Campus Christmas Traditions
“My family always does Secret Santa because there’s so many of us; it’s just easier. We always try to guess or figure out who has us before the nighttime. During the holidays, we always watch: While You Were Sleeping and White Christmas.”
-Nic Morrison, Minnesota, business administration and graphic design
“I’m from Jamaica, and every Christmas Eve we have something called the Grand Market. You go out, buy stuff, eat out and enjoy the Christmas lights and music in the streets with family and friends.”
-Evie Lumsden, Jamaica, international relations
“My sister and I would sleep under the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve with the lights on and wake up early to open stockings while waiting for everybody to wake up and open presents.”
-Esteban Clendenon, Idaho, social work
“Every year, my family eats brunch at my parent’s house. We make a special smoothie we labeled our “orange drink” which we only drink on Christmas. We eat a special dried fruit casserole which takes two days to prepare. We then open presents and head over to my grandma’s house where we eat her famous green pepper jelly with cream cheese and sit around the fireplace singing songs.”
-Sara Allman, Nebraska, general studies
“Every Christmas, my parents would buy my siblings and me a new pair of fuzzy pajamas wrapped in pretty paper to open on Christmas Eve. Then we’d change into our new pjs and watch a classic Christmas movie, eat popcorn balls and drink hot cocoa.”
-Maddie Temple, North Dakota, english
“On New Years, we would just have a super family day. We would spend all day with each other, watch movies and then have a huge meal at night and invite some friends over.”
-Roy Obregon, Kansas, business administration
“I didn’t celebrate Christmas growing up, so I’m going to steal my boyfriend’s. His family has a tradition of saving up ornaments for each child in the family and when that person gets married, they inherit all the ornaments that were saved up their whole lives.”
-Tiffany Sohm, California, elementary education
“Every year as we set up the Christmas Tree we have Its A Wonderful Life playing in the background.”
-Christianna Nesmith, Georgia, pre-nursing
“My family, friends and I go to a Christmas tree farm and we are able to cut down our own tree.”
-Kendrick Froemming, Minnesota, business administration
“Not exactly a tradition, since our family doesn’t really have any, but Dad likes to threaten a 15% Dad-tax on any candy we would get.”
-Autumn Mott, Massachusetts, communication: emerging media
“We always make cinnamon rolls for breakfast because we always have Christmas-breakfast instead of Christmas-dinner.”
-Natasha McWilliams-Nasser, California, communications: public relations
“We try to make Christmas more about spending time together than gift giving. This year, we are trying to take a trip together because my sister is getting married and I’m in college. We just want a lot of family bonding during the holidays. Oh, and we put the Christmas tree up as soon as it snows.”
-Nicholas Lawrence, Ohio, social science education
“The one thing that always stays the same is my sister and I always make sure we’re together. It is to the point of when I think of her, I think of Christmas. We watch all of the Harry Potter movies, we get decked out in all our Hogwarts House outfits and then yell at the TV in bad British accents.”
-Gabrielle Nappi, Mississippi, english: writing and speaking
“Probably going home and loading up in the van with hot cocoa, blasting the Christmas radio and driving around town to look at all the lights! It combines all the wonderful sights, smells and togetherness that Christmas should be.”
-Jesse Tasche, Wyoming, language arts education
“Food is big for my family! We make sure everyone is in charge of at least one dish! I love having everybody in the kitchen at the same time and sometimes having to fight for a spot on the stove, or a baking dish. It’s crazy chaos, but that’s when we seem to make the best memories!”
-Ricky Amimo, Kenya, physician’s assistant program
Campus Christmas Traditions compiled by Melissa Ratter, a senior studying language arts education.