As the student body sings along, the seniors will once again enchant the audience of the Heller Auditorium with holiday cheer. On Friday December 21, just before students and faculty embark on winter break, it will be the this year’s seniors’ chance to carry out the tradition of leading the “12 Days Of Christmas” Morning Exercise.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a signature senior tradition known for the dramatic interpretations of the nursery rhyme written in 1790. The actual twelve days represent the time between the birth of Christ on Christmas day, December 25th, and the coming of the three wise men, celebrated as Three Kings Day on January 6th.

The Parker tradition started during the 1950s. Since then, the senior class has been taking the stage and leading a festive MX for the entire school. When this time rolls around every holiday season, the seniors constantly provide laughter and cheer.

This tradition is very meaningful to some students at Parker. “Every year I watch the seniors,” freshman Lily Becker said, “and I can’t wait until I can lead this tradition for my peers when I am a senior.”

The preparations for this year’s 12 Days began later than those of grades in previous years. The Class of ‘18 started practicing a month and a half before the MX, but the current senior class began planning just over three weeks before the showing. The preparations began by creating groups of performers. Each group was assigned the one line in the rhyme and they will be acting out. Since December 12, weekly practices have occured during senior Graderoom.

“So far, preparing for 12 days has been a lot of fun,” senior Gabe Gross said. “I’m excited for all of our hard work to be shown at the MX.”

However, some students have a less optimistic outlook.“This isn’t looking too good,” Senior Hannah Kershner said a month leading up to the date before practices had started. Nerves are brought back down by Harriet Fardon and Lilah Schatz, senior class Co-Presidents and directors of the performance.

“Organizing 12 Days has been an overwhelmingly stressful process,” Schatz said. “Everyone has had to move in fast motion to prepare for it.” The co-heads assigned groups three weeks before the showing. Each group is responsible for preparing a three–four minute-long interpretation of their assigned line of the song, whether it is a video, live skit, or the classic jumping showcase during the “10 Lords a Leaping” line.

“The group assigning has been the most stressful aspect so far. Not everyone is going to get what they want just because that’s the way it is,” Fardon says, “but I do think, now that the assignments are set in stone, everyone is being a real team player, which is so helpful.”

The co-heads have assigned the major emcee roles—Santa and Hanukkah Harry—to seniors Olivia Garg and Jonah Meiselman-Ashen.

Assisting Schatz and Fardon for her fourth year is senior gradehead Leslie Holland-Pryor. Holland-Pryor spoke on the sacredness of each performance, saying, “It’s exciting to see each class’ unique character and energy being exhibited.”

While some students are excitedly waiting for their favorite MX of the year, the seniors are coming together to put on a show some of them have been waiting to participate for the past 14 holidays seasons of their lives. “As much as people are waiting for 11:40 when they are released for their winter break,” sophomore Nathalie San Fratello said, “I also feel like there is a sense of community during Twelve Days. It’s like everyone wants to be there in that moment.”