RANTS

Even though most people are in a better mood during the holiday season, you sometimes stumble upon a Scrooge. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the holiday spirit that I tend to radiate. I spend a few moments trying to figure out if there’s any way I could lift their spirits and force them to enjoy “Deck the Halls.” But most of the time, I give up and let them go on with their miserable December days.

Speaking of December, the twelfth month in Pittsburgh typically means a layer of white, powdery snow on the road. Although it’s beautiful in many ways, it eventually can turn to ice. Ice is the enemy of any vehicle whose driver wants to make it to school on time without crashing. Also, snow days and two hour delays are a rare luxury at North Allegheny, which makes snow so much worse.

There are some holiday movies that are diamonds in the rough, but most of them are overly cliched. They are predictable romance movies that have a small chance of surprising me in any way. In almost all of them, there’s an old man with a white beard who is obviously Santa Claus. However, the characters don’t realize it until the very end, when the plot closes with a magical resolution.

RAVES

Everyday things are always better during the holiday season. Even shopping at the mall is a completely different experience. Drinking hot chocolate on any regular day is okay, but drinking it around the holidays is the most exciting part of my day. Cold weather is often frowned upon, but it’s longed for during the holiday season.

I often crave the sugary treat that is only socially acceptable to eat during the holidays. There’s something about candy canes that makes them completely different from ordinary mints. There are many candy-flavored candy canes for those mint haters out there! Jolly rancher candy canes are the best if you want to go out and splurge on these delicacies.

Everyone at NASH needs a mental vacation every now and then. Holiday break is the only thing that gets me through the wearisome school year. It’s a time when you don’t need to wake up at a certain time or go to bed early. It’s a time with family and friends that we typically don’t have.