Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year,” according to Andy Williams.

But wouldn’t you be a little upset if you walked into a party and there was nothing to eat or drink?

So what’s a holly jolly holiday without something to munch and sip?

Photo by Lauren Miller

A Christmas treat made by sticking Rice Krispies on crafting sticks, dipping in vanilla almond bark, sprinkling on toppings, and letting them dry. There are also holiday marshmallows dipped and decorated.

“My favorite Christmas treat are the little Pillsbury cookies … with the designs,” sophomore Laurisa Rooney said. “They’re so cute and easy to make.”

Photo by Lauren Miller

These Rice Krispies pops are decorated with red, green, and white sugar sprinkles, and crushed peppermint.

Kori Armbruster, who is a former DHS special education para, said her favorite treat is an old, classic Buchanan family recipe.

“(My favorite Christmas treat is) my grandma’s sugar cookies,” she said. “They were delicious. Always perfectly soft … (with) powdered sugar icing … but the sugar sprinkles on top always made this perfect light crunch when you chewed it.”

These cookies connect her right back to her childhood.

“Now when I eat them, it reminds me of all the time I spent with her when I was a child,” she said.

The Buchanan family recipes also consist of staple desserts that the family demands be at every gathering, like sugar cookies, dipsy doodle balls and mandarin orange salad.

Photo by Lauren Miller

A close-up of slightly different decoration combinations. One with an added decoration of the vanilla almond bark drizzled on top, one with just green sugar sprinkles, one with white sugar sprinkles and crushed peppermint, and one with sparkly red decorating frosting and white sugar sprinkles.

While some enjoy pre-made cookies that you bake or grandma’s recipes, others just enjoy treats that you have to unwrap and pop into your mouth.

“(My favorite Christmas treat is) candy canes,” sophomore Caiden Harris said. “(But I) like Reese’s frozen around Christmas.”

Harris also loves brownies. He believes that holiday treats bring Christmas joy, but his favorite goodies aren’t the only thing that’s sentimental about Dec. 25 to him.

“It’s my birthday,” Harris said. “That’s why I like Christmas. … Having (them) on the same day … it feels special.”

Photo by Lauren Miller

The Rice Krispies pops are set on white felt with a decorative light-up Christmas town in the background.

Besides a lucky Christmas birthday, there are other exciting traditions.

“(My favorite Christmas tradition is on) Christmas Eve when we all open presents and play White Elephant,” said Zoe Pronk, who is 11 years 0ld.

The Pronk sisters, Zoe, Shelby and Bailey Pronk, who is 10, wear matching pajamas on the holiday. This is Bailey’s favorite tradition. But their dad, Tim, likes the goodies that his daughters, nieces and nephews make traditionally on Christmas Eve, which are chocolate balls, Oreo cookie balls, and chocolate strawberries.

“If you decorate (Christmas treats) right, it makes you want to watch a Christmas movie with hot cocoa in your Christmas PJ’s,” Zoe said.

Photo by Lauren Miller

A red and green sugar sprinkled Rice Krispie pop is set against tree garland with white lights.

However, while some traditions are filled with nothing but cheer, others leave a little ache in the heart because of memories from past Christmases and love for the ones who are gone too soon.

“My sister (Anastasia Rooney) normally makes this Russian dish called Plov and it’s really yummy,” said Rooney of her sister who died in October in a car crash. 

In honor of Anastasia’s memory, Rooney said that her and her mom will try to keep this tradition going. They’re going to try to recreate it with help from Anastasia’s sister Tanya, who lives in Russia.

“Making the Plov will help us be closer with Anastasia while she is not here with us anymore,” Rooney said.

Photo by Lauren Miller

With the lighted tree garland in the background, the treats are arranged around a fake tealight candle and a glittery pine cone tree decorated with cinnamon and red ribbons.

For whatever reasons a family has for carrying certain traditions with them, all the variety across every household makes Christmas the joyous holiday that it is.

“I think it’s really important to hold on to traditions because it keeps you youthful and humble,” Armbruster said. “But it’s important to create new traditions too.”