By Annie Alshuler Contributing Writer
Every year on Christmas Eve, McCormick freshman Claire Boland reads “The Polar Express” with her family.
Before they return to their beds for the night, the children in the family sign their names in the book.
“We’ve had this tradition since I was in third grade,” Boland said. “It’s so cool to see how everyone’s signature has changed over the years.”
During the holidays, many Northwestern students engage in the same family traditions with which they have grown up.
One common tradition among NU students is tree-decorating, an activity enjoyed by Communication freshman Angela Papa.
“The whole family helps select a fresh Christmas tree,” Papa said. “Right when we get home, the four of us decorate the tree together.”
McCormick sophomore Blerta Mandro said her family attends several parties throughout the holidays, all of which center on food and family.
“On the nights leading up to Christmas – and especially on Christmas Eve – we usually go to family friends’ houses for late night parties,” Mandro said. “Not surprisingly we’re usually pretty tired once Christmas day comes, so my family usually hosts a low-key brunch or an early dinner with close family members.”
McCormick senior Allan Castillo said his family also celebrates Christmas with late night parties.
“We stay up from Christmas Eve all the way through Christmas night,” Castillo said. “We have a grab bag, and we eat a lot of food – especially desserts like cheesecake and apple pie.”
Caitlin Powers-Maher also has a specific family tradition during the holidays involving food.
“Every Christmas, we go to my aunt’s house,” the McCormick freshman said. “She makes rice pudding and hides a bean in it. Whoever finds the bean gets a chocolate bar as a prize.”
Gift exchanges are an essential part of Communication junior Dan Doyle’s Christmas.
“My family comes over to our house, and my cousins and I have a gift exchange,” he said. “We draw names, so everyone gets a gift.”
Weinberg freshman Sybil Ottenstein stressed the importance of tradition when she celebrates Hanukkah with her family.
“On the first night of Hanukkah, we go to my aunt’s house for a party where all the adults give the children gifts,” she said. “On the other nights, we light the candles and put the menorah in the window of our front room where a giant Israeli flag hangs on the wall.”
Ottenstein also described the smaller traditions she shares with her siblings.
“We light the candles each night starting with me – the eldest – and ending with the youngest,” she said. “We also buy each other little gifts.”
Many students said giving and receiving gifts is not the best part of the holidays.
Instead, according to Weinberg sophomore Rachel Herter, who spends each Christmas with the same group of family friends, the most important aspect of the holiday season is being around loved ones.
“It’s comforting to be around the same group of people each year,” Herter said. “Presents are great, too, but it’s really the people that make the holiday season so special.”
Reach Annie Alshuler at [email protected].
