Veronica Mollod, Grade 9, Staff Writer
Once the holiday season begins, while there is always anticipation for gifts, songs, and a break from school, food is often forgotten. Nevertheless, they are still a pivotal part of all holidays. Whether it’s a whole turkey for Thanksgiving or a little chocolate egg for Easter, all holidays have something exciting to offer.
As the category of holiday foods is very vague and broad, there were different answers from everyone asked about their favorite holiday food.
Maeve Yukins (‘27) said her favorite holiday food is chocolate because it “works for any holiday ever.” While chocolate is not usually a homemade treat, it is still commonly eaten during many holidays.
Some may get Christmas-themed chocolates or buy a friend or family member a box of chocolates for Christmas.
Many during Hanukkah play the game dreidel, in which gelt, or chocolate coins, are an essential part, being the ultimate prize for winning. Sometimes during Hanukkah, someone will gift my brother and I gelt, and we’ll use it to play dreidel. The highlight of dreidel is always winning the gelt, even if it isn’t the best chocolate.
Sebastian Kopp (‘27) said his favorite holiday food is latkes because it is the first thing his family eats for dinner on the first night of Hanukkah, “so [he] has really fond memories of them.”
Latkes are a quintessential Hanukkah food. They have been a part of Hanukkah since the Middle Ages, though they originally were cheese pancakes, not potatoes, like the latkes eaten today are. They began to be made with potatoes as it was the cheaper option, an easier option for the many Eastern European Jews living in poverty in the nineteenth century. As a result, latkes still are made with potatoes to this day.
Sage Hyman (‘27) said that her favorite holiday food is corn muffins because she finds it to be the most delicious food served at her family’s holiday gatherings.
Corn muffins can often be found as a side dish during holiday dinners because they go well with many other main dishes.
While there is not one single holiday food that is central to everyone's hearts, it is a central element to the heart of the holiday season. This is an important thing to remember and reflect upon, especially while enjoying personal holiday meals and treats.
A Thanksgiving Turkey