December 12, 2022 by Olivia Clemmensen (’26) by Olivia Tuck (’24)
For some, winter is all about the holidays and family vacations. For others it is about that and the beautiful snowfalls, and some think of it as an enormous chunk of time that is spent waiting for spring. However you view winter, there are plenty of activities and pass-times to make the winter season fun in New York!
“I like the look of everything covered in snow, and even though winter weather is sometimes rough, I still like it,” says Daniel Hancock, 2026 Student Council (STUCO) member. There are many magical moments of the winter season. It’s not only made special by the joy of the holidays and the cheer of bringing family and friends together, but by the simple glittery snow and the activities to do in the winter months that are not done any other time. “We live in a great place to have fun in the winter.” Mr. Schorpp says, “walking around downtown when it’s decorated during the Victorian Street Walk, hiking around the State Park, going to see concerts–there’s just tons of stuff to do around here.” From crafting and watching movies all cozied up and warm at home, to playing hockey and skiing in the mountains, there is something for everyone!
Freshman and Saratoga Springs High School (SSHS) Ice Hockey player Maddox Pemrick argues that “the best part of winter is hockey.” Attending school hockey games with friends can be a great way to spend the season! As Pemrick said, “at the high school level it’s completely different when every home game there are 150+ people cheering for you to win. The team is amazing, they have pushed me in practice and have helped me get better so far this season.” The excitement and energy that come with hockey games is exhilarating and spirited. And, there is no better way to get spirited at an event than to go support your school! Visit this link to check out when our hockey teams have home games!
Skiing is a popular way to enjoy the winter weather and get some exercise, whether that’s downhill or Nordic skiing. SSHS Nordic Ski races are sometimes held at the “quiet and peaceful” Lapland Lake, Mr. Schopp, assistant Nordic skiing coach, adds. According to many SSHS students, the best places to enjoy the winter snow in upstate New York include McGregor sledding hill, the Adirondacks, Gore, West Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, and Lake Placid. Lake Placid offers many views displaying the beauty of nature in the winter and offers many opportunities including pond hockey and skiing. “Even though it’s a year-round destination, it’s best in winter,” shares Hancock.
The snow not only is beautiful and opens up lots of opportunities for activities, but can be seen as a new and refreshing start. With its fascinating glittery ice crystals, it brings a quiet magic to all it touches. SSHS student Ellery DuBoff shares that her favorite part about winter is when “there is a fresh coat of snow on the trees. When it’s not gray and cloudy the winter can be really pretty in upstate NY.” Sophomore and STUCO member Leo Peter says that he loves “the way falling snow looks at night – but then I’m reminded how chilly it is in the morning!”
Not only is snow beautiful to look at, but it also brings lots of joy when it results in a day off from work or school! Freshman Brianna comments that her “favorite part about winter is having snow days.” Although many upstate New Yorkers tout fall as the most beautiful time of year, many look forward to the excitement that the first snow gives off. It kicks off the holidays and the winter season in such a wonderful way. Mr. McDermott, a SSHS French and Spanish teacher, shares that–in his opinion–the “outdoors is the best place to enjoy the winter! Whether it’s hitting the slopes, walking through the snow-covered woods or out on the ice, the winter outdoors has so much to offer.”
Besides getting active outside in the winter, there are many other ways you can enjoy time outdoors. In early December, Broadway holds its annual Victorian street walk, where shops are open later, dancers pose in windows and glide across the streets, carolers sing holiday songs, and everyone is filled with holiday cheer! Many SSHS students enjoy the tradition of strolling around downtown with their families during this time. SSHS sophomore Brady Murphy comments that the Victorian street walk on Broadway is one of the best places to go to enjoy the holiday season. On the first weekend of December this year, many people enjoyed going to the Victorian street walk. Ballet dancers from Saratoga City Ballet (SCB) and Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet (SSYSB) stood and danced in the decorated windows of stores including Caroline & Main, Union Hall Supply Co., Piper, and Lex and Cleo for people enjoying the event.
If the cold and sometimes bitter outdoors isn’t for you, there are still ways to enjoy this time of year. That can be spending time with your family playing games, watching movies, baking delicious foods, doing holiday traditions, going to see The Nutcracker ballet with friends or family, crafting, holiday shopping or even just enjoying the warmth of a crackling fire. Many students recommend stopping by Michaels, HomeGoods, or Target if you are wanting to find the perfect holiday decor or small gift.
If you enjoy watching ballets at SPAC, then you know the Nutcracker season is coming soon! There are many performances of the Nutcracker worldwide. It is a “great show that will put you in the Christmas spirit!” says Madison Nesbitt, a dancer at SCB and SSHS freshman. Not only is it a holiday classic but going to see it preformed is a tradition many families everywhere have. For a majority of dancers performing The Nutcracker every year is like the season for any sport. “What I love most about nutcracker is not only [is it] a chance to preform, but an opportunity to bond with all of my dance friends and to show what we have accomplished,” says Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet dancer and SSHS freshman Ava Gould.
Many dancers also can agree that, like Gould added, dancers “put months into [rehearsals] and making sure everything is the best it can be. It’s always exciting to be a part of something like the nutcracker.” In Saratoga Springs, both SCB and SSYB are putting on this holiday performance. Saratoga City Ballet (accompanied by NACRE Dance Group) will be preforming their unique yet traditional Nutcracker at the Egg in Albany on December 17th at 2 pm and 7:30 pm (see their website for more details: The Nutcracker — Nacre Dance Group). Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet will be preforming their traditional Nutcracker on December 17th at 1 and 7 pm, and on December 18 at 2 pm at the University at Albany Preforming Arts Center (see here for more details: The Nutcracker Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite).
The Holidays are another large part of the winter season. As art teacher Ms. Santamaria said, “the entire month of December is pretty much a celebration.” Some of the most common holidays staff and students at SSHS celebrate include Christmas and Hannukah. With the preparations for Christmas comes all the time spent with family and friends. Many SSHS staff and students have a plethora of Christmas and holiday traditions like decorating a tree, secret Santas, filling stocking up to their bursting point, getting cozy and watching a Christmas movie, putting up decorations, wrapping gifts, big dinners, attending mass, baking tasty cookies, and listening to Christmas music classics. Not only is the holiday season all of these things, but it is celebrating the “spirit of giving” as Santamaria describes it with those you love. Many students who celebrate Hannukah enjoy passing the eight nights with family and friends, sharing presents and good food. This year Hannukah runs from December 18 through December 26, so students celebrating will be able to enjoy a few days off towards the end of the holiday.
Even though the upstate NY frigid air might want to make most feel like winter is all just a long wait for spring, there are so many magical moments connected to the winter season. From the Victorian Street Walk in downtown Saratoga to seeing your school hockey team win a game, and going skiing, watching the Nutcracker ballet and many more in between, there are so many possibilities to enjoy yourself. DuBoff shares, “winter definitely has a special place in my heart.”