By Morgan Hennessey – Columns Editor

The leaves have changed to ruby reds, golden yellows, and umber browns as quickly as they gracefully fell from the trees. The temperature is dropping and we can’t forget our coats in the mornings. We can see thick, white puffs of air as we breathe in the early morning on our ways to school, but I promise you it is not as miserable as it sounds. For starters, warm sweaters and fuzzy socks are always a plus side to the brisk temperatures of our harsh New England winters.

With low temperatures comes snow, which is something everyone can be taking advantage of this season. Snowmen, snowball fights… snow days…. our school even has a club dedicated to snow. The Ski and Snowboard Club runs from December to March, and if you don’t know how to do either sport, they teach you! There are several trips each season, and a bus takes you and all your friends in the club to Vermont to ski or snowboard all day. But if snow isn’t your thing, many winter sports are offered at the school: indoor track, boys swimming, wrestling, basketball, gymnastics and hockey. Take your pick! There are so many activities available to students during the winter, so there is no need to be a hermit and stay bundled up by the fireplace until spring (although that is very much okay if done in moderation).

December is the month of selflessness. You can give to those who may not have all that you do. In the lobby of our school there is a holiday-themed Giving Tree with cards hanging from it. You can simply take a card, which has a child’s gender, age, and holiday wish, and then leave their unwrapped gift under the tree along with the card. It’s a fun way to give to younger children in the community. Giving doesn’t stop there – you can show random acts of kindness in school and outside of school. Helping someone with the books they dropped, paying it forward at Dunkin Donuts, or complimenting a strangers outfit are all very simple ways to make someone else’s day a little bit better.

I hope you make the most out of this month, because cold, dreary weather does not mean you have to have lame, dreary days. It is the holiday season and it is the time to be joyous! Stay positive, and try to help other people stay happy as well. Have a lovely day, and don’t forget to stop and smell the roses!