Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Romanticizing holidays creates unrealistic expectations

Romanticizing holidays creates unrealistic expectations

Michelle Koo and Carly Liao December 2, 2022

Twinkling Christmas lights, snow-capped landscapes, crackling fireplaces and the whistle of a Christmas carol through the air a classic holiday film opening. Packed with joy and nostalgia, the holidays are believed to be full of family traditions, romantic confessions and friendship. Media and pop culture...

Christmas celebrators should foster inclusivity for others

Christmas celebrators should foster inclusivity for others

Hila Livneh, Centerfold Editor December 14, 2021

December is the time of year when Christmas decorations start to appear, stockings are hung above the fireplace and stores bring out ornaments and cute figurines to advertise the “perfect” gifts for loved ones. At school, students begin whispering about Secret Santa while radio stations...

Sustainable alternatives to commercial gifts promote healthy environment, holiday spirit during winter season

Sustainable alternatives to commercial gifts promote healthy environment, holiday spirit during winter season

Lise Desveaux, Centerfold Editor December 10, 2021

‘Tis the season, and with the start of the festivities comes the shopping frenzy. Every holiday season, shops are filled with eager customers frantically searching for last-minute gifts for their loved ones. Gift-giving is a timeless tradition, and people have been exchanging gifts as a way to show...

How to enjoy your Palo Alto winter

How to enjoy your Palo Alto winter

Liza Kolbasov, Editor-in-Chief December 10, 2019

For many, the word “winter” conjures up romantic images of swirling snowflakes, frosty windows, laughter over lopsided snowmen, attacking siblings with snowballs and the exhilaration of skiing down a hill. Yet, Palo Alto’s conspicuous lack of snow renders many of these traditional activities...

Graphic by Shannon Lin and Audrey Tseng

Parents should not lie about Santa

Jessica Wang, Editor-in-Chief December 6, 2019
At last, we can look forward to the holidays, bringing with them twinkling strung-up lights, cookies warm from the oven, festive garlands twined around every pole and, for some reason, old fat men with fake white beards.

Josh Mei: Christmas

Sophia Stern, Business Manager, Social Media Editor December 6, 2019

When most Americans think of Christmas, they associate it with gift-giving and characters like Santa Claus or Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, but for senior Joshua Mei, the true essence of Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ’s life.  Mei does not celebrate Christmas in the consumerism...

Christmas Movie List

Christmas Movie List

Grace Williams, Changing the Narrative Editor November 27, 2018

Avoid family conflicts through cowering, confrontation

carolynkuimelis December 8, 2017

Written by Carolyn Kuimelis Stick your head inside the holiday turkey when your relatives start discussing politics. If your family is vegetarian, stick your head in the mashed potatoes. Bonus: they’re noise canceling, so you won’t hear them scream in disgust. Buy the largest box you can find,...

Seasonal mishaps make for emotional memories: Misspelling spoils Santa Claus myth

Seasonal mishaps make for emotional memories: Misspelling spoils Santa Claus myth

meganli74 December 8, 2017

Written by Megan Li Growing up, Santa Claus wasn’t ever a huge part of my family’s Christmas. We never left milk and cookies out or sent letters stuffed with mile-long wishlists every holiday season, but I still never once doubted his existence. In my young mind, it was absolutely incomprehensible...

Graphic by Elizabeth Zu

Tips to enjoy a California Winter

yangshannon December 2, 2016

Written by Shannon Yang Drink hot chocolate and spiced apple cider to emulate a cold, snowy day. Explore Christmas in the Park in San Jose. Enjoy Great America’s WinterFest, where you can ride rollercoasters and listen to Christmas carols. Take a chilly but manageable hike at...

A look into winter holidays: Christmas

Helen Nguyen December 4, 2015

Written by Helen Nguyen, Assistant Business Manager Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed most commonly on Dec. 25 by billions of people around the world. This is a Christian and cultural celebration that consists of church services, gift-giving, symbolic decorating...

Load More Stories
Donate to The Oracle
$550
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Oracle Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest