As the weather starts to get colder and the year comes to an end, everyone starts to get into the holiday spirit. Families come together to celebrate, spend time together, and eat delicious food. But no one celebrates quite like the Northern Valley Demarest teachers, who have their own special traditions at home. 

Jennifer Glick,  social studies teacher, spends every Christmas season at Radio City Music Hall watching their annual Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes. This tradition started all the way back when her kids were just five-years-old and has continued for the last 12 years. 

“This [tradition] is a really special time for us,” Glick said, “With the amount of times that I have seen the Rockettes, I could be one.” 

Some, like social studies teacher Stephen Nix, like to keep Christmas more classic. Along with the usual gifts in the morning and family bonding time, he also likes to go pick out his own tree. 

“My family goes together to choose a real Christmas tree, no plastic. We also still do stockings, which is always a big hit with the kids, even though the kids are 19 and in their twenties now,” Mr.Nix said.

However, one teacher does something completely different. Brianna Gehan, special education teacher, celebrates with her Portuguese side of the family, where they all stay awake until midnight waiting for Santa. 

“When the clock hits midnight on Christmas Eve, someone dressed up in a full Santa costume comes in and brings everyone their gift. Then we get to open up all the presents together,” Gehan said. 

Following Italian tradition, English teacher Marisa Januzzi has an annual feast of the seven fishes. 

“On Christmas Eve, my mom hosts a big family dinner where she makes seven different types of fish,” Januzzi said. “I actually only really eat two out of seven of them.” 

Spending time with loved ones is always very important during the holidays. Alana Decosta, Spanish teacher, makes sure to keep her holidays full of company, keeping her house completely filled. 

“On the first night of Hanukkah, everyone comes over to light the menorah, eat latkes, and play dreidel games. My side of the family, my in-laws, and friends are all welcome,” Decosta said. `

Her warmth doesn’t end with Hanukkah, she always hosts a huge Christmas Day dinner party. She again opens her home to family, in-laws, neighbors, friends, and anyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas or doesn’t have anywhere else to go.

“Our house gets completely filled on Christmas Day. Everyone is encouraged to come and embrace the holiday spirit,” Decosta said. 

Illana Lerner, Hebrew teacher, remembers her holidays being filled with warm smells. Along with her mother, they would always bake together during Hanukkah. 

“I have warm memories of baking something special with my mom for the holidays,” Lerner said. “Today, I keep this tradition alive by baking with my daughter. It brings back beautiful memories from my childhood.” 

PE teacher Chris Anzano also keeps tradition alive with his children. As a child himself, Anzano would celebrate every Christmas Eve at his grandparents’ lakehouse. The same lake that he brings his kids to today. 

“We go back to the lake, listen for the bells, and wait for Santa’s sleigh just like I did,” Anzano said. “On Christmas morning, I put on the red suit and deliver the ‘forgotten gifts’… keeping that wonder alive.” 

Peter Scanlan, art teacher, has a few frightening memories from his holiday season. Back when he was a young child, he was told the story of the Krampus, a half-goat, half-demon figure from Central European folklore who punishes misbehaving children during Christmas. 

“I was terrified of this monster that would come and steal me if I was a bad kid,” Scanlan said. “I love to teach him in my art class, since there is a lot of culture to unpack with him. Though of course, I don’t use him to scare the students.”

Danielle Nix, math teacher, also likes to bake during the holidays, except she takes it up to the next level. Mrs. Nix, along with the women in her family, all get together one day during the holiday season and bake thousands of cookies. 

“We make up to 3700 cookies, which then get divided between the four families and handed out to family and friends,” Mrs.Nix said. 

The cookies they make aren’t simple; they make up to 20 different flavors. Though this is a hard process, they have gone through it enough times that they have gotten it pretty much perfected by now. 

“We started baking cookies when I was five. Back then, it was just my mom and me,” Mrs. Nix said. “We have gotten pretty good at it … we can start at about 9 AM and end around 6 PM.” 

No matter what people choose to do during their holidays, keeping traditions alive helps allow for a magical season. 

“I love our traditions… every year still feels just as magical as it did when I was a kid,” Anzano said.