As a child eagerly awaiting the upcoming holiday season, you might remember making lists and circling toy store ads for gifts you wished to see under the Christmas tree. As we have aged, the list may have gotten shorter and been replaced with the expectation of less and more expensive items.

Senior Chinemerem Iweala says that he wishes to receive a new phone, since the one he has right now is one he’s had since his freshman year. “I don’t often get a lot of gifts or money for Christmas, but I’m fine with what little I do get since I don’t ask for much,” he says. He believes that the list does get shorter as we get older. “When we’re young we would ask for a bunch of toys. As teenagers we’d probably ask for some new technology.” he adds.

Junior Aiyana Ganthier states that she also wishes to receive a new phone. “As a child I valued gifts way more,” Ganthier states.  She says that now she is much older, “I do not care as much to receive gifts.”

Sophomore Lesly Sanchez states that she would like to get gifts for her family, but, “I wouldn’t mind some clothes and money.”  She believes that the wish list does get shorter as we grow up. “We don’t focus so much on the materialistic side of Christmas. I think we notice how important is to be able to spend the holidays with our families cause many people do not get the chance to do so.” Sanchez said that when we are growing older we don’t spend as much time with our families and that the holidays is, “mostly the time everyone is together again.”

The holidays are usually a time where friends and family are brought together to spend time with one another, so being thankful for what you do have is the most important thing to think about this year.  Ask yourself is my wish list too long this year or is it short and reasonable? Do you think the holidays is about getting or giving gifts only?