The 12 days of Christmas is an annual spirit event hosted by student council to help encourage students throughout their finals week, but this year it looks a little different. It is being hosted completely virtual due to current circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic. On Dec. 6 student council sent out a list of spirit days that led to the last day of school before winter break. 

Student council faced a new challenge this year when forced to meet virtually to plan this year’s 12 days of Christmas themes. Student body president, senior Eli Redington said there have been many changes that have occured within the event due to COVID-19.

“For at least the past five years, student council has been using the 12 days of Christmas as a time to do small things for students over 12 days, to destress as they came up on their first semester final,” Redington said. “This year, the dance wasn’t going to happen and finals had been moved to January, but it is still clear that everyone needs to have a little bit of fun right now to get their mind off of everything going on in the world, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes.”

Due to the current circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic, students’ stress levels on average have gone up approximately 50 percent according to the Princeton Review. Freshman Lanayah Rivera participated in the first week of the 12 days of Christmas by sharing her Christmas spirit on her social media accounts. 

“I participated because it looked like a lot of fun,” Rivera said. “[I think that student council should continue planning virtual spirit weeks] because they make staying at home fun.”

Unlike other spirit weeks throughout the year, the 12 days of Christmas spirit weeks involve Christmas themed activities for students to participate in. Contrary to the usual 12 days of Christmas, student council shortened the virtual spirit week to 10 days due to the lack of final testing. A large number of students and teachers shared their talents on Friday Dec. 11 which was Carol Singing day.

 “Spirit week is not only a time to share your own talents, preferences and outfits, but also a time to appreciate all of the creativity that the rest of our Railer family has,” Redington said. “When planning any spirit week I always enjoy seeing not only the creative ideas that student council has for the week, but also those of the teachers and student body.”

It is estimated that only 60 percent of students, in the United States, are participating regularly in school events while in remote learning according to Chalkbeat. Junior Kaitlyn McMullin says that participating in spirit weeks while virtual is a good way for students to continue to participate in school activities. 

“Students should participate because in times like these we [are] all so divided due to not actually being at school upon many other reasons, it’s rewarding to see students get involved,” McMullin said. “It’s a way for us to come together when we can’t physically do that right now.”