Seasonal Stories

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Picture this: You are a world-famous football player, about to play in the biggest game of your life. You have been preparing for this since the first time you held a football, and now, you’ve finally made it. Roars erupt from the audience as you step out onto the field and get ready to play in the Super Bowl. 

The Super Bowl is one of the most anticipated games in the U.S. and is not only an American tradition but also a sports legacy. Recently, on February 8, 2026, two teams took to the field to play in Super Bowl LX: the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. But before we get into that, let’s go back to January 15, 1967, when the very first Super Bowl took place. Back then, the Super Bowl wasn’t all it is today; it was simply a championship game between two teams. But now, the Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events nationwide and is a symbol of American culture. 

Besides the game, many other aspects make the Super Bowl a nationwide event that everyone loves. The halftime show is one example of this. The Super Bowl halftime show is an iconic part of Super Bowl Sunday. It features a new global artist every year that everyone can enjoy and is one of the most watched parts of the Super Bowl, often drawing audiences comparable or higher than the game itself! Another part of Super Bowl Sunday that viewers often look forward to is, believe it or not, the advertisements. Super Bowl advertisements entertain the audience in between breaks, plays, and quarters, which is why they are often amusing to audiences and may also be comedic. 

So now that you know a little more about the Super Bowl, let's talk about Super Bowl LX. The New England Patriots made their 12th appearance at Super Bowl LX, while the Seattle Seahawks stepped on the field with only three Super Bowls behind them. Despite this, the Seahawks were the favored team to win, and ultimately took home the trophy. The halftime show featured Bad Bunny, a six-time Grammy winning artist and global sensation for his Latin trap music. Watched by over 128.2 million people, Bad Bunny’s incredible halftime show got everyone singing and dancing to the beat, and even featured musical guests Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. His show was definitely a fan-favorite, and one to remember!

The Super Bowl isn’t just a championship game, it’s a nationwide event that is enjoyed by millions of people! Iconic for its entertaining advertisements and electrifying halftime show, the Super Bowl is definitely an event to look forward to next year! 

Image credits: 49ers.com

While Christmas has its carols, Halloween has its spooky songs, and even the Fourth of July has anthems, Thanksgiving—arguably one of the most universally celebrated American holidays—seems to have been left off the playlist. Though there might be some Thanksgiving songs if you search them up on Google, let’s be real here, no one has heard of any of them. The only Thanksgiving song I know is from Cocomelon, and I don’t think anyone wants to play that during family dinner. This raises an interesting question: Why does a major holiday have so few songs?

To begin with, Thanksgiving focuses mainly on sharing a meal with family, which doesn’t easily translate into catchy music. Holidays like Christmas and New Year’s involve public celebrations, caroling, and parties, giving artists more inspiring themes to write about. Since Thanksgiving is mostly about eating and talking at home, it doesn’t naturally lead to songs that appeal to a wide audience. 

Furthermore, Christmas dominates the holiday season, especially in music. According to Isha Nair, “Christmas is a worldwide holiday — wherever you go, there are always people celebrating this day of both religious and joyous value. Thanksgiving, though, is a day once born out of history that has come to be a more interpretative holiday over time.” Stores and radio stations begin playing Christmas songs long before Thanksgiving arrives because they are extremely profitable and popular. Since Christmas music takes over the spotlight so early, there is little room or motivation for Thanksgiving songs to grow.

In addition, Thanksgiving’s history includes complicated and sensitive relationships between colonists and Native Americans. Because musicians risk controversy if they oversimplify or misrepresent the history, many choose to avoid the topic altogether. This makes artists less likely to create songs directly tied to the holiday.

Another reason is that Thanksgiving lacks marketable holiday symbols that inspire music. Characters like Santa, Cupid, or the Easter Bunny create excitement and fantasy that musicians can turn into lyrics. Thanksgiving’s symbols — like turkeys and food — don’t create the same emotional or magical themes, so they do not encourage musical creativity.

Finally, songs about gratitude already exist, just not under the label of “Thanksgiving songs.” Many popular songs celebrate thankfulness and family year-round, so artists don’t associate them with a single holiday in November. Because these songs aren’t tied directly to Thanksgiving, the holiday remains musically overshadowed.

The Animal Welfare Club (AWC) kicked off the season with a bake sale for both humans and animals! On November 19th during lunch, this event was an amazing chance to snag some homemade treats made by our peers, support a good cause, and spoil your dog. 

Students in both the high school and Satz whipped up everything from classic chocolate cookies and brownies to specially-made dog-friendly snacks that were safe and vet-approved. All of these baked goods were bagged so they’re easy to take home. Prices ranged from $1-$5!

All proceeds will go directly to the Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue, helping animals in need find some safe and loving homes! Whether you or your dog craves something sweet or you’d like to provide to a good cause, this bake sale was the perfect opportunity. The Animal Welfare Club raised nearly $130 through this endeavor. Thanks to all who supported this worthwhile cause!

Image Credits: tornadoughalli.com

Some recipes that will comfort your soul this autumn :)...the name of each food is below the picture and its corresponding recipe can be found under the same label as a subpage in the Features section!