Separated by a total of six days, Christmas and New Years mark the end of the year. Even though they are very close on a calendar, they could not be more different. 

Christmas is a cozy, wholesome and tradition-based holiday full of family time and giving to others. New Years on the other hand is loud, rowdy, and exhilarating, full of parties and looking forward to change in the New Year. 

Both are globally celebrated holidays, but does one overshadow the other or is it equal?

Christmas is a season dedicated to the spirit of selflessness and generosity, generally symbolized by the sweet exchange of well thought out gifts, encapsulating the joy of giving rather than simply receiving. 

Lucy Varela, sophomore, said, “I prefer Christmas because I love going shopping for everybody and picking gifts and giving them. It’s just so fun and it makes me really happy.”

It is also a time to cherish the people you love by spending time with them and continuing traditions. As well as sharing a meal with them and strengthening bonds. For some people, Christmas is also more important because of the religious aspect of Christmas and what Christmas truly means and started with.

Christmas takes place during the darkest part of the entire year. With Christmas’s warmth and loving spirit and long awaited Christmas morning, which provides a sense of hope and comfort in a more gloomy time of the year.

The nostalgic side of Christmas also brings light to it, with Christmas’s timeless traditions and rituals. Christmas is the season of joy and togetherness.

Then there’s New Years with its flooding feeling of excitement for renewal and change. New Years is the season of second chances and fresh starts. It gives an optimistic view on the idea of the future.

Eva Stikeleather, junior, said, “I prefer New Year’s because it’s a new start. And I get to hang out and go out with my friends.”

New Years is based on the idea of moving forward and leaving the old year in the past. New Years marks the start of setting new goals and launching your life into its next chapter.

New Years is a global party celebrated across almost every time zone containing many shared traditions like fireworks and countdowns.

Both holidays provide their own festive magic making them uniquely special. Christmas provides that sweet pause to reflect and recognize the past, while New years allows for a step into the future.