When Oak Knoll students and faculty members are asked about their favorite time of year at Oak Knoll, the overwhelming majority often replies: Christmas! Christmas at Oak Knoll is an extremely treasured time, but why? Could it be the Christmas decorations put up by our staff, pajama day, or Christmas-themed assignments?
At Oak Knoll, we are rooted in tradition throughout the entire school year, but no time are we more tradition-focused than during the Christmas season. We begin the Christmas season with a long-standing tradition of ours: the Royal Boutique! Countless local vendors, such as Summer Love, the Giraffe’s Heart, and Stanton Sweets offer our favorite treats and Christmas-themed gifts. Additionally, the Royal Boutique is the perfect excuse for alumni and Oak Knoll parents to gather together to celebrate not only the beginning of the holiday season, but also their love for Oak Knoll. The greatest part of the boutique is that it brings our community together onto campus in such a unique way.
Another time-honored tradition of ours is the Christmas Prayer Concert. Our seniors were featured in the tableaux, our Ensemble provided the Christmas music, and several readers offered scripture readings to provide the prayerful aspect of the concert. Performed once for the student body and once to the general public, the hard work and dedication of the participants truly paid off. This tradition is another way of bringing our community together and rooting us in the true purpose of Christmas. It can be easy to get distracted by the commercial aspects of the holiday; however, events like the Christmas Prayer Concert can center us in our faith and remind us of the true reason for the season.
Lastly, the final day of school before dispersing for Christmas break was a day full of tradition. We begin the morning in our Campion Center and get the pleasure of watching the Dancers perform! A combination of lyrical, spiritual pieces and upbeat, fun dances bring a smile to the face of each viewer. Next, the seniors performed their rendition of 12 Days of Christmas, another OKS tradition, which made everyone laugh. The student body was then delighted by the teachers’ Christmas video, Anything but a Waterbottle, which we surely will never forget. After Advent Angel reveals and Advisory time, we reunited into Campion for one final moment of prayer. Our seniors led us in a beautiful reflection of the Christmas season, once again reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.
After reflecting upon the highlights of the Oak Knoll Christmas season, it is clear that the reason everyone loves Christmas at OKS is because of the familiarity in the traditions we hold close. Our community is so unique in the way that we cherish our faith and the ways in which we celebrate our faith. Even after leaving Oak Knoll, these heartfelt memories and traditions will always stay with us.