English Teacher, also plans to have her family over for Christmas. A Christmas brunch is one family tradition that Mrs. Graffam celebrates with her extended family.
“A Christmas brunch is sort of our big family tradition where we get everybody together on Christmas day, and we have a big table cloth that my grandmother started where we all sign our names on the tablecloth that is there for that gathering,” Mrs. Graffam said. “Then she used to hand-embroider everybody’s names.”
Mrs. Graffam says the family switched over to using fabric markers. She believes her name was one of the hand-embroidered ones.
Winter; however, is Mrs. Graffam’s least favorite season. She prefers to stay inside and watch winter sports.
“Winter Olympics, love those. I find watching curling bizarrely fascinating,” Mrs. Graffam said. ”I have no idea why that is or how it got to be that way, but it’s pretty cool.”
Chester Adams ‘25 looks forward to a relaxed Winter Break at home.
“I think we’re staying home this year,” Chester Adams ‘25, said. “I don’t really care about gifts. I just want to chill and watch some movies.”
Adams also looks forward to a fun family tradition.
“We get on these puffy coats, and we go out to a Christmas tree farm and we take pictures. Just in front of the Christmas trees or Santa sometimes,” Adams said. “It’s a nice little tradition; we hang it on the wall every year.”
Winter break offers the GA community the chance to unwind, travel and celebrate the festive season with loved ones, all while making new memories.
With plans to travel, visit loved ones and continue traditions, the GA community is primed for winter break.