Christmas is always an exciting time of year at AHA, with long-lasting traditions filling the school with the holiday spirit. As students walk through the halls between classes, Christmas music plays over the loudspeaker and many classroom doors are decorated in hopes of filling the halls with even more spirit. Festivities continue as A Charlie Brown Christmas plays on the TVs in the lunchroom, allowing students to watch the beloved show while they eat. In addition to the decorated halls and festivities at lunch, students can celebrate with an out-of-uniform day, wearing Christmas clothes or colors. At convocation, the AHA choir and band groups perform Christmas songs for the student body, with a school-wide Christmas sing-along to send everyone off in a joyful mood. 

In addition to the fun activities that occur in the days leading up to break, a fundamental pillar of Christmas at the Academy is the Christmas baskets that the students and faculty put together for charity. These baskets are a yearly tradition that started in the early 1900s, allowing students to provide a helping hand to families who need it most. As the days are counted down to break, the student body gathers in the gym to send the gifts off to the families and commemorate the hard work students executed to give back. While Christmas at the Academy is always filled with love and joy, an important part of the holidays is giving back and helping others in need, a fundamental part of who we are at AHA.