Gallery • 4 Photos

Margaret Edmonson

After perfecting their baking skills, chefs in Margaret Marucci's culinary class enter their holiday cookies for contest based on taste, appearance and texture. Junior Leah Cozzie's chocolate cookies with crushed peppermints took first place.

Nothing says Christmas like a sugar-coated confection decorated with icing and sprinkles, and those sweets bring sweet memories of family traditions and festive times.

Through the halls and classrooms on campus, visions of sugar plums danced in the heads of students and staff alike. Here’s a sample of their favorites:

Julian Johnson (world geography teacher): “Lebkuchen, because they only come around during Christmas, and they remind me of the Christmas season and of my family in Germany.”

Jake Perez (freshman): “I really like the green and red sugar cookies because I really love sugar cookies in general, and I love the red and green colors of Christmas.”

Dylan Perez (sophomore): “I like the cookies where you put the Hershey kiss in the middle. The way they make it it is cool to look at, and they’re nice and flavorful.”

Holly Leach (English teacher): ”I don’t eat cookies, but I like cheese. Cheese is my favorite Christmas cookie.”

Danielle Payne (senior): “I like the sugar frosted cookies at Target, because I really like the texture, and it tastes good.”

Emma Leos (sophomore): “Gingersnaps, because of the gingery molasses stickiness of the gooey inside that hardens slowly as time proceeds.”

Cheryl Sims (nurse): ”I like the salted caramel. The best part is when you add the salt. I like the texture. I don’t eat a lot of sweets. I do make homemade fudge. It’s awesome and easy.”

Samuel Woodfield (band/color guard instructor): ”Gingerbread, because I only have it one time a year.”

Keyerra French (Senior): “My favorite Christmas cookie is probably just a chocolate chip cookie because they’re the best with cold milk, and it reminds me of baking cookies for Santa as a kid.”

Annabelle Sanchez (senior): “I like sugar cookies because they are a classic and so good. Especially when they are decorated.”

Arali Garcia (freshman): “I love cinnamon cookies, especially during the holidays because they just remind me of the times my family comes together and bake them.”

Jennifer Okhiria (sophomore): “Great American Cookies’ Christmas cookies taste the best; they’re all colorful and cute with sprinkles. Get you some Great American Cookies!”

Cory DeBoest (English & AP Research/Seminar teacher): “Kolaczkis, these Polish cookies, are my favorite. They’re light and buttery with all kinds of spreads inside.”

Amanda Trussell (librarian): “Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite because they’re always in style, and you can always eat the dough.”

Kevin Rodriguez (sophomore): “I once made a reindeer-shaped sugar cookie. From there, I trailed chocolate chips from behind it to make it look like a pooping reindeer.”