It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season of December is upon us; it is a time of peace, generosity, and joy. Gift exchanges are organized at school and at work, and charity donations reach an all-time high.

    While Christmas is not widely celebrated in China, it is an extremely important religious holiday in America, where a significant percentage of the population is Christian. Despite the inherently religious roots of the holiday, many non-Christians partake in the Christmas spirit of exchanging gifts, visiting family, watching Christmas movies, and having a feast of turkey and pudding.

    After taking their final exams, students are let out of school for their winter break and adults will also get numerous days off from work to enjoy the holiday season.

    This year, my family is going to New York for several days over the holiday. The towering Christmas tree, strings of golden lights, and ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center are a sight that I love to see!

    One prominent holiday tradition is to attend “The Nutcracker.” The famous, age-old ballet is widely loved, and families across the globe go to see the show every December. The story features a young girl, typically called Marie or Clara, who is given a beautiful nutcracker doll by her uncle, a magician. When Marie goes to bed, she dreams of a battle between enormous mice and brave toy soldiers. Led by the heroic nutcracker, the soldiers defeat the mice; subsequently, Marie is taken to a snow scene with the Nutcracker Prince, where snowflakes dance for her. Finally, she is taken to the majestic Land of Sweets, where dancers, under the reign of the Sugarplum Fairy, perform for her and the prince.

    Being a dancer myself, I have participated in productions of “The Nutcracker” for seven years! Being able to take part in a show that is a tradition for thousands of families is a great honor.

    The entire month of December is a wonderful time of tradition and warmth. Smiles radiate from everyone, and “Happy Holidays!” can be heard wherever one goes. I can hardly wait for Christmas day to come, when I will get to open my own presents!

    Whether in China or America, this is the time of year to appreciate what life has offered us — simple pleasures like snow and candy canes, as well as the priceless memories and people in our lives. To one and to all, happy holidays, and a happy new year!

    Merry Gu (辜子蕊)

    is a Grade 9 student at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, Pennsylvania. She lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, a suburb near Philadelphia in the United States.