Head of School Remarks at 2019 All-School Winter Assembly

The following is from remarks given by Head of School Tom Gibian at the All-School Winter Assembly 2019:

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome the whole school to our 2019 winter assembly.  

There is so much to love about this time of year. Here are a few of my favorites.
 
Hot chocolate. Even better with marshmallows floating on top. Older brothers and sisters coming home for the holidays. My kids coming home for the holidays. Twinkly lights. A radio station that only plays Christmas songs. Ok, I listen to NPR but it’s still nice to know. 

I also love that going to a Chinese Restaurant on Christmas can be a family tradition.  And if we go someplace new during the Winter break, we use our Qibla compass to find the proper direction to pray.  And at work we have secret Santa games. And at home we have dreidels.  And we bundle up to go outside even when it is freezing to sing Christmas carols or to go to Midnight Mass.  
 
I love the sound of sleigh bells and bringing a freshly cut tree in the house and the way it makes the whole home smell like Christmas.  And putting lights on the tree and little things on the tree, some of which you made in kindegarten and some of which are made of macaroni.

And Scrooge. And the Grinch.  And Miracles on 34th Street and Tim Allen in that one movie where he becomes Santa Clause.  And panettone from this one bakery on 14th Street and Eduardo’s wonderful cookies that remind me of....well, Winter Assembly.  And I love that my stack of books on my bed table gets replenished this time of year.

I have mentioned certain religious traditions and also secular traditions; there is a pagan tradition I love; namely, celebrating the winter solstice.  Why?  Because the next day is longer then the day before and that is true again and again and again until the longest day of year.

I wait all year for our Winter Assembly because we get to hear What My True Love Gave To Me. It reminds me of my true love and all that she gives to me every day. Which reminds me of how much I will miss all of you for the approximately 16 days that we will all be away. 
 
Remember to give hugs to everyone who tucks you in and remember that you are wonderful because you are just the way you are.  And that the community that we have here, our Sandy Spring community is not a place; it’s a state of mind. I love thee and wish everyone a wonderful winter break.