Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24:
On Monday, December 11th, 45 members of the One Heart, One Mind, Many Cultures Club met for the club’s third annual Christmas Cookie Exchange in the Emmanuel Retreat House.
Mr. Bursig began the event by singing traditional Christmas carols, such as “Silent Night,” “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “O Christmas Tree,” and “Friendly Beasts” in the languages of German, English, and Spanish.
Students and faculty then shared details about the culture and traditions behind the cookies that they brought in to share with the club.
Senior Cassandra Odudukudu shared, “I really enjoyed hearing about the cookies from people’s cultural backgrounds. My favorite ones were Ghraybeh, which are Arabic butter cookies.”
While participants feasted on the assortment of treats with cups of hot chocolate, Mr. Bursig continued to sing carols to the group.
Freshman Emma Bacelis said, “I’ve honestly been waiting for this event all year. I went last year with my friends, and the cookies were so good. I recognized some of the ones that were brought in last year, and I had to have them again.”
Mr. Cioffi, one of the moderators for the club, shared, “One of the things that we’ve always wanted to do with this club is bring people together and highlight where students come from. Food brings people together. People always have conversations over a meal. So, we introduced this tradition where students start conversations about the cookies they see on the tables and their own traditions they celebrate.”
Overall, the fun-filled event was one participants were sure to remember.
Students in grades 6-12 interested in attending events like this one and becoming a member of the One Heart, One Mind, Many Cultures Club can still join. The club meets in the Millennium Room every other Monday from 3:30-4:30 PM and hosts various events throughout the year. Anyone interested can contact Mrs. Mulligan or Mr. Cioffi for more information.