Holidays

Best Toys for the Holidays 

By Teja Wolfe

With the holiday season fast approaching, finding the perfect toy for your little sibling will be difficult. It must be a fun toy that will keep them entertained for hours. 

The first gift is the Beast Lab. When using Beast Lab, kids create their own beasts. To create their beast, they must combine its teeth, scales, and the magic gem in a giant beaker that will foam and bubble. Various beasts can be revealed, and it is a mystery which one they will get. After the beast is revealed, playing with it will be even more fun. The beast makes noises and roars when its body is twisted and can fight with other toys. 

Another gift like this is Magic Mixies. When using Magic Mixies, you add provided gems, crystals, and water to a cauldron. Then you wave the magic wand around the cauldron, and mist is sprayed everywhere in anticipation of a Magic Mixie coming out. When the Magic Mixie is taken out of the cauldron, it talks and makes noises. It can even interact with the magic wand, which kids would enjoy. 

Another present that will guarantee hours of fun is the Tamagotchi Uni. This is like any normal Tamagotchi, except it can interact with Tamagotchis. It allows people from all over the world to interact with each other's Tamagotchis. Also, kids get to raise their very own Tamagotchi from when it was an egg to when it is an adult. The creators of Tamagotchi Uni added many new mini-games to play and more features to explore. Tamagotchi Uni will bring hours of fun to explore with these new features.

Last but not least, we have the Magic Whispers Luna. When this cute toy is on the table, it will purr and meow like almost any other interactive cat toy. However, they can hear her inner voice when her heart is against a kid's forehead. She can communicate how she is feeling and even be asked yes-or-no questions. If the kids are lucky enough, she can even tell them jokes. 

Whether it is the Beast Lab, Magic Mixies, Tamagotchi Uni, or the Magic Whispers, Luna kids will love them all. 

The Hannukkah/Christmas White Elephant Gift Exchange tradition

By Andrew Azizollahi

White elephant gift exchanges are fun and exciting ways to celebrate the holidays with friends and family. Gift exchanges are also a way to unite people and share food and gifts on the holidays. It is crucial to examine how two similar religions celebrate gift exchanges. 

The origin of the white elephant gift exchange was that legend holds that the king of Siam would give white elephants to people he did not like in hopes that the high cost of handling them would bankrupt them. 

The game works by each player giving one wrapped gift, usually worth whatever money limit that was agreed upon. The gifts are placed in a prominent area, and people who are playing choose which one they pick by numbers randomly drawn from a cup. They will take turns selecting a gift. The first person opens a wrapped gift, and the turn ends.

My experience with the white elephant has all been quite good. Last year, I got a perfect-quality wallet, and my little sister got some hot cocoa balls to make hot cocoa. Nevertheless, sometimes it is not about the gifts but the memories you can make and share.

Overall, the white elephant gift exchange is a fun and exciting way to share gifts food, and hang out with friends and family.

Source: https://qz.com

The Origin of a Cultural Icon

By Samuel Zuboff

It is getting closer to winter, so many people are preparing for Christmas. A part of this means that people are looking for movies to accompany the Christmas holiday. There are many good ones out there, but a movie I find very underrated is Klaus. 

Klaus is a Christmas movie that was released in 2019. Sergio Pablos and Carlos Martinez Lopez directed the film. The movie stars JK Simmons as the titular Klaus and Jason Schwartzman. 

The movie follows Jesper (Schwartzman), a mailman sent from his home to a new village to deliver packages. This new village is quirky and poor, and there is a significant rivalry between two families: the Ellingboes and the Krums. He also comes across an old widower named Klaus. Jesper wants to be sent back home to his village, but to do that, he must reach a quota of packages delivered to the locals—the two strike up a partnership. Klaus, who is a toymaker,r would make toys for the children in the village. Jesper would deliver them. Over their journey of trial and error, Jesper finds love with a local in the village. Jesper also develops a sense of responsibility for the village. His goal becomes much more than going home, so on Christmas, Klaus and Jesper deliver a mass amount of toys to the children and are also able to unite the families. Klaus inspires the legend of Santa Claus after he dies, and the film ends with Jesper staying in the village.

This movie was simply fantastic. The story was nothing new, following many similar characters in other films. However, the story of this movie is executed well. Jesper starts as an unlikable jerk who, through others, makes an understandable change. He has a very standard character arc. Klaus's Klaus'ss arc is pretty unconventional. There are only a few changes with Klaus from beginning to end. Except for him, except for his wife's death, which was done well. Klaus is a static character that inspires change in those around him. That is what makes him such a good character. The arc about him letting go of his wife needs more focus, which does a service. Klaus is a good person who is the main factor in Jesper's development, and it is so lovely to watch Klaus help change those around him.

The movie has many great voice actors. However, J.K.K Simmons shines as Klaus. He has always been a fantastic voice actor, and that is one of his many strengths. His voice is commanding but also soft, and he portrays the character very well. 

This movie also looks beautiful. The film does not show a generic portrayal of Christmas, with lights everywhere and everything looking artificial. The movie makes the town look, but it builds so much character. The village is such an unforgettable sight in the movie. The characters also look good. They look cartoonish enough, but they do not look weird or over-the-top.

In conclusion, everyone should watch this movie. It is a movie that both kids and adults will enjoy. The film is so wholesome and far better than many newer Christmas movies. This movie introduces the Santa Clause concept that has been overdone and flips it on its head. 

How to Make a Gingerbread House

By Aidan Zahabian and Solon Jones

There are many steps to creating the perfect gingerbread house. This will only be the part where you attach all of the materials. There are only about seven steps. These steps are simple, even if you are a beginner. Many people have never made gingerbread houses and make them on the first try with the help of most recipes. This one is the best. It is simple and takes you step by step to make the gingerbread house.

1. Cut out shapes (Including the walls and roofs). If you do not cut them out correctly, your gingerbread house will look weird and likely look like an eight-year-old did it for you. This part is essential because if you do not cut them correctly, they might not connect. They must be equal.

2. Make the icing. This is the hardest step because you usually do not get the icing and must make it yourself. If this is too watery and not sturdy enough, you may not be able to connect your parts, such as the walls and roofs. It has many steps that are too long to show, but you can search for a recipe that will be almost the same.

3. Assemble all the pieces. Use the icing to connect the floor, walls, and anything else. Please make sure this is sturdy enough so it does not break quickly and does not fall. It would be best if you got good icing that will stay and not melt with heat or anything like that.

4. Now that you have your base, please connect the roof above it piece by piece; make sure you have the icing on the inside and the outside on top to ensure it stays.

5. Decorate your gingerbread house. You can use anything, including gingerbread men and little cookies. You can add whatever you want; it does not matter to anyone. Something that would make it look way better is a gingerbread fence. It will be superb being around the actual gingerbread house and on the floor of it.

Gingerbread houses are a great way to bond with your friends and family while making something festive for the holidays. It is also a good treat that can look like a decoration. We hope this recipe makes your holiday warmer.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 

By Teja Wolfe

Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is known across the nation to have fantastic performances and magnificent floats. Each year on Thanksgiving, Macy's in New York has a parade full of floats, balloons, and performers. 

This year, Macy's added four new floats in the parade. Those floats are the deliciously delectable world of Wonka, Palace of Sweets, Mutant Mayhem, and igniting memories. According to Macy's, The world of the Wonka float has confections, like giant candies, leading up to a magnificent cherry blossom tree. The new Ninja Turtle movie inspired another new float in the parade, Mutant Mayhem. This float shows the Turtles racing through the streets of New York (Macy's). According to Macy's, Palace of Sweets celebrates Branches. It has a colorful candy Christmas tree and a wonderfully decorated gingerbread house. One more float that is rolling down the street is igniting memories. According to Macy's, this float features a beautiful outdoor setting perfect for reminiscing about family memories. Then we have the classic Santa float, which comes last but not least in the Thanksgiving parade. Santa is seen on top of the float, and Mrs. Clause is also on the float. 

The balloons are one of the best parts of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. There are balloons for everyone's interests, from acorn and pumpkin floats to the minions and Spongebob. Some of Macy's floats are Tiptoe, who starred in a Macy's campaign; Ronald McDonald, from McDonald's; and Chase, from Paw Patrol.

Macy's even has performances to make the parade seem more cheery and festive. For example, they have tap-dancing Christmas trees performed at the parade for over thirty years. Macy's even got performers to perform a song from the musical Spamalot. 

Overall, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a fun way to enjoy the holiday season. The parade will always be fun, whether the new floats, balloons, or performers.

Christmas Movie Classics

By Solon Jones

Watch some of these iconic classics if you want to get into the Christmas spirit. Most of these movies have been around for 15 or more years, but many people still enjoy them.

Whether you are into the weird and wacky, the scary, the creepy, the funny, the action-filled, or the cheerfully heartwarming movies, Christmas movies are a traditional part of many households when Santa is coming to town. Nevertheless, they are watched every year by lots of people. These are the most iconic Christmas movies of all time!

One of the first movies that was a must-watch was Home Alone  (1990). As the title suggests, it is about a kid who is home alone when his parents fly away during the holidays and accidentally forget him. Some burglars try to rob the house, but the kid creates many obstacles and saves the day.  It is family-friendly and is one of the best comedies for Christmas. 

Next is How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). This is a classic when the Grinch, who hates Christmas, steals Christmas away from the joyful town. He takes their gifts and trees and anything that brings them glee. It is a classic and cannot be missed! 

Another good one is Elf (2003). Elf is a movie about a human who is adopted by elves. He was much bigger than everyone else and needed to improve at making gifts. He was sent to New York to look for his dad at the Empire State Building. It is comedic and well-written, making it the perfect Christmas movie. 

An absolute old classic is A Christmas Carol (1951, 1984, 2009), which features the main character Ebeneezer Scrooge. In this movie, Scrooge hates Christmas and has no spirit for it. He is not kind to anyone and does not appreciate much. Moreover, it comes back to him, and this movie is mainly about how Christmas can come in surprising ways. 

Then there is A Night Before Christmas. A Night Before Christmas (1993) is both a Halloween and Christmas movie, as Jack the Skeleton man wanders into a forest after a great Halloween and stumbles upon Christmas, and citizens finally realize the true meaning of Christmas.

These classics are suitable for bonding with your family and getting into the Christmas spirit, being kind and celebrating Jesus' Birthday, and giving and not getting.

Source

https://collider.com

Fun Winter Break Activities

By Solon Jones

Christmas is all about spending time with family and friends. You can make Christmas more fun with some of these activities.

1. Making a fun and festive colorful gingerbread house.

2. Going ice skating with family or friends.

3. Going to a local Christmas celebration. Alternatively, see Santa Claus and tell him what you want for Christmas.

4. Watching iconic Christmas movies in the warmth of a movie theater or your home.

5. Do Secret Santa. Pick the names of your friends or family. Pick a gift total cost. Furthermore, give your gifts.

6. Have a family photo shoot for Christmas pictures.

7. Donate your old toys to a toy drive.

8. Put up festive lights around your house.

9. Build a snowman in your front yard or a park.

10. Number 10: Attend a church service and celebrate Jesus's Birthday

11. Number 11: Go sledding down your nearest steepest slope.

12. Set up a hot chocolate stand with marshmallows.

Many people celebrate Christmas with them with these caring, fun Christmas activities!

Top Five Christmas Movies

By Teja Wolfe 

During the holiday season, many people like to relax on the couch with their family, watching Christmas movies. However, what are the best Christmas movies to watch? Well, here are the top five movies.

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) is a movie about George Bailey, who is unhappy with his life. When his garden angel, Clarence, visits him, Clarence shows George what his town would have been like without all the good things he did for it. 

2. Elf (2003). This priceless movie is about a human named Buddy who was raised by elves in the North Pole. Buddy finds out that his real dad is on the naughty list. He wants to meet his dad and goes to New York City to find him. This movie will make you laugh out loud and smile. 

3. A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol (1951, 1984, 2009). This movie is about Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is angry and only cares about money. Then, one night, he is visited by the spirits of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. These spirits change Scrooge into a more congenial and kinder person. 

4. Die Hard (1983). This movie is about John McClane, a NYC police officer who attends a Christmas party with his family. Then there is a terrorist attack, and the terrorists take his family and many more people as hostages. John McClane knows that he is the only one who can save them. 

5. Home Alone (1990). This movie is about an eight-year-old named Kevin. When his whole family goes on a Christmas vacation, he is forgotten and left behind. He is home alone, and when his mom realizes this, they do everything they can to get back to him. Before Kevin's mom can get home, Kevin realizes that robbers are trying to get into his house, so Kevin sets up traps all around the house to trick them. 

What Makes Ugly Christmas Sweaters Ugly? 

By Teja Wolfe 

We all know the classic ugly sweater, bright colors, elves and Santa, and pom-poms glued to Santa's hat. Nevertheless, what makes a Christmas sweater ugly? Is it the colors, characters, or texture?

Well, to start, the sweater will need a color. The most common ugly sweater colors are green, red, and white (sometimes blue). All of these colors encapsulate Christmas and look "ugly" together. It is better if the sleeves are different colors than the central part of the sweater because it will look even "uglier." 

Another aspect of an ugly sweater is the characters on it. It is usually Santa or his elves, but some snowmen and raindeers work perfectly. Whatever character is on the sweater has to have some texture, like little pom-pom balls or bells. Some people put sparkles and fur on their sweaters; the more, the merrier. Make sure to add texture to the sweater because that is the most critical part of an ugly sweater. 

Overall, many aspects make an ugly sweater. The characters, color, and texture will make the perfect ugly sweater. 

Source: 

cnn.com

The Ins and Outs of New Years 

By Eli Yaghoubi

Do you know what we celebrate on New Year and why we have a New Year celebration? Also, why is the New Year on January 1 and not on another date?

The modern date of January 1 started in 45 B.C.E. when the Julian calendar put the first day of January as the start of the new year. The reason why January was chosen is because January was named after the God Janus. Janus was the god of beginning and end, so it would be natural for January to be chosen. Even though the month was set, the time varied from Christmas to early January. Later, in 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII invented the Gregorian calendar, it provided us with a more accurate calendar, and the January first date was chosen. To conclude, the date of January 1 has stuck for many years and is working amazingly. 

The year we celebrate the new year, but the way we celebrate is a combination of different traditions from worldwide civilizations. The traditions we have for the new year are from a variety of countries and religions. Some countries and religions include the Chinese New Year, the Jewish New Year, the Babylonian New Year, and many more:

1. We have the tradition of setting off fireworks from the Chinese, who say it is to eliminate the bad.

2. We have the tradition of making a list of resolutions from the Muslim and Babylonian cultures.

3. We get the tradition of trying to be a better person from the Jewish religion.

All in all, when we combine all the unique traditions from cultures around the world, we get to celebrate the New Year the way we do in the United States. The United States has people from all over the world, so it is great to see our traditions in the U.S., including cultures from everywhere. 

Do you know why we even celebrate the new year? Well, one reason we celebrate the new year is because it is fun to celebrate things. Another reason we celebrate the way we do is because we have many traditions from the Roman holiday of Lupicia. This festival was celebrated late in January and included much partying, celebrating, and having a good time with family and friends. The more severe part of celebrating includes the less fun stuff we mainly get from the Chinese and Babylonian New Year's celebrations. For example, cleaning is not fun, but something the Chinese do every time they have a celebration. Even though we have some annoying traditions from the Chinese, we also get fun ones like receiving and giving money, fireworks, and hanging onions on our front doors. Also, the Babylonians provided us with some fun traditions, such as having and making a huge feast and staying up until midnight, derived from the Babylonian holiday of Atiku. To sum it all up, whether you celebrate the new year or not, you at least know why we celebrate it.

In conclusion, January 1 is a day of no school and no work, and everyone can celebrate however they like. The U.S. comprises people from all over the world, and many traditions from other countries and civilizations are included in the New Year's celebrations here. I wish you all a happy new year and an excellent 2024 filled with happiness and prosperity.