What does the holiday season mean to you?

Chestnuts roasting on an open fi re? Christmas trees and lights? Giving and receiving presents? Quality time with family and friends? Alone time during a much-needed break?

For me, it’s sharing and making memories with the family, along with the break time the season provides. It’s about celebrating Christmas and Jesus Christ. What about you, my fellow Cougars?

Senior marketing student Sun Quanjun gave an international perspective. He said, “As an international student who doesn’t celebrate holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, holidays are good times to travel around and do stuff by myself. [Other people] are busy with their families.”

Others, like fourth-year software engineering student James Bertel, are more traditional.

Bertel answered, “Holidays are a time for my family to put aside our differences or arguments and just appreciate each other. For Thanksgiving, we always have the Macy’s [Thanksgiving Day] Parade playing on the TV while my mother and her sisters prepare dinner. For Christmas, we always open Christmas stockings fi rst, then move to the living room to open presents under the tree and end it with a trip to Denny’s.”

A student who wanted to remain anonymous had similar sentiments. He said, “I’m … used to giving thanks, praying to God before the meals and just good vibes [while] being with the people that care about me the most. And [the] good food.”

He brought the point home when he added that, “Holidays mean to me, family time and connecting experiences that you gain from [that] time.”

Lastly, senior literature and writing studies student Mekala Lehmunn had an answer along the same lines. She said, “The holidays mean relaxation, peace and quality time with family and friends to me. My parents and I watch a lot of classic Christmas shows like Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown, etc together in front of a roaring fi re. It’s wonderful to re-experience childhood memories.”

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition or meaning that the holiday season has for you?

Shoot us an email at csusm. cougarchronicle@gmail. com so we can feature your answers on our social media channels and our website!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Cougars! Get through those finals with flying colors. You got this!