The Holiday Sing- New v.s. Old

The Holiday Sing- New v.s Old

By Anna Stouffer

At Glenridge Elementary, one tradition that will never fade is the always anticipated holiday sing. With a new music teacher, the holiday sing has changed a little bit. Which is liked more?  Old or new?

The Old Traditions

In previous years, some traditions included, each grade singing a song, the whole school singing Feliz Navidad,  while the first graders sang  “All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth”, pictures of first graders without their two front teeth showing on the screen, teachers dressing up like reindeer and dancing during the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, the peace-ball presentation, and singing the song “Our Gift to You”.

The New Traditions

Some traditions that were added included, the Glenridge Chorus doing a body percussion performance, a slightly shorter assembly, and a new peace song called “When the Lights All Shine” sung by the whole school while fifth graders “lit”  fake candles. Though some traditions were added and some traditions were taken away, some traditions stayed the same, and some were changed. Those that were the same were:  kindergarten singing their own song (though it was a different song),  teachers dancing during “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”,  the peace-ball being presented, “Our Gift to You” being sung by the whole school, and singing the Hanukkah Song,  “My Dreidel”.

Which is Better?

Which is better? Well, that is up to you (if you've been to both the new and old holiday sings). To some people the new holiday saying was better, but, to lots of 5th graders, the old holiday sing was way better. “I didn’t like it (the new holiday sing) because we lost so much of the traditions like, all of the grades having their songs, singing “Feliz Navidad”, and showing the first graders without their front teeth.”  Says fifth grader Julia M. Abby R. agrees with Julia about losing the traditions. Abby also misses kindergarten singing “Frosty the Snowman”.  Abby R. and Gaby S. agree that the holiday sing should’ve been longer. “I didn't like it because it didn't give other grades that aren't in chorus the chance to sing (their own)  songs like they used to.” States Amanda M. Second grader Isla K. thought that the new holiday sing was okay, but she missed getting to sing a song with only her grade.

In the End

In the end, the new holiday sing was accepted (but not loved) by most. But, what will happen next year? More new traditions, or old traditions that will come back? We’ll just have to wait and see.