Our school is very special, and this year, we are grateful for the gift of a worldly perspective from a few of our students. Chattahoochee County High School is home to a diverse student body; with our 60% population of military dependents, we house a great deal of students who have come to our nation with vastly different traditions than those of our own, and along with our Christmas traditions, we should embrace the customs of many of the members of our ChattCo family.
We begin with a student that considers this area his home. Dustin J. Chandler Hudgins describes his holiday experience here in the Southern United States:
Dustin J. Chandler-Hudgins and Other Members of the Staff,
Editors
I was born and raised here in the South. The gentle, elegant grace and charming hospitality have defined my experience as a Southerner, and that is something of which I am proud. It is not a farce to say that during the Christmas season, the allure of the South is magnified, and the spirit of giving is in full force. Known for our traditions, we Southerners take great care in our preservation of our sentiments for Christmastime. Religion flows through the veins of the South, and of course, Christmas is no exception to this facet of our lives; Christmas holds a deeply profound meaning to us, especially in terms of Christianity. Throughout this season, we celebrate the birth of our messiah, Jesus Christ, and we translate the message of His forgiving love to everyone who wishes to hear our merciful and kind message. We set up Christmas trees, which exemplify the holiday season, and decorate them to our hearts' desires. We host bounteous feasts and we attend many celebrations and ceremonies to mark the occasion. Common sustenance includes ham, turkey, dressing (my favorite dish), deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and desserts commonly include apple pie, pumpkin pie, and in our family, Grandmother's German chocolate cake and congealed salad. Our foods represent the comfort and warmth of the season and its meaning to us.Students Lelis and Derlis Galeano tell us about traditions in their home country of Paraguay:
We are from Paraguay, and Christmas in our country is very beautiful. Most Paraguayans are Catholic, so the nativity scene and manger are very important in the Paraguayan Christmas tradition. Almost every house in the country has at least one. The flower of the coconut palm perfumes the nativity scene with a sweet fragrance. Christmas is spent with the family, and small children roam their homes to visit the manger scenes, repeating the joy of the birth of the baby Jesus. Christmas is very different in Paraguay than it is in the United States. At midnight, on Christmas Day, fireworks are released into the sky to celebrate the birth of Jesus.Josué Figueroa and Salvador Jiminez Morales tell us of the joys of the Christmas season in El Salvador:
Christmas day is celebrated on the twenty-fourth of December, as opposed to the twenty-fifth in other nations, such as the United States. Despite all of the problems for which our country can account, we celebrate Christmas in a happy manner. The Christmas season really starts on the first of December and ends on the thirty-first of December. On Christmas day, we witness for the Church and eat a dinner that consists of bread and chicken, and for dessert, we eat fruit cake. At 12:00 in the morning, we release fireworks into the air to celebrate Jesus' birth, and later on Christmas day, many of us go to the beach!Viany Castellanos tell us of Christmastime in Colombia:
Christmas is very beautiful in my country of Colombia. People celebrate this time of the year with big spirits. For us, Christmas begins at the beginning of November. People set up a Christmas tree and place gifts under it for the children, and on December twenty-fourth, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Most of the families meet under the tree and give their children gifts, but they also give their children gifts that are from Santa Claus, or, as we call him, Santa Clos. Santa Clos will bring gifts to the children if they behave well. We open gifts from midnight well into the next day, and all of the streets are decorated with lights or other Christmas decorations. We take walks through the parks and gardens decorated for the season, and our people are appreciative of the lights and the atmosphere of Christmas.Students Lourdes Suarez and Kevin Marrero tell us about Christmas in Puerto Rico:
Christmas in Puerto Rico is celebrated from mid-November to the beginning of January. After Thanksgiving, the Puerto Ricans are known for our unforgettable "parrandas." A parranda is where a small group of people conjugate to "asaltar," or surprise, other people. Most parranderes play some sort of instrument, usually guitars, and they all sing. The parrandas begin after 10:00 in the evening on December twenty-fourth, in order to surprise and awaken sleeping friends to gather them to celebrate. The next day, the families gather together to celebrate Christmas day, during which presents are exchanged. On December thirty-first, the year is dismissed with fireworks and Chinese candles; the next day, New Yoear's Day, people go for walks in our parks, and five days later, on the sixth of January, "Los Reyes Magos," the Day of the Three Wise Men, is celebrated.Madelis Dominguez tells us about Christmas in her native country of Panama:
In my country, Christmas is celebrated with family and friends. The houses are decorated with ornaments and lights. During the last week before Christmas, people go every night to celebrate Las Posadas, the celebration of Mary's birth of Jesus. Panamanians tend to celebrate Christmas on December twenty-fourth. We celebrate with fireworks the arrival of Jesus Christ into this world, and bells toll to commemorate His birth.Talibah Howard, student, tells us about Christmas in Germany:
The most popular German Christmas Custom is the Christmas Market. People gather around from all stretches of the world, to celebrate Christmas, eat drink, have fun, and be merry! At the Christmas Markets, some stands serve what is called mulled wine, which is a German red wine that is heated and drunk in a coffee mug. In addition to mulled wine, Christbaumgebächt is served at the markets. It is a German cookie like treat. For most Germans, the celebration of Christmas starts on Nikolaus Day (December sixth), and Christmas Day is on December twenty-fourth, instead of the twenty-fifth. Germans are also well known for their extravagantWe are interested in hearing about your Christmas traditions or other holiday customs! In the comments below, be sure to tell us about how you celebrate the holiday season. Merry Christmas, and have a Happy New Year!
public Christmas decorations. From the malls to the banks, they make sure to showcase their Christmas spirit. Also, the popular vintage Christmas tale, "Hansel and Gretel", originated in Germany. Lastly, the Advent Calendar is the most popular Christmas custom that is practiced in Germany. It is a calendar board, that hides a treat behind every day in the month of December.
Dustin J. Chandler-Hudgins and Other Members of the Staff,
Editors
