As December jumps to a vibrant start the anticipation of the upcoming holidays weighs down on the shoulders of many. This anticipation is accompanied by questions. Among these is the question of whether the brief break from school should be called ‘Christmas’ or ‘Winter’ break.

Chris Anderson, an Arrowhead senior, says he believes it should be called Christmas break.

“It’s not a break because it’s the middle of winter. It’s a break because we’re celebrating Christmas,” Anderson says.

He says he celebrates Christmas, but even if didn’t, he would still call it Christmas break.

“People in general tend to celebrate Christmas, so I don’t see a problem with calling it Christmas break,” he says.

Anderson says all of the people he knows do not take offense to calling it Christmas break and doesn’t see why others would.

He says he spends Christmas Eve with his family by going to church and then going to his grandparents’ house to read the Christmas story from Luke Chapter 2 of the Bible. On Christmas day, he says he has a family breakfast, opens gifts, and sings carols.

“It’s a time to spend with family,” Anderson says.

Jess Gill, an Arrowhead senior, has an opposing view on the holidays. Gill says she believes it should be called Winter break.

“There is more than one holiday over the break, and it isn’t just on Christmas day, so it should be called Winter break,” she says.

Gill says she believes calling it Christmas break takes away from the importance of other holidays during this time.

“Christmas break shadows over other people who celebrate other holidays, but most people celebrate Christmas,” Gill says.

She says she celebrates Christmas by going to her grandmother’s house to eat Polish food with her family on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas day she says she spends it at home opening gifts, watching Christmas movies, and spending the day with her family.

“I wouldn’t be offended if I did not celebrate Christmas [and people called it Christmas break], but I wouldn’t be ecstatic about it either,” she says.

Gill says she would prefer it to be called Winter break just to end the controversy of whether or not Christmas break is excluding the other holidays which also take place at this time.

“Honestly it shouldn’t matter what it’s called. No matter what, it’s still a time to be with family and friends,” she says.