As the holiday season approaches, students at BBHHS are building their Christmas wish lists. Some are filled with practical items, while others are full of dream gifts that may never fit under a tree. From concert tickets to Pinterest trends, teens at BBHHS are shaping their lists based on the people, platforms, and experiences influencing them most this year.
In the halls of BBHHS, trends point toward a mix of experiences, small essentials, and personal style items. Students say inspiration comes from friends, social media, and online wishlist culture, which has quickly become a December tradition of its own.
Freshman Stella Figer says she usually turns to social media for ideas. “I get my gift ideas from Pinterest, and sometimes TikTok,” she explains. She also prefers receiving several small gifts rather than one big item. Figer notes, “I usually get little things like gift cards, so I can get what I want throughout the year.”
For some students, experiences are more alluring than physical gifts. Sophomore Niko Papadatos has a clear number one item on his list: he doesn’t hesitate in saying, “A Zach Bryan concert with my friends and family.” However, his dream wish list item is something a bit harder to fit in a stocking, a Ford Mustang GT40. Papadatos also says his wish list has changed over time. He explains, “I now prefer things with less monetary value.” This seems to be a natural shift from childhood to want more meaningful or practical gifts.
For others, surprises aren’t necessarily the goal. Junior Sydney Gerber prefers keeping things organized. She says, “I make a list so my parents can understand what I want and not have to search around for everything.” If she could swap lists with anyone, she chooses a friend with similar taste. She explains,“[I’d] probably [pick] Claire Varga since me and her have similar things that we like.”
Certain gifts, though, are definitely not welcome this season. Senior Kyle Brown has one certain request: “No custom-made T-shirt of Mr. Pichette.” Kyle also admits he didn’t make a wishlist at all this year, leaving the gifting decisions up to his family.
With everything from concerts to Pinterest finds to intentional gag gifts, BBHHS students show that holiday wishes are personal, thoughtful, and often influenced by the people around them. Whether the gifts are big, small, practical, or totally unrealistic, one thing is certain, the excitement of the season comes from imagining what might be waiting under the tree.
