Welcoming winter break

Naysa Jacobson, Writer

December 22, 2025

OHS reader board highlighting the dates of winter break.

A lighted Christmas tree located in Central Park, downtown Owatonna. (Naysa Jacobson)

Winter break officially takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 24, for Owatonna High School students and concludes on Friday, Jan. 2, as students head back to school the following Monday. Winter break brings excitement and anticipation throughout the whole month of December, as students look forward to relaxing from school work and the new year to come.

First semester will wrap up right after returning from break and finals will be right around the corner, which is why winter break is very beneficial to students as it allows them time to relax, spend time with family, vacation and get their minds off of school.

Many students are eager as to how they will spend their time off. Having time away from school provides students with more time to spend with their family while they celebrate the holidays. Senior Isabella Nelson said, “I’m really looking forward to Christmas and getting to spend time with my family.” Junior Kelsey Skala can agree as she stated, “I am most looking forward to spending time with my cousins.”

Morehouse Rink located at Morehouse Park, Owatonna. (Naysa Jacobson)

Taking in the beautiful snowfall during winter break can be a great way to relax. Owatonna’s ice rinks are available for skating, as well as various hills to go sledding. Nelson said, “I really want to go sledding with my siblings and maybe go out snowmobiling too.”

Staying local throughout Owatonna can bring excitement and holiday spirit. Some events such as Owatonna’s Holiday Tree Trail, the December Annual Holiday Display at the Owatonna Arts Center and driving around to look at holiday lights and decorations, are great ways to spend time with friends and family during the long break.

However, for some OHS student athletes, winter break means tournament time. Some students will be traveling out of town, as Skala indicated, “We have a basketball tournament in White Bear Lake and practices all throughout break.” OHS will be hosting the Federated Insurance 2025 Boys Basketball Holiday Tournament, which will be another event happening to spend time at as well.

Students at OHS will enjoy their time off and look forward to their next long break. This break might not come fast enough for some students but it will happen in the spring, as the start of spring break will occur in March.

About the Contributor

Naysa Jacobson, Writer

Naysa Jacobson is a junior at Owatonna High School this year. Jacobson is in her first year of Magnet. She is a part of the OHS Cheer Team and cheers for football and basketball. During the school year, Jacobson is also involved in SHOC and Thriving Minds. Outside of school Jacobson enjoys spending time with friends and family, biking, playing mini golf, shopping/fashion and attending Minnesota Vikings football games with her family. After high school, Jacobson wants to pursue a career in fashion merchandising. Jacobson joined Magnet to gain more writing skills and experience. She hopes that being in Magnet will allow her to be more involved within the OHS community this year.