1. My Holiday Traditions AOA Faculty and Staff

2. Mrs. McCartney When I was a child, my parents used a tape player to record me saying the Christmas story from the time I could speak until I was in high school. I really enjoyed being able to hear my voice change. I started the same tradition with my children. But, we have video taped them saying the story. : )

3. Mrs. Aning Mrs. Aning enjoys making Christmas treats for her friends and family, including yummy homemade fudge!

4. Mrs. Vierra The first weekend after Thanksgiving finds the Vierra family amidst the wilds of nature, searching for the perfect Christmas tree to behold our star. This year was no different, with the exception that our newest little Vierra blessed our festivities.

5. Mrs. Kraft My mother's side of the family has been gathering for Christmas Eve potluck for over 70 years. We used to exchange gifts with our cousins until we all started having children. We also all went to Christmas Eve midnight service until the year it was 98 below wind-chill and they cancelled the midnight service. We now go to the 4 or 5 PM service then meet for a potluck and sing carols after dinner. I come from a very musical family, so we have a lot of instruments to sing along with. During a typical year, 50-70 cousins get together. We only have one aunt left from the original generation – she was at the potluck and first in line as the oldest goes first. This has been a wonderful experience sharing Christmas Eve with my cousins all of these years. We will all meet in heaven, too, as the majority of my mom's side are believers - what a joy!

6. Mrs. Schultz Every year when we get together my siblings cook everything from scratch in my mom’s kitchen (rather than having a potluck). All of us have our tasks, and it’s a great time of being together and socializing.

8. Miss Michaud When I was a kid, our family tradition was to wake up early on Christmas morning. My Dad would read the Christmas story, and then we would each take turns opening presents. We would then have a big breakfast and watch the parade on TV. The remainder of the day was spent cooking and enjoying our presents. We would have a giant feast for dinner, and then end the day watching a movie together as a family.

9. Mrs. Blind Mrs Blind really got into the Christmas spirit by donning holiday-themed scrubs for her team’s Operation-themed decorations!

10. Mrs. Eben History teacher Mrs. Eben and her family spend time in the Florida Keys over the holidays.

11. Ms. Harbach Ms. Harbach really looks like she has some Christmas cheer!

12. Dr. Secord One of Dr. Secord’s favorite thing about Christmas is Christmas cards! Here, she and her husband, John, are hiding behind her mom’s Christmas tree.

13. Mrs. Rasmussen This is a picture of my family: Tony, Kimber, Delilah, and me after the Christmas Eve service. I always TRY to get a family picture with the church decorations after the service. Sometimes they turn out, and sometimes they don’t – depending on how much my kids cooperate!

14. Mrs. Essman The last year I taught in a brick and mortar school, the drama club presented “The Christmas Story.” This was an edited version of the one that runs continuously for 24 hours on TBS starting on Christmas Eve every year. I had been asked to knit a very long stocking cap for one of the main characters, and so I took what they paid me and bought the prop they were offering. We still try to watch that movie at least once each year.

15. Mr. Bakker Mr. Bakker got in the holiday spirit by playing a game at the Christmas party.

17. Dr. Quint We spend the month before Christmas with Advent preparations: Advent wreath, calendar, etc. We try to bring out one Christmas item or decoration each day. The tree goes up on December 24 and stays up until mid January. Each person receives a Christmas stocking with 13 small gifts in it. One gift is picked each day from Christmas Day through the 12 days of Christmas ending on January 6 with Epiphany.

18. Mrs. Morales, Mrs. Heidloff, Ms.Coulson, Mrs. Nelson, and Mrs. Drenth… …won second place in the decorating contest!

20. Mrs. Mitchell This is one of my sons and me working on a gingerbread house.

21. Mrs. Cole Mrs. Cole enjoyed singing with the choir at the Christmas party!

22. Mrs. Schonhardt We set out a nativity early in December, but Baby Jesus doesn't get set out until Christmas. On Christmas Day we add Baby Jesus, sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, and eat cake.

23. Mrs. Mestler One of our uniquely Arizonan traditions includes going to an old Western town called Rawhide. We enjoy the burro and train ride, as well as riding the stagecoach, watching a Wild West gun show, and having a steak dinner. The town is always decorated beautifully for Christmas, including a 4-story lit tree. One of our uniquely Arizonan traditions includes going to an old Western town called Rawhide. We enjoy the burro and train ride, as well as riding the stagecoach, watching a Wild West gun show, and having a steak dinner. The town is always decorated beautifully for Christmas, including a 4-story lit tree. This picture is of my family, along with my kids' "adopted" grandparents.

24. Mr. Sunne Math teacher Mr. Sunne enjoyed fellowshipping with fellow AOA faculty and staff (Mr. Vogel, left and Miss Wohlleber, right) at the Christmas party!

25. Mrs. Pulkrabek Mrs. Pulkrabek enjoys the Christmas potluck lunch!

27. Mrs. Huygens Mrs. Huygens enjoyed helping lead her Christmas decorating team to second place!

28. Mrs. Klimes Is Mrs. Klimes a French/Music teacher or a doctor?

30. Mr. Berg Mr. Berg made a wonderful, jolly Santa!

31. Mr. Gesch Mr. Gesch got in the holiday spirit by balancing Christmas tree ornaments on a yardstick set on top of a roll of wrapping paper!

33. Miss Wohlleber Miss Wohlleber checks out the “competition” in the decorating contest.

34. Miss Hunsberger There are 2 traditions represented in this picture. The first is that we always get new pajamas in our stockings on Christmas Eve; we wear them that night and then most of Christmas day. The other tradition from my younger years is posing with our favorite Christmas presents. In this photo, I had to pick my top 2: a new bear (our family is a bit obsessed with teddy bears) named Rudi and a new doll I named Jennifer. Then Now!

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