Westwood Staff shares Holiday Traditions

Despite the many assumptions about teachers having no lives, they too have their own ways of celebrating the holidays. They each have their own traditions, and enjoy their own holiday foods. We took the chance to ask them about their holidays, and this is what they answered:

What holiday do you celebrate?

“Hanukkah and Christmas. I’m one of the lucky ones.” – Mr. Lawrence

“I celebrate Christmas (and my birthday is the day after).” – Mr. Thomas

“I celebrate Christmas.” – Mrs. Rattacasa

“I celebrate Saturnalia which is a Pagan winter festival” – Mr. McGuirk

What do you usually do for the holidays?

“On Christmas Eve, my cousin does an open house party and then I go to Midnight Mass with my friends. Afterwards, we all go to the diner.  We’ve been doing this for about 18 years. On Christmas Day, I go to my parents’ house with Chompers and we open presents and have dinner.” – Ms. Nagle

“Christmas eve is spent with my wife’s family and Christmas day we do presents at home and then spend the day with my family” – Mr. DeBlasio

“I have a job singing with a church choir so I participate in the Midnight Mass Service.  On Christmas Day itself, it usually involves seeing my wife’s family.  (Unless I fly home to Hawaii to see my family, which I try to do every other year).” – Chef Obra

“Usually I go to my grandma’s house for Christmas Eve dinner and to open our stockings from our grandparents. Then I spend Christmas day at my parents. We wake up and open presents, sit around in our pajamas while my mom makes a big breakfast (#blessed), then family comes over for dinner later. ” – Mrs. Kauffman

What are you doing this year?

“This year I will be spending winter break in London with my English family.” – Mr. Lawrence

“Visiting my brother in law in Pennsylvania and seeing my niece and nephew.” – Chef Obra

“This year, for Christmas, we will go to my parents house-the one I grew up in, in Demarest.  My mother hosts her best friends, and whoever else has no plan.  It can get quite rowdy.” – Mrs. Lynch

What are your favorite holiday foods?

“My favorite holiday foods include cookies that my sister-in-law makes, pies, turkey and my mom’s mashed potatoes.” – Mrs. Rattacasa

“My mom makes fudge that is amazing. Also, Christmas cookies are a favorite.” – Ms. Nagle

“Potato Latkes all the way.” – Mr. Lawrence

“German style Chicken cutlets with Buttered noodles and whole shrimps.” – Mr. Richter

What are your your favorite holiday traditions?

“Christmas Eve gift giving, Christmas day winter walk, watching Football, playing with my trains” – Mr. Richter

“I love spending time with family during the holidays. We exchange presents and my dad always sings, which is awesome” – Mrs. Rattacasa

“-My parents always give me and my sister pajamas on Christmas Eve. When we were younger, that was our present from our parents, and everything else was from Santa.

-Leaving cookies for Santa. I am 30 years  old and I still do this.

-Waking my sister up at an ungodly hour on Christmas morning. Last year I filmed myself doing this. She was not pleased.

-Watching Christmas Vacation with my family and quoting all the funny parts.” – Mrs. Kauffman
“Some of my favorite Christmas traditions are sitting and watching the Yule log Christmas morning with my family while eating fresh cinnamon buns my mom makes every year. ” – Mr. Glander