Every family has their own traditions and rituals for different holidays, which is what makes them special. As the Christmas season quickly approaches, students around campus prepare for their holiday traditions.

One of the most interesting things about Iona is the diversity around campus; there are so many students from around the world. Sophomore Tania Orellana, from Honduras, offered an insight on her typical Christmas traditions.

“My family and I never wait till the morning, we all stay up, eat cookies, drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies till its 12 a.m. on the 25th so we can open the presents,” Orellana said. “It’s not really only my family, it’s more a Honduras thing. No one waits till the morning to open presents, everyone stays up and sings and sets off firecrackers. On the night of the 23rd everyone sings Christmas songs from house to house to simulate Joseph looking for somewhere to stay before Mary gave birth. “

One of the major aspects of any holiday, especially Christmas, is the food. From the main courses to the delicious sweet treats that come around with the beloved Christmas season, there are endless amounts of culinary traditions.

“Well, on Christmas Eve my dad’s side of the family gets together and we have the 7 fishes at dinner and Christmas cookies galore,” Sophomore Ariana Visentini said.

Besides the Christmas food, one of everybody’s favorite parts of the season is decorating to set the holiday mood. Whether it be setting up and decorating the Christmas tree or putting the lights outside the house, it is the small things that make the holiday season so special.

Sophomore Loredana Calce shared one of her decorating traditions.

“Every year for Christmas, my family and I spend an entire weekend decorating and setting up villages,” Calce said. “We have an entire Disney section, Santa Claus section and a nutcracker kingdom. I look forward to setting up these villages every year.”

One of the hardest parts about being at school throughout almost the entire month of December is missing some of these cherished traditions and family moments. Some families adjust traditions and set trees and decorations up during Thanksgiving break, so college students can still be involved in those traditions.

Although Christmas is celebrated through many different traditions and rituals, all the traditions come from the same root of family. It is the annual traditions that make this holiday extra special. As an famous elf named Buddy says, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”