Runner-Up Winner • Essay/Short Story • Intermediate/Middle (6th-8th)
Lily Ruffner - Age 13 - Elverson
Christmas Expressions Essay 2024
I can describe the Christmas season as a series of highs and lows. My family decorates a tree, buys presents for each other, and so on. These activities are fun, but if that was all Christmas was, I would have an empty feeling. See, Christmas means spending time with family and friends and honoring the birth of Jesus. It may sound cliche, but these experiences are some of the most important in my life. In a series of 4 years, my family has experienced tragedies and grief. It has been hard to muster up joy for the season, but when I reflect on the most wonderful gifts in my life, I feel that it is something to celebrate. The book “The Scrooge” made a big impact on me. The grumpy man Scrooge is unloving and cruel. He takes what he has for granted and only a series of ghosts can make him see the reality of his actions. I don’t want to be oblivious to all of the good things in my life, and I want to celebrate my savior during the Christmas season. Christmas is a time when I hold close to the vital things in my life. It makes me stop and think, and I hope you will, too.