Brendan Kelly & Hunter Klobucar, Staff Writers
With the holiday season quickly approaching, get ready to use your rolling pins, cookie sheets and oven mitts. The smells and sweet tastes of traditional holiday treats will soon fill household kitchens and wash down all these decadent desserts you will need to fill up a cup with your favorite holiday drink.
The season of holiday cheer brings about tasty snacks that may be more anticipated than the actual holidays themselves.
There are a variety of Christmas goodies that students look forward to during the holiday season. Peppermint and gingerbread are traditional Christmas flavors that are a must have for the holiday season. This can vary from gingerbread houses and cookies to peppermint candy canes, ice cream and cakes. Gingerbread house kits can be found in almost any store this time of the year.
Senior Sara Scanio’s favorite Holiday dessert is peppermint.
“It’s a tasty holiday flavor that comes in a variety of desserts. Hershey’s peppermint kisses are the best,” Scanio added.
Junior Zach Mancz has a gingerbread tradition based around family that has gone on for as long as he can remember.
“Every year my family gets together at my Pap’s house to make gingerbread houses and bake some cookies. We have a competition to see who can make the best one. It’s just a nice festive family time that get’s everyone in the spirit for the holidays,” Mancz said.
Sugar cookies are another Christmas classic that are bound to be found on the dessert table. They are the most versatile of the holiday desserts and can be decorated and shaped in any way imaginable. Chocolate chip cookies are a traditional classic that can never be cast away.
Junior Keanna Embree also has a holiday tradition that she looks forward to every year.
“Each year we decorate cookies with home made icing as a family,” she said.
Rolls are another holiday dessert that highlight the table. Pumpkin and nut rolls are a holiday delight that are filled with delicious filling that is mouth watering.
Senior Emily Slezak said, “Nut roll is irresistible and is my favorite desert during the holiday season.”
Embree’s favorite thing on the table is her grandmother’s nut roll.
“It’s homemade and made out of love. I have to appreciate them now while I can,” said Embree.
Another dessert that will be consumed during the holidays is pretzel jello salad. It is a crunchy, sweet tasting dessert, enjoyed by many during all holidays.
“My favorite is pretzel jello salad,” said senior Jesse Cox. “It has the best of both worlds, sweet and salty.”
Holiday drinks warm many with delight and can be a taste that only appears during the holiday. Hot chocolate is an all-time favorite on the cold, snowy days in the house.
Embree said she likes to add a holiday flavor to her favorite holiday drink. “I like putting peppermint in my hot chocolate,” she said.
Family holiday traditions get baking right around this time of the year. People turn to building gingerbread houses, decorating sugar cookies, or baking grandma’s secret recipe this time of year to create memories to last a lifetime.
The Warrior took to the halls of Penn-Trafford High School to survey students on which holiday dessert is their favorite. The responses varied slightly but the overwhelming majority of students prefer the classic tastes of the winter months.
Out of the 96 students surveyed, just under half-46-chose chocolate chip cookies as their go to post-holiday meal time snack. A not-so-close second chosen by 12 students was peppermint flavored desserts such as ice cream, candy canes or cake. Rounding out the top three holiday desserts in PTHS was sugar cookies, with 11 students choosing the sweet taste of this all time classic.
With all this cookie and cake eating students are for sure going to need something to wash it all down. Ninety-six PTHS students were once again surveyed to figure out which drink could add holiday cheer to these cold winter days.
Forty-eight students chose to warm themselves up with a traditional cup of hot chocolate, a drink that can be consumed as is or you can add your own twist to it. Egg nog tallied up 16 votes this year for students’ go-to drink during those awkward family holiday parties. Bringing up the rear of the top three was punch, a drink that is versatile enough to be enjoyed year round.
Whichever drink or treat you you chose to enjoy this season, you can not make a wrong choice. All things eaten or sipped this season carry a special feel to them. Enjoy your cookies, cakes and seasonal favorites this year and happy holidays from all of us here at The Warrior.