Winter Festivities

As first term draws to a close with frosty finality, the Brentwood community celebrates the completion of first term and December exams. After the completion of that final exam, and the Christmas luncheon generously served by the teachers, the houses buckle down for an afternoon of packing, cleaning, and tying up any loose ends before Christmas Break the next day. Once this was complete it was time for the House Christmas celebrations to experience the festivities with your housemates. For most, this involved a trip to one of the restaurants in the area, with some going as far as Victoria for a final Christmas dinner to say goodbye to first term and hello to the holiday season. For our Christmas dinner, Alex House travelled to the West Arm Grill on Shawnigan Lake. After a delicious Christmas meal, as well as lots of lively chatter and laughter, came the skits. For most houses, the second part of Christmas celebrations consists of group skits within advisor groups. The Grade 9, 10 and 11 advisor groups sung amusing songs, while the Grade 12s performed interpretations of the Little Sisters in the house. In between, the girls haphazardly sung their way through Christmas carols – a little rusty, but the festive spirit was there all the same. Afterward, it was time for a visit from Santa, delivering the final present of almost a week of small, tantalizing hints about who could be the deliverer of the exam motivations, the amusing rhymes, the candy, and the gifts. As Santa arrived bearing smiles and gifts (looking not unlike one of our social studies teachers) the girls were delivered their last gifts, and their Secret Santa was revealed. For some houses, the evening finished with an impromptu dance party or a movie, but most returned to the school to finish up packing and received the tickets and passports that would bear them home. T’was the night before Christmas, And all through the house The excitement was whirring, There were no more shouts. No more laughing, Or talking Or chatter Or songs. Just whispers of ‘Break!’ As we slept all night long. Joanna L, Alex ‘14