Hermione Headlines December 2024
News from The Hermione
by Res Prefects Madeleine Decard (6J) and Fatima Mzhir (6K)
House Highlight - Gifford
Our December House Highlight is House Gifford (floor 2A), named after Irish artist and cartoonist and, of course, Alex alumna Grace Gifford, who was active in Ireland’s Republican movement. Gifford is best known for marrying her husband, Joseph Plunkett, in Kilmainham Gaol the night before his execution for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising. At the age of sixteen, she went to the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, and attended a course in Fine Art at the Slade School of Art in London in 1907. She was elected to the Sinn Féin executive in 1917, and was active during the Civil War, being arrested and detained at Kilmainham Gaol once again in 1923, where she painted on the walls of her cell. After her release from prison, Grace Gifford occasionally took trips to Paris, where she visited galleries and exhibitions. From the late 1940s, Gifford’s health began to decline until she was brought to hospital in 1950 and eventually died in her apartment in December 1955. Gifford was buried with full military honours. Our prefects for House Gifford are Sophie M. and Sophie L.
Res Holiday Dinner
Last Wednesday, the boarding community gathered to celebrate Christmas dinner, one of the most memorable events that takes place in Res every year. From the beautiful Christmas decorations to our massive Christmas tree with all the presents around it, a ton of gorgeous details contribute to adding warmth to our Boarding house. One of the most heartwarming moments of the night was the tradition of giving Christmas presents to all boarders. Seeing the girls’ joy and enthusiasm when unwrapping the gifts was a reminder of the importance of such small acts of kindness that make a big difference. We wouldn't be able to celebrate the sense of togetherness without all the massive effort that was put in the making of this wonderful evening. A huge thank you to Res staff, Res prefects and the canteen staff for making everything possible. Additionally, we owe Lorenzo a massive thanks for the astonishing Advent Calendar that he has made for our boarding house.
Holiday Arts and Crafts
During the past few days, we celebrated the creative artistic talents of the boarding girls at our Arts and Crafts evening. It was a vibrant event where all the girls came together to unwind in a safe environment that encourages everyone to socialize. This exciting time of the year would be incomplete without the grace of the contributions of the girls in adding their touches to the Christmas theme in Res. The crafts were used to decorate the Hermione building and especially our beautiful Christmas tree. Ultimately, Christmas is all about celebrating our diversity and remembering to contribute in adding love even in the small details of creating beauty and decorating our house!
December Birthdays
One of our favourite things in Res is celebrating our boarders’ birthdays. So, happy birthday to our December boarders! Res staff and prefects are delighted to wish another wonderful year to Luna, Clara, Thinh Ann, Isobel, Yinuo, Samanvitha, Sophia-Lara, Sofia, Rani, Susanna, Chloé, Amy, Miranda, and Madeleine. Have a fantastic year with many happy days ahead!
House Cup Leaderboard
Keep up the good work, everyone!
Alex Christmas Market
Like every year, we hosted the Alex Christmas Market this month, with artists and small businesses from all over Ireland. The Hermione was opened to the public for the 14th and 15th of December, with stalls set up from reception all the way down to the Senior Common Room. We hosted artists like Jennifer Fitzgerald and Gina Fegan, as well as small businesses such as Snugí Knitwear, run by Serena Grimes, and Myth0logic, who sell cute crochet creations. The girls going to Kolkata this year offered gift wrapping in aid of the Hope Foundation, and there were snacks and treats offered by Wallace’s and Scoops and Hoops, who also had stalls at the fair. Many of their Instagram accounts and websites are linked in the Christmas market’s Instagram posts on the market’s account @alexchristmasmarket2024.
Holiday Season in Res
It’s December, and Res staff, prefects, and Ms Diffley and Ms Thompson have worked hard to make the holiday season magical for everyone. While not everyone celebrates Christmas, December is a time of celebration for many religions, especially within our multicultural residence. Here are some of the holidays and religions you can take some time to learn about this month!
Bodhi Day (8 December) is a Buddhist holiday. According to tradition, on this day Siddhartha Gautama reached enlightenment sitting under a sacred fig known as the Bodhi tree, where he meditated until he found the root of suffering, and how to be free from it. Bodhi Day is also celebrated as RÅhatsu in Japan, and on a different date in China. Observers often celebrate this holiday by doing additional meditation, and some enjoy a meal of tea, cakes, and readings.
Gita Jayanti or Gita Mahotsav (11 December) is a Hindu holiday that marks the anniversary of the Bhagavad Gita dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. The date of this holiday changes every year. During this holiday, over 300 stalls are set up around the Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra city, and some complete the 48 Kos Parikrama, a pilgrimage.
Yule or Winter Solstice (21 December) is a Pagan holiday celebrating the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun. This is based on a scientific occurrence when either of the Earth’s poles (North or South) reaches maximum tilt away from the Sun. Many ancient monuments such as Stonehenge in England and Newgrange here in Ireland were built to align with the sunrise or sunset on the Winter Solstice. Many observers of Yule or Winter Solstice celebrate by building a Yule Altar. The ancient practices of this Pagan holiday were later subsumed into Christians’ Christmas celebration, which is why Christian Christmas and Pagan Yule are now often equated.
Christmas (24 - 26 December) is an annual fixed Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is celebrated both religiously by Christians and culturally by non-Christians, having become a time for general gratitude, family, and togetherness over the centuries. The holiday is frequently equated with the Pagan Yule festival, as some Christmas traditions were adopted from Paganism. Christmas is most notably celebrated with caroling, exchanging gifts, decorating an evergreen tree, and sharing large meals with family and friends. Christmas is celebrated almost globally, and is often synonymous with the holiday season due to the widespread nature of Christianity.
Hanukkah (25 December - 2 January) is a Jewish holiday without a fixed date in the Gregorian calendar that lasts for eight nights and days. Hanukkah commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem and rededication of the Second Temple at the start of the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century BCE. Typically, Hanukkah is celebrated with familial meals and festivities, and traditionally a menorah is lit. A menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum with one candle slightly elevated above the rest. This candle is used to light one other candle of the menorah each night of the holiday.
Waterford Christmas Market
This month, the girls got to go to the ‘Winterval’ Christmas markets in Waterford, Ireland’s largest Christmas festival. The market offers the opportunity to visit Santa and do some holiday shopping. Winterval is decked out in enchanting lights and full of festive stalls that stock anything from warm, wintery treats to unique, handcrafted jewellery. The market has partnered with the Tintean Housing Association, a homeless charity located in Waterford City, to which visitors and interessees can donate online or simply by shopping at the market. The Association’s goal is to provide accommodation with support to people and families who are currently homeless, with a value base which promotes respect, dignity, partnership, non-judgemental attitude, understanding and empowerment. The girls had a wonderful time experiencing the magic and cheer of the Christmas market!
Res Hoodies Arrived!
Finally, the new hoodies have arrived! The new hoodies stand out as they are personalised. Each boarder has their surname or first name displayed on the back of their hoodie. Additionally, each boarder’s hoodie colour corresponds with their house colour, and the name of the house is embroidered under the Alexandra College crest. These hoodies are perfect for daily wear as they are a comfortable way to represent our boarding community. They are not just pieces of clothing but unique representations of identity and belonging to our boarding house!
