For many of us, the winter break is a time to unwind from the busy year and forget the stresses and challenges of the fall semester.
It’s an opportunity to refresh, reboot and restart our minds, bodies and spirits for another eventful year.
How we choose to decompress varies from person to person. It may be binge-watching Netflix, spending time with friends and family, putting in extra hours at work, continuing holiday traditions, assisting the less fortunate, catching up on some reading, staying up late and sleeping in, or cramming as many activities into the days off as possible.
No matter how you spend the time, remember to make it a safe and memorable holiday.
In the spirit of the holidays and and all that they mean to people, the Newsroom asked some students:
1. What is on your wish list?
2. What will you be binge-watching on Netflix?
3. What is one of your holiday traditions?
Joel Mercer – Bachelor of Business Administration, accounting major
On my list — Car battery, dress shirt, running shoes
Netflix — Mad Men
Tradition — On Christmas Eve we go to the house on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street to see their massive Christmas light display. Getting a tree at Woodward’s tree farm.
Katie Doherty, Bachelor of Business Administration, marketing major
On my list — Fitbit
Netflix — I will be binge watching Gilmore Girls.
Tradition — My favourite holiday tradition is baking Christmas cookies.
Gingerbread homes made ARET students.
Scott Simson, Bachelor of Business Administration, marketing major
On my list — Just spending time with my family
Netflix — I don’t really binge watch TV but if I had to say something, either The Grinder or The Office.
Tradition — My mom’s spaghetti pie
Taylor Brunn, Carpentry Foundation
On my list — I haven’t asked for anything and don’t usually ask for anything because that’s not what Christmas is about to me.
Netflix — I re-watch pretty much everything. I’m going to watch Last Man Standing and Family Guy. Last Man Standing because it seems realistic to me and Family Guy never fails to make me laugh.
Tradition — I spend time with my dad every Christmas.
Brianna Stephenson, Culinary Arts
On my list — I don’t have anything on my Christmas list because what I think is important is spending time with the ones who mean the most to you.
Netflix — Besides all the series I’ve started watching, I’ll be watching Christmas movies. My Christmas movies marathon has gone from watching classics to comedies. Netflix will be running 10 to 12 hours a day because most of the Christmas movies are only on Netflix during the holidays.
Tradition — My Christmas tradition is to spend three days with four families and being around smiles and love and those who mean the most to me.
Celeste Graham, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Natural Resource Science concentration
On my list — I only ask for things I need help buying. This year I need a stackable washing machine and dryer and a vacuum.
Netflix — I think I’ve caught up on everything I want to watch. I’ll probably be casually watching Netflix.
Tradition — I’ll be spending time with family.
Christmas tree in the House of Learning library area.
Marcus Scherer, Bachelor of Natural Resource Science
On my list – I don’t really like people spending money on me because I can get away with the bare minimum. I would rather give than receive.
Netflix — Instead of Netflix it’s going to be Jimmy Fallon on YouTube.
Tradition — I’ll be spending time with family and having turkey.
Katie Bieber, Bachelor of Science, biology
On my list — My Christmas wish is to pass molecular genetics.
Netflix — I will be binge watching Disney movies, Harry Potter and romantic comedies.
Tradition — Every Christmas Eve my family has a cheese fondue and a broth fondue.
Danielle Belliveau, Bachelor of Science
On my list — I don’t have anything this year because I’m going to Mexico with my family.
Netflix — I’ll be catching up on Walking Dead because I haven’t watched the new season.
Tradition — We usually have a traditional Polish dinner at my grandparents’ in Barriere. We’ll be coming back from Mexico on Christmas Day, so we’ll probably do that on Boxing Day.
Devon O’Grady, law
On my list — Just being back home (Newfoundland) and spending time with family and friends.
Netflix — I’m actually going to try and read Shoe Dog, a book about how Phil Knight started Nike.
Tradition — Waking up early on Christmas Day and going for a 5 km run around Quidi Vidi Lake with my dad.
Tree ornament in the McGill Housing student lounge.
Cemeka Douglas, law, vice-president TRU Law Chapter of Black Law Students Association of Canada
On my list — Gift cards to a variety of clothing and food stores (Subway, Starbucks, Aldo)
Netflix — Definitely planning on binge watching How to Get Away with Murder.
Tradition — Holiday baking with my family
Hana Kotani, Bachelor of Arts
On my list — Go skiing with my friends
Netflix — Gilmore Girls
Tradition — Playing board games with my family and volunteering at the food bank
Shannon Cooper, Bachelor of Arts, theatre major, history minor
On my list — Funky mittens. I know that is lame but it is so cold and last year I got mittens shaped like owls. It would be neat to get another funky pair.
Netflix — How to Get Away with Murder and Suits.
Tradition — The Cooper family pancake eating contest on Christmas morning, complete with whip cream and strawberries. I have won the last two years and I will be holding on to that title.
Violet Manuel, Bachelor of Arts
On my list — Socks and chocolate, maybe snow globes too
Netflix — Greys Anatomy (again)
Tradition — Grinch night, which is when my family watches Christmas movies for the first time during the season.
Jordy Major, Bachelor of Arts
On my list — A backpacking pack
Netflix — Friends
Tradition — Ugly sweater themed parties.
Erik Stephany, Bachelor of Arts, theatre major
On my list — An audiobook subscription (like Audible)
Netflix — One Punch Man
Tradition — My favourite is definitely making garlands of popcorn and cranberries to bring outside for the birds.
Morgan Lacusta, Bachelor of Arts
On my list — A new tattoo
Netflix — Gilmore Girls
Tradition — I love getting together with my parents and my grandma at our house to watch Christmas movies and to bake.
Tsukasa Fujimura, Bachelor of Arts
On my list — To get some of my bills paid.
Netflix — Supernatural
Tradition — Hang out with the fam in the morning of Christmas and just have a chill breakfast.
Meagan Hill, Bachelor of Nursing, on a study abroad at the University of Stavanger, Norway
On my list — I am spending the month of December travelling Europe with two of my best friends so I feel like that is one of the best presents I could have.
Netflix — Since I will be travelling for the holidays I don’t plan on watching much of anything. However, I will be spending a lot of time exploring various European cities.
Tradition — Every year my family piles into the car and heads out into the woods to find a Christmas tree. We usually make a day out of it and have a fire and roast hot dogs and have hot chocolate, it’s a good time.
Nicole Stamer, Bachelor of Natural Resource Science
On my list — My Christmas list consists of headphones, fridge magnets—I love fridge magnets—gift cards and long johns.
Netflix — I’m definitely going to binge watch the usual Christmas movies like Home Alone, Elf, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Die Hard, and of course the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Christmas movie. In addition, I really need to watch the Star Wars movies because I already forget how many there are.
Tradition — My favourite holiday tradition is watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve with my family while drinking Baileys. That’s after opening one present—new pajamas.
