From Screens to Scenes: Hopkins Students on Holiday Traditions

Following the three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break, many Hopkins students return to the comfort of their homes and spend some much-needed time with family. The holidays: a time of nostalgia, comfort, and rest that Hopkins students covet most dearly. Many families cherish traditions such as watching holiday films every year during the holidays.

The holiday film industry flourishes not merely as entertainment, but as a source of familial connection and seasonal ritual. Jack Ferandino ’28 states his family watches the 1989 film “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” every year. “It is a tradition that my family watches every year.  It brings the family together during holidays.” Keelan Lee ’27 said, “My family has traditions where we watch certain movies on certain days leading up to Christmas. For Thanksgiving and Halloween, we watch ‘It’s a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,’ and then for Christmas, we watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas.’”

Similarly, Class of 2024 Head Advisor Scott Wich enjoys the holidays by watching movies. He passionately said that his favorite holiday film is “‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’ It is the one by which all other kinds of holiday films must be judged.” He loves the subtleties of the scenery, saying it is “classic, perfect, well done, just enough schmaltzy holiday stuff.” He specifically appreciates the  “snowstorm” and “the big, you know, winter scene in Bedford Falls, New York.” He loves it so much that he has his family watch it every Christmas Day because it’s a “classic” and it must be watched “beginning to end.” The movie captures many emotions from him, and tears are always shed, so “everyone mainly directs their attention to me to see if I’m going to lose it. I never disappoint.” Holiday films provide comfort and memories during the holidays. 

Many Hopkins students, however, use their free time to watch holiday films alone. Ksenia Podoltseva ’27 watches “‘Home Alone 2’ because it’s located in New York. That makes me feel more connected to it because I’ve been there during that holiday season.” Sarah Galvani-Townsend ’25 loves “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” but it is not a part of her family traditions. 

History teacher Zoe Resch didn't grow up watching holiday films as a child, so she raised her family in the same way. Instead, their holidays are filled with tactile, joyful traditions: “We make special cinnamon buns. We often spend a lot of time outside, and go hunting for our own tree.” Likewise, Podoltseva gets a Christmas tree with her family and they “decorate it together with ornaments that my brother and I made when we were younger, and my brother assembles an electric train that goes around the tree.” Podoltseva’s mother “hates television,” so during the holidays, her family never partook in classic holiday films. 

Many Hopkins students celebrate different holidays shaped by their cultural traditions. Daniela Delgado ’25 comes from Mexican and Colombian heritage, so during Christmas, Delgado and her family “gather and read the progression of the biblical story of how Jesus was born, and then we give gifts.” Meanwhile, Podoltseva celebrates Christmas on New Year’s Eve, following the Russian Orthodox calendar. “In my household, Father Frost comes to bring presents, and my brother and I have to play instruments or sing to receive gifts,” she shares.

For many, holiday films are a simple and accessible way to embrace the festive spirit. Others prioritize hands-on traditions, cultural practices, or unique family customs. Ultimately, these activities—whether on screen or off—reflect the rich tapestry of cultures, values, and memories that makes the holidays a cherished moment for all.