With the holidays right around the corner, families are figuring out ways to celebrate while following COVID-19 safety guidelines. Due to the global pandemic, it is hard to keep certain traditions alive this year. Some staff members and students at Camas high school have shared what they are looking forward to doing this holiday season, and what they will miss out on as well.

Lisa Schneider, a staff member at CHS, loves the Christmas holiday. Something that she is excited about is making personal size pizzas on Christmas Eve with her family. However, several traditions she would normally do this time of year will not be taking place in order to keep her family healthy and safe.

“The biggest change for our family is not seeing my parents for the holidays,” Schneider said. 

CHS Senior Vivienne Funches also shared some insight on what her holiday will look like this year.

She said, “I usually am with my family a lot, and we do a lot of activities. On Christmas Eve I go to my grandma’s house and have dinner. Now with Covid, we obviously aren’t all able to get together which is really disappointing.” 

Although she will not be able to see all her family this year, Funches said she is excited to still be able to listen to Christmas music, and watch movies with her immediate family. 

In addition to the excitement surrounding Christmas, CHS students are also looking forward to winter break.

Hayden Devore, a senior CHS, said he will be catching up on some much needed sleep. He is also glad to take a break from school. 

During these unique circumstances, students and staff are planning to follow through with their holiday traditions, however with some tweaks due to the pandemic. It has been an unusual school year and the holiday traditions seem to be following the same suit. Hopefully, during break students and staff are able to decompress and get ready to finish the first semester strong!

Camasonian journalists Keilee Siefer and Jacob Warta contributed to this article.