Story by Megan Sparks
The holiday season can be one of the most festive times of the year. From spending time with family and friends, attending church on Christmas Eve, gathering around the table to enjoy delicious food during Thanksgiving, opening presents, and watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve.
Some people will stay home for the holidays and some will travel to see family. Still others choose to travel as a family, but do it to try something www.
Senior Emily Mount went on a cruise with her family and friends over the holidays. The cruise will go to Grand Cayman, Belize, Honduras, and Cozumel.
“My parents have always wanted to take a trip over Christmas, but we’re actually leaving the 2nd of January so I will be in town for the holidays, but presents will be smaller and we will do everything we normally do on the holidays. And I can still be with my friends for the New Year’s,” Mount said.
Mount and her family have plans to go ziplining, snorkeling, and swimming with stingrays and dolphins.
Sophomore Lauren Dismond also went on a cruise over the holidays. “I’m going to New Orleans for three days and then from there I’ll be going on a cruise for seven days that will stop at Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan; Belize; Cozumel, Mexico. I will be going with my family and my grandma,” Dismond said.
Since Dismond and her family will be going on their trip over winter break, some family traditions had to be rearranged. “We are still going to be here for Christmas Eve, but we leave Christmas morning. We thought it would be fun to open presents at midnight, and then catch the plane after we finish. We will be on the cruise for New Year’s, and we’ll probably go to some of the parties and celebrate with everyone on the ship. It will be really different not to have Christmas dinner with all of my family and cousins, but luckily my grandma will still throw her annual Christmas Eve party, which we will attend. It’s nice to get the best of both worlds because this is the first year we’ll be vacationing over the holidays,” Dismond said.
Besides the fact of missing out on usual traditions, it’s all about the new memories that are made and Dismond’s family has lots of different things they will be doing and exploring on their cruise/trip to New Orleans. “In New Orleans they have this huge Christmas light show at one of the old plantations. It’s similar to
Christmas in the Park but on a larger scale. I think this will be super fun to see, and keep us in the Christmas spirit since we won’t be home for Christmas. While we’re on the cruise, I’m not sure of the excursions we’re going to do yet. However, parasailing, and zip lining are so much fun I would love to do them again while we’re at some of the destinations,” Dismond said.
Many people have experienced both a holiday at home and a holiday away.
Sophomore Elise Nill did not go on a holiday trip this year, but she is grateful to have gone on one in the past. “In 2012 my immediate family and I went to St. John which is part of the British Virgin Islands,” Nill said.
Going on a trip can be fun because your family is with you.
“We left for our trip the Dec. 26. That way we would still be able to celebrate Christmas in Kansas City with our family like we do every year. But we were in St. John on New Year’s so we went to the store and bought party poppers and sparkling cider to celebrate the new year,” Nill said.
Even though going on a trip during the holidays can be a blast, spending the holidays at home can be a great way to enjoy them as well. “I am looking forward to being home for the holidays because a lot of my family that doesn’t live in missouri will be coming home and also I love doing all the activities that come with Christmas like making sugar cookies watching 25 days of Christmas and Christmas shopping,” Nill said.
