Tag: Christmas
Rockefeller in Winter
by Caitlin Bartley '24 on December 8, 2022
Portfolio Staff
Portfolio
The glow brightens the scarlet on my nose
and the burning in my chest.
It’s impossible to hide in the radiance,
Hands reaching for hands,
ungloved.
My want sticks out like a sore thumb,
Shining and blazing in the city crowds.
Even when the biting cold
of December stings my cheeks,
I can feel the warmth of New York
amongst the flickering lights.
Yellow Jacket
by Kate Ward '23 on December 8, 2022
Portfolio Co-Editor
Portfolio
I saw you on my walk today. I was listening to some Christmas song and wishing that the drizzle was snow. You were huddled in a crescent moon on a concrete step; your antennae wilted like the flowers you flew past in favor of stinging my arm. Normally when I see you like this it is early November, not a few days after Thanksgiving. The cold seeped into your small yellow and black striped body, and you grew tired. Was the concrete a pillow in your eyes? Was it a safe resting place? Or did gravity and frigid temperatures yank you down just inches from your hive?
You know, you stung me three times when I was in elementary school, and I hated you. I took every opportunity to step on you and the rest of your species when you were crawling around, wounded. I hated you, yet…there was a heavy sadness knowing that you wouldn’t return home. You wouldn’t continue to fly around and harass everyone on a hot summer day. I’m glad the cold is what took you away, the most natural way of doing things, rather than ripping out your insides and leaving your poison in my body.
I hope the snowfall this season allows for more of your comrades to drift into a cold peace. I hope that people realize you take care of our environment like honey bees, you take care of pests, and you deliver karma to those who need it. I think if you hadn’t stung me, I wouldn’t be thinking about you in this way. Maybe I deserved a little karma, a little wake-up call. I think that wake-up call gave me the room to think about you now with a little more compassion, and I think that’s what I needed. I think that’s what everyone needs. Thank you.
Thank You Notes!
by The Cowl Editor on December 8, 2022
Portfolio
Mom and Dad, thank you for believing in me and supporting my love for writing. I love you both so much!
Megan B.
I’m thankful for one of our lovely UG2 workers in Davis, Vita. Thank you for everything you do, your work and your kindness do not go unnoticed.
Kate W.
To Gil Donohue, who might read this: thank you for Lessons & Carols, and for choir week in and week out. You are, as they say, a goat.
Fiona C.
” A huge thank you to my family – You support me in all my endeavors and are my greatest cheerleaders. I would not be where I am today without you! ” – Sara J.
To the ladies at the Ruane Starbucks, thank you for keeping me alive this semester!
Sarah K.
Thank you Sonia for your wonderful omelets every day! You help make the start of every morning extra special.
Taylor R.
Thank you to my family and friends for always providing comfort and love. I appreciate it more than ever during the holiday season
Caitlin B.
Class of 2023, thank you for being so great and making these four years the best!
Anna P.
Thank you to the AMAZING Cowl editors and writers who’ve worked so hard this semester!
Sarah M.
I have a lot of people in my life that I want to thank. Not just for being nice to me but for just being in my life. Being someone I can count on when I have no one else to turn too, people who I know will always be there for me even when others turn their backs on me. I’ve known these three idiots for almost half my life. And I’ve never been more thankful for their existence. They’ve gotten me through incredibly rough times and I can’t imagine my life without them. To my best friends in the entire world, thank you.
Connor R.
I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: How to Have a Sustainable Holiday Season
by Kaelin Ferland '23 on December 8, 2022
Opinion Staff
Opinion
I love Christmas, but I also love the planet. I won’t be the Grinch and take away your wrapping paper and plastic trees, but it’s important to consider the environmental impact of this holiday so that we can celebrate in a way that is more sustainable and less harmful to our planet.
One way that you can minimize your environmental impact this year is by rethinking gift wrapping. According to Biffa, one of the United Kingdom’s most prominent waste management companies, 277,000 miles of wrapping paper are thrown out every holiday season in the UK alone. Considering that the US population is about five times the size of the UK’s, the amount of wrapping paper wasted in the US is likely much higher.
A substantial number of trees is required to produce this much paper. Deforestation not only decreases biodiversity and takes away important habitats from species, but it also impedes our planet’s natural ability to mitigate climate change. This is because trees naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis. According to a 2021 study in the scientific journal Nature, some sections of the Amazon Rainforest, which once served as an important absorber of carbon dioxide, have been releasing more carbon dioxide than they absorb due to deforestation. This has major implications for climate change.
Instead of traditional wrapping paper, try reusing the same wrapping paper each year. Saving and reusing the gift bags and tissue paper that you acquire throughout the year is also a great alternative. You can even use brown paper bags that you get from stores as wrapping paper and add some decorative twine to give it a more natural look. The Cowl you’re holding can also be a great alternative (especially if you use its festive front page). Instead of using regular plastic tape, use washi tape, as it is made from natural materials and can be recycled along with your repurposed wrapping paper. If you’re set on using ribbons and bows, keep reusing them year after year rather than disposing of them after one use. Sustainable gift wrapping doesn’t have to be ugly.
Trees are also obviously a huge part of Christmas, and there’s always the question of whether real or fake trees are better for the planet. The surprising answer is that real trees are more environmentally friendly. According to the Nature Conservancy, 10 million fake trees are purchased every year, with 90% of them being transported long distances from China to locations all around the world. This results in a significant amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with shipping and transportation. This doesn’t even take into account the energy and emissions from artificial tree production.
The Nature Conservancy adds that in the US, there are up to 500 million trees for sale on farms. Of these trees, only about 30 million will be bought and used for the holiday season. This leaves a significant number of trees left over to be used as a habitat by many different organisms. The remaining trees will also be able to absorb carbon dioxide for the rest of the year. For the trees that are cut down, farmers will continue planting seeds in place of those trees. When you’re done with your real tree, they can also be recycled, while artificial trees cannot.
During the holiday season, we see a sharp increase in electricity use because of Christmas lights. In a 2008 report from the US Department of Energy, 6.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity are consumed every year for holiday lights alone. The Center for Global Development states that this is more energy than countries including El Salvador and Ethiopia use in one year. Energy use is harmful to our planet because electricity relies on fossil fuels. According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2021, 61% of electricity consumed was generated from fossil fuels. When we burn fossil fuels like coal and oil to produce electricity, this releases greenhouse gasses which cause global warming. We should try to decrease our energy and electricity use to help mitigate climate change. Also, think of how many times you’ve taken your Christmas lights out of storage, plugged them in, and they don’t work. Buying new lights and throwing out the old ones only adds to this waste.
To help decrease the amount of energy used for holiday lighting, try looking for LED or energy efficient string lights and light bulbs. Traditional bulbs waste 90% of their energy creating heat, while only the remaining 10% is actually used to produce light. LEDs are also much more reliable and durable than traditional lights, meaning that you’ll avoid that yearly frustration when your lights don’t turn on. Additionally, you can put your lights and candles on a timer so that they aren’t on long after midnight when everyone’s asleep. This also means you won’t forget to turn them off and waste energy.
Having a sustainable Christmas doesn’t mean sacrificing your favorite traditions, but by making small changes, you can make the planet merrier.
A Totally Unnecessary Rant About Hallmark Movies
by David Salzillo Jr. '24 on December 8, 2022
Opinion Staff
Opinion
This article might be upsetting both to regular viewers of Hallmark movies (if such people really do exist) and to children who still believe in Santa Claus. To the latter group, I offer my sincerest apologies.
Ah, Christmastime—the season for caroling, hot cocoa, and…bad Hallmark movies. Why humanity must suffer through that last one is a mystery. Yet here we are: the filmmakers (one uses that term VERY loosely) behind these cinematic travesties are at it again.
Technically, they were at it again long before now. Hallmark’s chief executives seem to believe that Halloween marks the first day of the Christmas season. Forget waiting until after Thanksgiving; forget about waiting until the first of November. These people have managed to outdo those infamous radio stations that play Christmas music 24/7 from November to January. Ugh. Doesn’t Hallmark have any sense of shame?
Now, if the movies were halfway decent, maybe some of this shove-it-down-your-throat-until-you-die-in-a-Christmas-induced-coma consumerism could be forgiven. But alas, trying to find a halfway decent Hallmark movie is like trying to catch Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Where does one even begin? How about with the filmmakers’ complete lack of effort? Seriously, do they care about what they are doing, insofar as it is not bringing them a paycheck? Don’t they understand that snow on someone’s clothes will melt after a few minutes, as opposed to staying there for an entire scene? And don’t they understand that people generally swallow after drinking coffee? If you ever have the displeasure of watching some of these movies, you will be able to find countless other egregious errors like these. It does not take a Francis Ford Coppola or a Martin Scorsese to get these things right.
Then there’s the incessant presence of hot chocolate, cookies, and bake-offs. The bake-offs in particular irk me: I have never seen nor been to a bake-off in my life, yet somehow they always manage to be a central plot point of Hallmark’s Christmas programming. They would make you think that bake-offs are a fixture of the average American’s life. They have to keep up that small-town aesthetic.
This brings up another falsely represented aspect of Hallmark movies: their inane platitudes about small-town life. To be sure, I don’t hate small towns, nor do I hate people who like small towns. Living in a big city is not paradise on Earth. Yes, big cities have pollution, traffic, and, worst of all, people. But must their messaging be so clumsy and obvious? By the way, where are the homeless people in these small towns? Where is the trash? Most people have been to enough small towns in their lives to know that they have not eradicated poverty and garbage.
And don’t get me started on those corny love stories or that stupid derivative rom-com music that plays whenever the main love interests of the stupid plot first meet in the stupid way that they always do. Couldn’t these writers come up with a better way for the true loves to meet, without the clumsily concocted pratfalls? Hallmark characters appear more accident-prone than even the worst of klutzes.
But why bother getting so upset about this? Because I am upset for you, dear reader. I am upset that you must be subjected to this for the next three months or more. As the great writer Ralph Ellison said, “who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?”
Or maybe not. In that case, try to develop better taste in movies.
The True Christmas Spirit
by The Cowl Editor on December 9, 2021
Portfolio
Kate Ward ’23
Dear Diary,
Another day in the workshop—you know, it’s exhausting being an elf. We’re given shoddy tools and forced to work year-round. Do you know how insufferable it is listening to Christmas music all year? The good part is the Big Man sometimes shares letters from the kids with us, so that makes us all feel a little bit better. But my favorite part? The reindeer. We get to feed them sometimes and take them on long walks. But do you know how hard it is for me, an elf, to walk a reindeer? They’re fussy animals. I didn’t even want to work up here in the North Pole! I wanted to work somewhere warm with a wide variety of music and a diet other than Christmas cookies and hot chocolate.
We watch a lot of Christmas movies while we work, and a lot of them are extremely inaccurate to the elf lifestyle. The only one which got it right was Elf with Will Ferrell. We do have intramural sports and we do have quotas we need to reach! Plus, Buddy the Elf did a great job depicting our diet. I mean, I’ve never had spaghetti before, but I’m sure with all the sugar he put on it, it would be delicious. Our uniforms are the same as the ones in the movie but instead, the different colors represent our different ranks. I would do anything to get out of this workshop and out from under the foot of the Big Man, but he keeps us so busy that the only breaks we get are lunch, dinner, and sleep.
It’s not all holly and jolly here in the workshop. Instead, the mood is more like the claymation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with Hermie who wants to be a dentist. Sure, singing songs and building toys for all the little girls and boys is great, but I have dreams and aspirations! I wanted to be an archeologist, and now I’m making toys! What happened? We definitely skipped a few chapters. Anyway, I’ll leave it there—I need to get some sleep so I can get up and keep making Etch-A-Sketches for kids who will use them once then leave them at their grandparents’ houses.
Yours truly,
Elf-vis
The Shattered Ornament
by The Cowl Editor on December 9, 2021
Portfolio
Taylor Rogers ’24
I left a glittering ball of green at your doorstep,
Knowing the emerald hue was a color you adored.
Patiently, the sphere sits outside,
Waiting for your comforting touch to pull it off the empty porch.
The ornament watches the world in awe,
As December rips off her white jacket,
Letting the small cotton balls gracefully glide to the ground.
Fragments of this coat began to dot Earth’s exposed back,
Hitting the poor planet with a cold embrace.
Day’s warmth soon escapes the tiny steps,
Surrounding the distraught ornament in night’s terrifying shadows.
As the sky fades, the green bead’s anxiety increases,
Unwilling to wait this long for its new owner.
Hope flees from this poor ball,
Refusing to stay on the freezing porch of despair.
Snow continues to languidly fall,
Taunting the lonely gift that appears to be unwanted.
A foot nearly crushes the distressed ornament,
But manages to stop itself as the sphere shakes in fear.
Within seconds, the ball of green is embraced,
Lifted from the doorstep of despair,
Finally allowed to relax in your arms.
Letters to Santa
by The Cowl Editor on December 7, 2019
Portfolio
Dear Santa,
I don’t really know if this is in your jurisdiction, but I don’t know who else to ask. The city won’t listen to me, even though I have sent at least six letters (studies show that’s usually the most effective number). I don’t know if you can assemble some of your reindeer and hook them up to something other than a sleigh or if you could just sprinkle some Christmas magic on the road, but I would really appreciate having the bike lane back on Eaton Street. Nothing gave me greater joy than peddling along in my own special lane, safely protected from cars by those nice yellow poles. Sometimes if I was feeling daring, I would weave through them. It was all great fun. I know a lot of people were upset by it and I know it only really works if you’re going in one direction, but it made me feel special. It made me feel like the city really cared about my relationship with my bike. And now, it’s like it doesn’t matter…it’s like I don’t matter. Please, if you can work some Christmas miracle, bring the bike lane back. I need it in my life. My bike and I are depending on you.
Sincerely,
Too-Tired to Do Any More
Dear Santa,
You’re gonna be surprised.
I know I usually ask for some material things like makeup from Sephora, trendy accessories, or a new pair of heels. But this year I am asking— well, begging— for something different. Look, the last four years I have felt like I was living in a magical land, kinda like the North Pole. But, alas, good things must come to an end. As much as I try to be in denial, I have to admit that I am graduating college in the spring. And you see, there’s a ton going on in my neck of the woods. I know you’re a super busy person, but so am I nowadays. I don’t even have time to check Instagram or upload pictures to my new Facebook album called “Year 4.” I’m not trying to one-up you or anything, but I have had a ton of all-nighters recently; back to back days with zero sleep. On top of doing all of my homework and cramming for my never-ending finals week, I have been sending out a mountain of applications. It’s like I’ve been on autopilot, whipping out cover letters like your elves make toys. And I feel like, since it is Christmas time and all, miracles happen. It’s the season of giving! So please, would you put in a good word for me and leave a job offer underneath my tree?
Sincerely,
A Stressed Senior
Dear Santa,
Let’s get one thing straight. This Christmas is going to be a little different from last year’s, okay? It isn’t too big of a deal, but there was a little bit of a mixup with the presents I think. I understand, though. You have a lot to deal with delivering all those presents in one night, squeezing down tiny chimneys, and figuring out whose toys are whose. So like I said, not a huge deal, but I think you have a little bit of experience by now so I just wanted to point out your mistake. Last year, I asked for a bunch of bows to put in my hair, remember? Susie Hayes used to wear her hair like that all the time, and I wanted to have my hair look just like hers. Only better, of course. Even after I specified this very clearly, all you gave me were ribbons. They were beautiful ribbons and all, but how is that going to help me decorate my hair? My mom told me that the bows are created by ribbons, but really Santa? I’m seven. How am I supposed to make a bow with ribbon? It is a little ridiculous to me. This year, I will make it a little easier for you. I like headbands now, and not ones that I have to make. Just regular, cute, fun headbands. Preferably pink. Thank you Santa!
Patiently,
Sarah
Dear Santa,
I need you to do me a favor. So my mom got me these wicked cool Jordans for my birthday last month, right? The thing is, though, I lost them. Like, basically the next day. BUT, they’re mad expensive, right? So here’s what I need you to do.
I need you to find a pair of Air Jordans Retro 13, the black and teal kind, and beat ’em up for me a bit. Like, I dunno, have one of your elves wear ’em around, scuff ’em up, whatever. Then, I need you to get the box a little messed up, too. Crush it a little, maybe tear at the corners, just make it look like it’s ~been through~ some things, y’know? Okay, and then, and like, this is the wicked important part so pay attention please, I need you to NOT put them under the tree or near my stocking. Leave ’em by my room—if you go up the stairs and turn right, it’s the second door on the left.
DON’T LEAVE THEM UNDER THE TREE. Not unless you want me to be DEAD. Because if my mom finds out that I lost a $200 pair of shoes, I might as well just go bury myself in the ground.
So remember, Santa: find the shoes, rough ’em up, and leave ’em directly with me.
Stay chill,
Mikey
Tiff and Earl
by The Cowl Editor on December 7, 2019
Portfolio
Dear Tiff and Earl,
I was hired to write a new Hallmark movie and am out of ideas. What clichés should I use?
Merrily,
Clueless at Christmas
Dear Clueless,
Forget the clichés. Doesn’t anyone ever wonder what happened to that guy that the girl was supposed to marry but then realizes he isn’t right for her and falls in love with some flannel-clad, blue-jean stud? I’m sure the other guy wasn’t that bad, but he still had his heart broken! How’s his Christmas going to be? Probably not as merry and bright as his ex-lover’s. Geez, the poor guy was probably getting ready to propose, too. Write a movie for him, we’ve got enough clichés out there.
Uncommonly,
Tiff
Dear Hall and Mark,
Running out of new ideas is central to making a good Hallmark move. If you’re trying to appeal to a new audience, try adding in some clichés from Lifetime movies. What’s the real reason Lydia fell in love with the man who moved to her quaint small town where it’s always Christmas? Well, the last woman to refuse him ended up in a windowless white van. Who knows what’s buried under that cute gazebo in the town square…
Uninventively,
Earl
Reason(s) for the Season: Exploring the Many Traditions of Christmastime
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Features
by Brian Garvey ’20
News Staff
Christmas on the East Coast is a time of family, revelry, and tradition. With the majority of Providence College students heading home for the holidays, many join in traditions ranging from Christmas tree shopping to listening to silver bells in New York City.
New York City, while already iconic, ups the ante during Christmastime. Once a year, in November, a massive Christmas tree is chosen to dazzle all of New York, lighting up the famous Rockefeller Center. For some students who call New York or New Jersey home, this is a must-see event. Brendan Cooney ’20, said, “My family and I love going into New York during the Christmas season. We have been going into the city ever since I was little, and I love shopping in all the stores and seeing all the lights. But my absolute favorite part is skating at the Rockefeller rink.” The world-famous rink, below street level with thousands of onlookers, is steeped in history and an icon of Christmastime in the city.
Boston, not to be outdone, also puts on a fantastic show for Christmas. There is a beautiful tree lighting in Boston Common, and Faneuil Hall Marketplace is always incredibly festive. Some students use the rich sports culture of Boston as a tradition. Chris Olivieri ’20, said, “ My brother, dad, and I have always gone to TD Garden for a Bruins game over Christmastime. I love Original Six hockey, and I can’t wait to see them hopefully get a win.”
Others prefer a more casual Christmas tradition but by no means quieter. Across New England, the young and old alike sling their skates over their shoulders and head to their local pond or rink, ready to relive glory days of hockey, from pee-wee to college. Christian Bernard ’20 said, “I have never been much of a finesse player, but I love playing hockey with the people of Leominster. I like to make my presence felt early, then distribute to my younger siblings and cousins later in the game. Me and my family play on Christmas day every year, and it is a blast.”
Competition seems to be a very important part of family traditions to many students. “Every year, on Christmas day, my mom’s friend always buys my sister and I a new board game as a gift. The whole family plays, and everyone gets really into it. It’s always super competitive, and it brings everyone closer together,” says Bernard.
Gift-giving is obviously a large part of many family’s Christmas traditions. The McMahon family takes this to a whole new level, as Tom McMahon ‘20 is the second oldest of 11 siblings participating in a massive gift exchange that spans over 50 extended family members. “One year, all I got was a pair of socks. The next year, I got a brand-new saxophone, something I cherish dearly,” said McMahon. “It really depends on who you get matched up with. My favorite gift that I have ever gotten was easily my Supreme hoodie, and I look forward to this exchange every year.” The chaos brought on by a gift exchange featuring everyone from toddlers to grandparents is a sight to see, and McMahon says he would not trade it for the world.
Christmastime means many things to different people, and the traditions that come with it are treasured. Whether it be chaos on the hockey rink or a moonlit walk through Central Park, the traditions of the holidays bring friends and family together, and that is what the holiday celebrations are all about.