“We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a happy new year!”
Whether it’s bringing the “good tidings” of the season by caroling, being stuffed full of good old Christmas cooking, cuddling up by the fire, or a mix of the three, part of the joy of the seaso
n is in the tradition- and it seems that no two are the same.
Typical of America, many traditions seem to revolve around food, but no worries, getting rid of all those candy canes and christmas cookies is what New Year’s Resolutions are for! While most families have the classic glazed ham (or perhaps the duck if they’re following in the footsteps of The Christmas Story), the Loetterle family has a rare meal for Nebraska- seafood.
“Every Christmas Eve my family watches National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and then we eat oyster stew- I have no idea why, but it’s a great movie, and great soup so I don’t mind!” said Olivia Loetterle, a senior.
Some food traditions use food more creatively, though the next tradition doesn’t sound quite as appetizing.
“I think this might be some sort of Norwegian tradition that started out with a real pickle, but we now have this pickle ornament that we hide on the tree somewhere and the kids race to find it! The reward is an extra present, but usually we both end up getting one because there’s almost always two pickles,” senior Grace Rempp said of her food related Christmas traditions.
The holiday fun is just beginning with food in some families, who get creative with their Yule festivities. From card games, to dominos, to “White Elephant” gift giving, the possibilities are endless.
“We started out a long time ago spelling out the word Christmas, with ‘C’ gifts the first year and the next letter every year. This Christmas we’ll finally be on s! We’re not too strict about it- there’s been one gift that has made it through all the years with a ‘creative’ name,” said senior Sean Selko about his family’s name game.
With all the materialistic releverly that usually surrounds the holidays, there are some families that take a more relaxed approach when it comes to Christmas. The Gnagy family doesn’t decorate and doesn’t make a big deal over gifts.
“We’re not against that stuff, but we’re not going to put a big blow up Santa in our front yard or anything like that,” senior Melody Gnagy said. “We just think it should be focused on the birth of Christ- it’s what the holiday’s all about!”
Religious or not, the holidays are a great time to join in on the famous “Spirit of Christmas” and enlist in your family’s long-standing traditions or start some of your own!
