Decorative wreaths line the marble staircase and Christmas tree lights adorn the hallways as students and faculty prepare for the holiday season, and the traditions that come with it. 

“I’m excited to see all the school’s decorations,” sophomore Sarah Rasic said. “Honestly, I’m ready for it to be Christmas season and for all the festivities, especially to experience some school traditions that myself and my grade did not get fully last year because of COVID.”

The school tradition of Noels started off as a Broadway Sacred Heart tradition where students would present gifts to the headmaster. Over time, like many other traditions, it evolved and now includes each language class singing a carol in their language.

“I just love stepping into Flood and seeing the pretty Christmas tree there,” junior Sophia Wu said. “I also really enjoyed Noels, because it’s a tradition that we get to celebrate as a K-12 community.”

Noels is a school-wide event and because many elementary students are only recently eligible for vaccination, the tradition may be somewhat different than in previous years, according to Community Life Chair Paul Pryor Lorentz.

“It is still to be determined what Noels will look like this year,” Pryor Lorentz said. “There have been many changes like how we can gather outside of cohortated groups and we can sing with our masks on, which we have engaged in with the elementary students so far this year.”

Along with Christmas events that have long been a part of the school’s history, the school has started new events in the past few years like the elementary students’ gingerbread house making. 

“My freshman year both my mom and I volunteered to help when the elementary kids made their gingerbread houses,” Wu said. “I was in charge of handing out candy and my mom was helping set out the houses, it reminded me of when I would do this as a little kid which was nice.”

The Gingerbread house making happens at an annual event called Christmas on Broadway where there is a chance to meet Santa, to decorate gingerbread, as well as many vendors who come. The event is primarily targeted at elementary school students however many like Wu volunteer.

“Christmas on Broadway is a fun way for us as a school to celebrate together, especially this year,” Pryor Lorentz said. “It’s also a great opportunity for any high school students who volunteered to further engage with the elementary students.” 

While new Christmas traditions continue to develop, the school has been planning to make Flood mansion feel like it did for past holiday seasons.

“I think it’s exciting for everyone to have something that kind of feels normal again,” Wu said. “Even if it isn’t exactly the same as it normally is, just seeing everyone K-12 is just fun.”