A Very Vista Christmas

Everyone at Sierra Vista is ready for the holidays as they get closer. Students and teachers alike, have many ways of celebrating Christmas this year.

Students at Vista speak about what they are doing this year.

9th grader, Logan Whitis says his tradition. “What we always do on Christmas Eve is open one gift, (that’s always pajamas),” he continues, “I go to my friend’s house on Christmas Eve and we exchange gifts there, but on Christmas day, we stay at our house.”

Khris Stone, an 11th grader, speaks about what her family has planned, “My family and I will do a secret Santa with my siblings. They all live in different states and we don’t get to see them for the holidays so we do this instead. My family and I all watch ‘A Christmas Story’ every year on Christmas Eve. We all just stay at our own homes, we don’t have any family out here.”

12th grader, Raven Zuasola talks about her holidays. “My family celebrates Christmas, but I was never able to personally celebrate it at home, because I didn’t have family nor had the money.”

Zuasola continues, “For the holidays I usually just spend it with friends, and we usually try and play white elephant every year. My plans are to go to California and visit my cousins for the first time in years.”

Teachers at Vista also celebrate the holidays. Biology teacher,  Mrs. Theriault talks about her and her kid’s favorite traditions.

“My kid’s favorite tradition is they always pick one gift under the tree on Christmas Eve. And you know what’s so cute? Every year since they were little, I’ll get stockings and stuff it with these crazy cool things, and they always love it. Even now that they are adults!” She continues, “I’m going to stay here but if I go home, I would go to Connecticut.”

Algebra teacher, Mr. Panknin, tells us about his new baby’s first Christmas. “Currently, we do not have any extra plans. We’re just excited to have a more normal Christmas this year because ours was affected by COVID last year. This will also be our baby’s first Christmas. She will be 11 months old, so we are excited to watch her open presents!”

“We spend Thanksgiving with my wife’s family as she has a lot of family that lives out here. For Christmas, we visit both her family and my family as well. We spend time with both on Christmas Day.”

Although everyone celebrates the holidays in many different ways, everyone can agree it is a special time for us all!