The “Secret Santa Cheat Sheet” was an idea that I got last year, and decided to bring it back this year. Once I send out the form to the school, people can fill out what they like so their Secret Santa can have a little help when it comes to spreading lots of holiday cheer. The questions included one’s favorite treats, spa products, and cozy items, and I also made sure to include a space for people to list any allergies they may have. Over the years, many have asked me why I decided to take this initiative, as at times, it could be stressful, so I decided to write more about my purpose and idea behind it.
One of my favorite parts about running the Secret Santa Cheat Sheet is that I get to meet new people that I never would’ve otherwise gotten to meet. With the increasing size of the student body at Montrose, I can say that it can be hard to be able to put a name to every face, and I’ve gotten to do that with more people through doing this. Alongside the Secret Santa Cheat Sheet, I also help students and teachers anonymously deliver their gifts to their Secret Santa during the gift-giving time. I always enjoyed doing this, and have done it since freshman year. However, junior year was the first time I did it in an organized fashion, such as creating the Secret Santa Cheat Sheet as a way to have everyone’s likes and dislikes in one spot, instead of having to directly contact certain students and faculty via email, and I also acquired a large bag to hold gifts while delivering them, instead of trying to hold all of them in my arms, and hand them out at the same time. Last year, across the three days of gift-giving, I delivered eighty gifts, and hope to set a new personal record this year! This has helped me to meet so many new people, some of whom I continued to be friends with, even after Secret Santa was over, and as a senior this year, these students continue to be like little sisters to me
Another reason why I love my initiative of the Secret Santa Cheat Sheet is because of how it’s improved my leadership skills and overall courage. Yes, as expected, emailing the entire school, along with the faculty, with a Secret Santa Cheat Sheet Google Form that may be seen as either fun or stupid, can be a bit frightening, and the hardest part about the whole thing was hitting “send,” on the email… both years, I actually had to count down from three to get myself to send it. Thankfully, both years, ended up being extremely successful, even more than I had expected. It’s also given me the courage to approach others, even when we’ve never previously met, which used to be pretty difficult for me. I’ve also gotten to learn so many new facts about my fellow Montrose students, which I never would’ve known before – for example: dark chocolate and fuzzy blankets are VERY popular with the Montrose student and faculty body, along with crocheting, and even planting.
Finally, I enjoy running the Secret Santa Cheat Sheet because not only has it made me more confident in my leadership skills, but it also helps others to feel more confident in selecting a gift, as it can be hard to select a gift for someone you’ve never met before, and through my cheat sheet, I’ve helped many students be able to know what to buy their Secret Santa, and through my Cheat Sheet, I’ve also accounted for what allergies students have, to ensure that they’ll get something that they’re able to enjoy.
Overall, I really enjoy running my Secret Santa Cheat Sheet because of how it helps me to meet students across all grades, how it’s helped to increase my courage and leadership skills, and how it has a service aspect, helping others to buy an excellent gift for their Secret Santa. The Secret Santa Cheat Sheet is a tradition that I hope lives on for the upcoming years!
By Kristina Klauzinski ‘24, Sports Editor
