Graphic by Elton Zheng/The Choate News
The last day before winter break each year, Choate hosts its annual Holiday Program. While many students enjoy this time together to destress after an intense three- to four-week period of bombardment by essays and exams, many dislike that they are required to attend the Holiday Program.
At Choate, special programs, or events that encourage or mandate school-wide participation, can be divided into two categories: practical and recreational. At Choate, there are several weekly “practical” meetings that students are required to attend, such as School Meeting on Tuesdays and Form or Adviser Meeting on Wednesdays. These programs are used to share important announcements and discuss upcoming events.
In contrast, many programs like the Physics Phlotilla, theater productions, and SAC dances are recreational. They are intended for students to have some fun, and they often have high turnout rates. However, unlike practical programs, they are not mandatory. So, what category does the Holiday Program fall under?
In some ways, the Holiday Program is practical; it provides a venue for students to perform. However, music performances at Choate have been recreational and optional. Likewise, Christmas songs are festive and cheerful and meant to be listened to recreationally. Yet, if everything in the Holiday program is recreational, why should the Holiday Program be mandatory?
Sometimes not having to make a decision can relieve stress. If you choose to do any given thing, it is your responsibility to make sure that the activity is worthwhile. It can be hard to try to purposefully relax or have fun, especially with looming deadlines. However, when you have no choice but to relax, it takes away the feeling in the back of your head that you could be doing something better with your time. In terms of the Holiday Program, it may be easier to enjoy it when it’s mandatory without feeling responsible for your loss of time.
However, if you believe that you know the best for yourself then it would make sense that you decide whether or not to attend.
There are many possible alternatives to the Holiday Program that could be more fun for the student body. For instance, it might be nice to do a wintery and Christmas-themed competition, similar to the Phlotilla which is both a Physics and summer-themed event. This could encourage some school spirit and be a nice way to unwind after a busy few weeks.
Overall, the mandatory nature of the Holiday Program has been a source of major contention toward the end of Winterlude. Many love the joyful experience of the event. Many dislike the unoriginality of the identical, yearly program and how it interferes with international students’ travel arrangements. While Holiday Program is a nice community-building idea, the execution of the program must be improved to be more engaging and creative or be made an optional activity for all students.
