As Christmas decorations and music fill the halls, the Sacred Heart Greenwich community reflects upon 175 years of holiday traditions. Students look forward to these annual traditions all year to celebrate and spread the Christmas spirit. From the Christmas singalong to the cookie exchange, these traditions unite the community, distributing joy and love throughout Sacred Heart.
The festivities begin after Thanksgiving break when the seniors begin leading the Upper School in the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song each morning. This tradition has existed for around 50 years and originally occurred in the Upper School hallway. In the past, students also did not recite the entire “Twelve Days of Christmas” every day; instead, they counted down the days until break. Despite the changes, this singing spreads joy at morning meetings every day and helps students and faculty spread the Christmas spirit.
Another long-standing tradition in the Sacred Heart community is Come Home for Christmas, an annual gathering of faculty, students, and alumnae on a weekend in December. Come Home for Christmas originally started in 2013. Each year, the celebration begins with Mass at 11 a.m. before community members head to the Athletic Center for festivities. There, student and parent volunteers run stations such as gingerbread-making and Santa’s Workshop. Sacred Heart also welcomes dozens of local vendors and boutiques to the gym. This annual Sacred Heart tradition allows alumnae to come home to King Street and reunite with past classmates and faculty. Senior Jane Murphy, Student Body President, commented on the significance of Christmas traditions to Sacred Heart.
“I believe that these traditions reflect who we are as a community, which is why they spread so much spirit,” Jane said. “When being in communion with one another, we are bound to find happiness and love. I believe that during this sacred time of year, these traditions are a beautiful way to be together and become a stronger community.”
The smell of freshly baked cookies fills the air as students come together to celebrate the holiday season with the annual cookie exchange, which the class moms coordinate each year. Upper School girls have participated in the cookie exchange since 2005. In this grade-bonding activity, students bake a dozen cookies for their peers. This long-lasting tradition encourages students to immerse themselves in the holiday spirit as they indulge in sweet treats and celebrate joy among their friends.
The students in the Bell Choir, Madrigals, A Ca-Bellas, Madeleines, and Nightingales come together to sing at the annual Christmas concert. This event has taken place since 1970 and was originally held at Manhattanville College. This year, the performance will occur December 14 in the Lennie and John de Csepel Theater. This is the first time that the Lower School will sing in a separate concert from the Middle and Upper School. Additionally, this year’s event will feature an Upper School dance routine. Miss Danielle Gennaro ’05, Bell Choir Director, Technical Director of Upper School Theatrical Productions, and Perspectives advisor, explained how the event brings people together.
“The Christmas concert will have the Middle and Upper School music groups coming together to perform,” Miss Gennaro said. “They will celebrate the Christmas season with music and dance to get the community in the holiday spirit before break.”
To spread joy before the holidays, Sacred Heart also brings gifts to the Carver Center for children and teens in need. The mission of the Carver Center is to build “brighter futures by serving, educating, and empowering families in our community,” according to carvercenter.org. Children who come to Carver Center are from less fortunate families and may not receive Christmas gifts. Sister Rosemary Sheehan helped establish the ongoing connection between Sacred Heart and this organization in 1995. Sacred Heart students work with the Carver Center to donate gifts to the kids. This year, each advisory is donating four or more gifts to the Carver Center, which Santa Claus will deliver. These gifts bring joy and smiles to the children’s faces as they receive the Christmas spirit from the Sacred Heart community.
By Friday, classes are out, and one more Sacred Heart Christmas tradition remains. The entire Sacred Heart community gathers in the Dubois gym to sing along to well-known Christmas songs, as the seniors lead them dressed up as angels. This tradition has been around for 50 years and is a Christmas festivity many look forward to. Mrs. Jennifer Bensen, Director of Student Leadership, Health, and Wellness, commented on the joy and unity this event has brought to the community.
“I love when the entire school community gathers together with the seniors dressed as angels leading everyone in song,” Mrs. Bensen said. “It is a tradition I can remember for as long as I’ve been at Sacred Heart. Another special moment is watching the excitement on the faces of the Lower School students when Santa enters the sing along. There is such a palpable feeling of joy in the room.”
Featured Image by Ellie Furman ’26
