December is a time dedicated to celebrating with your loved ones, but how could people go about doing that this year? During Winter Break, families and friends were beginning to make plans for their holidays, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, many people were likely to safely remain in their own homes. This holiday, it was time to think outside the box and find some new ways to celebrate. People may have even found themselves making new traditions along the way. 

So, how did Christmas look this year for the families of students at Huntington Beach? In a survey taken by students in the HBUHSD school district, 93% of the thirty students who took it said that their current holiday celebrations were going to be different from their celebrations in years prior. A student from Huntington Beach High School, Morgan Delgadillo, noted how her family was “going to go to Tennessee and Florida,” but due to the increase in COVID cases throughout the U.S., she has stated that she will instead stay at home and “continuously watch Home Alone till Christmas.” 

Another student from HBHS, Sarah Hart, went so far as to say that she and her family were not even celebrating this holiday season. “[My family] decided not to decorate and do presents or anything because none of [them] felt as though it was worth it, seeing the state of things right now,” she said. Hart also added that it was a great opportunity for families to “donate money to the Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International instead” of spending money on presents like they have in previous years. 

While the majority of students said that their celebrations were different this year because of COVID-19, there were still some who mentioned that theirs did not change. Hannah Robert, a junior from Fountain Valley High School, stated that their family’s celebrations would be the same as they always have been. For their holidays, they celebrated with their family, which is the same thing they do every year. Before the break, Robert said that her family would be having their “normal Christmas breakfast [and will be bonding as a family] and [doing] at home holiday activities.”

Though the holidays looked a bit differently this year than from previous years, people did their due diligence by staying safe during these uncertain times. We hope you had a great holiday season!