+ BY MAKAILA WILLIAMS & HAENA LEE

Carolers singing, bells jingling and lights gleaming. Everyone has their own way of doing things around the holiday season, especially, Christmas. With kids out of school and parents off work, spending time with family is what people enjoy the most. Whether it’s going out of town, staying indoors, hanging mistletoe, or decorating the tree with lights; traditions are how people express themselves over the holidays.

“I have always had Christmas at my house,” freshman Skyler Ford said. “But then this year I’m going to Chicago to see family and all of the Christmas traditions aren’t gonna be done this year like wearing Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve.”

Some traditions are passed down from many generations and others like wearing Christmas boxers with family are new traditions brought together. The culture now is more diverse and influenced by other ideas. Food is a big part of tradition.

“Our whole family gets together,” sophomore Jocelyn Luna said. “To make tamales or cake and put a small baby Jesus in it. We all eat the food and whoever gets the baby Jesus in their food has to host a dinner.”

Everyone has their own style and taste.

“Every year,” freshman Asher Norberg said. “My grandma makes gumbo and jambalaya. She is from Shreveport, La. and that’s the food they eat, it’s like a cultural thing.”

Traveling around to meet with family for this holiday or going to your grandma’s house is how people join to celebrate Christmas. If it’s hopping on a two hour flight or taking an eight hour road trip; they all have the same purpose.

“I’m going to Colorado for Christmas this year,” Norberg said. “But usually I don’t; I am going to visit my uncle.”

But not every student celebrates Christmas. What do they do on break? Do they ever feel left out?

Families are all unique in their own ways,Photo by Addison Shermanespecially when they celebrate two different holidays.

“I am Jewish,” freshman Benny Alpert said. “We celebrate Hanukkah and then I go to Ohio with my mom’s family to celebrate Christmas.”

Many people celebrate different holidays over winter break, each with their own traditions.But, whether it is Christmas or Eid Al-Adha or Hanukkah, holiday traditions are something we all have.

“I have my holidays that they don’t know and I am kinda getting used to it,” freshman Darene Essa said. “I don’t usually do anything special. I usually just hang out with friends and family, probably shovel some snow and have fun in general. I am Muslim, we do celebrate something like Christmas. We have two holidays; Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. We don’t celebrate it at the same time as Christmas, it has its own time.”