Every holiday season, many students are fortunate enough to receive large, extravagant gifts: new cars, expensive jewelry, iPods, or laptops.

But what do these gifts really mean? Can they truly show the frenzied excitement of tearing open your first present on Christmas morning or the first night of Hanukkah? Can they honestly describe the love and appreciation you have for your parents, your siblings, your friends?

In a time where for many gifts are expensive and plentiful, we as a staff felt the need to ask if this is really what the holidays should ultimately be representing. As students in a private school, we have all been lucky at some point to get just what we’ve wanted and wished for the holidays.

After spending months circling your chosen catalogued items in bright red ink, or subtly pointing items out in a department store window, very few of us are disappointed when that long-awaited day finally arrives.

While these hoards of presents are appreciated, we believe that these gifts aren’t what really matter.

All students feel the social pressures to fit in. Whether it’s driving the "right" car, or wearing the "cool" clothes, we as a staff recognize that demands such as these can be difficult to ignore.

Come the holidays, many students wish for those material possessions, hoping that they will impress their friends, either by making them "cooler" or more socially accepted.

While we acknowledge that this can happen anywhere or at any time of the year, this holiday season we especially want to remember what it is we’re thankful for.

The holiday season is celebrated throughout the world on many different days, in various cultures, languages and religions yet we feel as if we have lost an integral part of the original and distinctive traditions that made these holidays so meaningful.

With such a large and directed focus on the presents received, many say, "It’s about the gift of giving," but why should we even be focusing on giving gifts at all? When all is said and done, did they actually say what we hoped they would?

Even though we are very blessed and fortunate to receive so much each year, the holidays should be a time to re-prioritize, and to focus on family, friends, and some much needed time away from the hectic life of school and studying.

Whether by spending some quality time with family, or even merely appreciating the kindness and generosity of those around us, we as a staff feel that we can truly make an impact on those of whom we love, while also changing the spirit of this holiday season.

So this winter, we urge you to take a break from the materialistic nature of the holidays by remembering that the gifts you receive are only temporary, but friendship and the memories you make will last.