SANDPOINT — If you close your eyes, you're transported back in time to THAT Christmas.

Snow glistened, crunching underneath as you raced toward the crest of the hill, building up speed to send your sled racing down the hill. Inside, family is gathered around, laughing, telling stories, maybe a fire glows in the fireplace, keeping winter’s chill at bay. The magic of the season fills the air.

Later, laughter echoes in the cold, still air as snowball fights break out, interrupting the important business of building a snowman. Packed in 20 layers of clothes like Ralphie's little brother Randy barely able to waddle in “A Christmas Story,” you race indoors only long enough to grab a steaming cocoa packed with as many marshmallows as you can get away with before racing back outdoors, not wanting to miss a moment of the fun.

Downstairs in the family room, the "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree has finally been brought inside from the garage, decorated and lights turned on to twinkle in the darkened room. Memory-filled ornaments, each with their own story of Christmases past, are scattered around the tree. Stockings truly are hung by the fireplace, a fire (real or electric) adds to the holiday magic.

Then, dressed in your Sunday best, it's out the door, and off to church for Christmas Eve midnight services, the world silent and quiet as you make your way there, Christmas hymns joyfully sung by those packing the pews.

Then, when all is done and the house is settling down from the hustle and bustle of the day, a plate of cookies and a glass of milk find their way onto the mantle.

Each sound prompts a stealthy trip downstairs to see if THAT time it was Santa, making his lightning trek around the world.

That same sense of magic and wonder fill the Christmas memories of students at Sandpoint Waldorf School. For some, it is waking up — over and over again — checking to see if Santa Claus has visited; for others it’s a special Christmas breakfast, surrounded by family, laughing and telling stories.

Below, the students share their favorite Christmas memories, traditions and stories.

Grade 1

Kai — “My favorite things about Christmas are it’s a winter wonderland and that family comes!”

Brock — “My favorite thing about Christmas is presents!”

Ben — “My favorite thing about Christmas is getting the Christmas tree because we can get it from our property and not have to pay anything!”

Aslan — “My favorite thing about Christmas is opening presents!"

North — “My favorite thing about Christmas is decorating the Christmas tree!" 

Daphne — “My favorite thing about Christmas is the spirit!"

John — “My favorite thing about Christmas is the tree!"

Dalton — “My favorite thing about Christmas is opening all the presents!"

Kubrick — “My favorite things about Christmas are friends, family, and presents!"

Gia — “My favorite thing about Christmas is being with family."

Shaw — “My favorite thing about Christmas is presents!"

Hannah — “My favorite thing about Christmas is being with my family."

Addie — “My favorite thing about Christmas is decorating the Christmas tree with family."

Emelia — “My favorite thing about Christmas is opening presents!"

Annabelle — “My favorite thing about Christmas is being with my family."

James — My favorite thing about Christmas is getting presents."

Grade 2

Addison —“My favorite Christmas memory is opening presents with Grandma and Pappa. I love being together with family because that’s what Christmas is about!"

Georgia — “One Christmas my brother really wanted trains and he woke up early to find that Santa brought him a small train set. He was so excited he started running around early in the morning! Mom and Dad said he needed to go back to sleep. He did not. So they decided to wake me up and that’s when I heard something on the roof that sounded like reindeer!"

Xina — “Two years ago, my Grammie and Boppo got me a tablet for Christmas, but this year they stopped paying for it."

Kyra — “One of my favorite memories is when I went to Grandma’s house and got to sleep there Christmas Eve. We got to open presents from everyone, and eat pies and ice cream. And my sister got an orange juicer!"

Kachemak — “My favorite memory is when my sister Katmai and I got together with Grandma to make cookies and have fun! And at the end of the day we got together and opened presents too! We always get to open one present on Christmas Eve and then Santa comes!"

Sawyer — “My favorite Christmas memory is when I went to Clovis, California where my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents gathered. We tried to stay up for Christmas Eve, but everyone fell asleep on the carpet!"

Autumn — “My favorite Christmas Eve memory is when my brother and I tried to stay up the whole night to be able to see Santa, but we fell asleep. We didn’t see or hear him at all!"

Libby — “My favorite Christmas memory is trying to race to open the first present before everyone else!"

Lars — “My favorite Christmas memory is going to Grandma’s house and eating lots of gingerbread cookies. And the day before Christmas, I get to open one present!"

Bella — “My favorite Christmas memory is spending time with my family."

Erin — “Every Christmas Eve, we each get to open one present! But Mom gets to open more because it’s her birthday."

Grade 3

Rowan — “My favorite Christmas memory is one year, I lost a tooth in a store the day before Christmas and then on Christmas, I wanted to show my aunt that I had lost a tooth and when I showed her, she said, "It looks like 2 are missing" and I had swallowed my second tooth."

Elsa — “Every Christmas (besides this one), my grandma and I go see the Nutcracker and the beautiful dancers and sometimes, if there is time, we go home and watch a Christmas movie."

Marin — “I love that every Christmas morning, Ellie and I try to run downstairs, but my parents tell us we have to wait and be patient."

Evelyn — “Every year, we go to the Hallmark Store and pick out a new ornament."

Makayla — “Every year, I get a new toy in a series. They are like robot ninjas."

Daniel — “The first time we got to hang my angel at the top of our Christmas tree, we were all arguing if the tree was 5 feet tall or 6 feet tall."

Julian — “My favorite Christmas memory is the time I lost a tooth on Christmas Eve and then lost another tooth on Christmas Day."

Winslow — “Every Christmas Eve, we get to open a new pair of Christmas pajamas."

Grey “Every Christmas, my brother and I get to open one present on Christmas Eve."

Grade 5 

Brookelyn — “When I was 5, I went to my grandparent’s house and we had a party."

Cairn — “My favorite Christmas memory was when Santa made a big mistake and put my grandpa’s coffee stirrer in my stocking instead of his."

Hanna — “When I got a paper folded up and for so long I was hoping to get a dog. I opened the paper and it said I was getting a puppy."

Maggie — “My favorite Christmas memory is when we got Mooka, our dog. It was his first one and he ripped up all the presents."

Jameson — “One Christmas, my aunt’s car was stolen."

Liam — “The best Christmas was last year when we went skiing and it was a powder day!"

Maryah — “My favorite Christmas memory is getting my snowy pony, Tillie."

Maverick — “My favorite Christmas memory was in Idaho in 2016, when I got to see my cousins and my grandpa again. It was awesome. I got to go skiing with them and I also saw my older brother."

Nathan — “My favorite Christmas memory is when my aunt came over to my house and we lit candles in bear candle holders, which are cups filled with beans."

Opal — “My favorite Christmas memory is when my mom took my brother and me to Washington where my grandparents live, to celebrate Christmas."

Sage “My favorite Christmas memory is when I got an art box, which inspired me to become an artist."

Sierra — “We have a dog collar with jingle-bells on and when we try to put it on him, he always gets it off with his paw. It is soooo cute to watch!"

Zoe — “My favorite Christmas memory was when we had an early morning Christmas snowball fight to keep me occupied from opening the presents for awhile."

Grade 6

Josie “My Christmas memory that I remember is waking up early and going to my parent’s room, waking them up, eating monkey bread, then unwrapping presents!"

Polina — “My favorite part of Christmas is waking up to snow on the ground and seeing the Christmas tree all lit up!"

Avery — “My favorite Christmas memory is when I wake up, go downstairs (without peeking at the presents) into my parent’s room with my brother. Then my parents come out with their cameras and my brother and I go and see what we got. I love all the colors and decorations, they make me feel so warm and cozy!"

Baylee — “My favorite Christmas memory isn’t about the presents or the food, it’s about the time my family, friends and I all spend together. It’s about the jokes we share, letters we send and the presents we all make together."

Trace — “One year on Christmas Eve, I couldn’t sleep. I tried and tried and tried, but I couldn’t sleep. It was about four o’clock when I went to my mom’s room and told her I couldn’t sleep. She went downstairs and brought up hot cocoas and we drank them together. We just sat there for about two hours drinking cocoa, snuggling our dogs, and talking. It was really nice to have special mom time because my sister kinda hogs my mom."

Hanna — “My favorite Christmas memory was in 2019 when we had an exchange student and we had Christmas with her."

Owen — “This year, we are driving to Arizona. I am not excited for the 20-hour drive. However,  we’re going to camp on what’s supposed to be the best fishing in Arizona."

Jonas — “Last year, my favorite Christmas memory is waking up early and opening presents and eating Christmas dinner with my grandparents."

Phineas — “My favorite thing about Christmas is opening presents and eating."

Grade 8

Aiden — “One year we had a Christmas party. We had a super fancy cake, an amazing dinner, and went sledding by the fire. Then it was time for the white elephant gift exchange. Two people brought great handmade gifts. These two individuals received each other’s gifts and eventually this resulted in a silly argument as they truly wanted the gifts they originally made. It was very entertaining!"

Vivian — “My favorite thing about Christmas is making gingerbread houses and then smashing them to pieces!"

Ava — “I remember one Christmas Day when we opened a Christmas goodie basket and all of the things looked so delicious, but mom and dad said we had to wait. The only thing that was old was the oranges."

Connor — “My favorite Christmas memory was in 2018 when my family went to Las Vegas for the holiday. We stayed at the Hard Rock Cafe and hotel. All the Nevadans decided 72 degrees was too cold for the pool and so we had the pool all to ourselves — it was epic!"

Ivy — “One Christmas/Solstice I hiked on an active volcano. Grinch life for life.”

Max — “My favorite Christmas memory was when I went skiing with my family."

Isadora — “I’m the Grinch!”