Do you have any holiday traditions from your childhood that are special to you? If you do, so do many people here at Ripon High, and it makes them feel great being able to continue those traditions. 

Ben Rodgers is a student here, at the high school, that has a wonderful tradition he does with his family every year during Christmas.

“Our church, during the holidays, does this breakfast burrito drive, with the Modesto Gospel Mission, so we would get up, make burritos at the church and hand them out to the homeless on Christmas morning,” said Rodgers, freshman.

It is super nice to see everyone get together to do such a wonderful thing for the community by giving back to the less fortunate.

Another student here that does something similar with a continued tradition throughout their childhood is Hector Martinez. Every year he goes to Mexico to give out gifts to kids that don’t have much and to see and spend time with his family. 

“We give a lot of gifts to the less fortunate kids that don’t have the same opportunities. I’m going to try to still go to Mexico every Christmas in the future to show my kids that other people don’t get the same opportunities we get and to bring them gifts to keep the tradition going,” stated Hector Martinez, senior.

The holidays are great times to be able to give back, but they are also great times to be able to spend quality time with family. Cole Swafford gives us an amazing example of how fun and special quality family time can be.

“Every year we have a big party with my family, all my grandparents bring presents for all the kids and we do a white elephant gift exchange. The tradition began when my grandma started doing this with my mom and her siblings and cousins, and we still do it to this day,” says Swafford, sophomore.

Yes, holidays are fun getting into the Christmas spirit, getting presents from Santa, and having time off from school, but this article shows us that there is more to the holidays. This is a time to give back and appreciate your loved ones. How do you spend your holidays?