Every year millions of people celebrate Christmas.

For Christians, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Many non-Christians celebrate Christmas as well. It has become more of a holiday than a religious tradition.

Many other cultures celebrate other things during this time such as Hanukkah . Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

The Winter Solstice is another celebration for some over the holidays. It is a celebration of the longest night of the year and the shortest day. It is observed by many cultures ancient and modern.

Many people spend their holidays in different way such as: hanging stockings, caroling, having a large dinner and having relatives over.

Freshman Cooper Arend celebrates the holidays by hanging up stockings that have family member’s names on them,  and drinking copious amounts of egg nog. Arend has his aunt and cousins over every Christmas. Every year they have a ham for Christmas dinner.

Kaylee Williams,  a sophomore, goes to Seattle every year to visit her relatives. Williams picks out a big tree every year and  watches football with her family before their large Christmas dinner.

On Christmas night she said, “The kids open gifts first, then everyone else.”

The day after Christmas Williams goes shopping for all of the post holiday deals.

Julia Nelson, a sophomore, goes on vacation every year during the holidays after Christmas. On Christmas Eve Nelson’s family eats a big dinner and goes to church. Afterwards, her parents allow her to open one present.  Nelson said, “We wake up at 8 a.m. and wait for my mom to get coffee, then we go open presents.”

Jessica Siebert, a sophomore, likes to keep it simple during the holidays. Siebert watches Christmas movies with her family while eating snack foods.

Keith Dickson, a junior, likes to have fun over the holidays. Dickson bakes cookies and has frosting design competitions with his family.

He has doing this since he was five or six and said, “I think my grandpa started this tradition.” Dickson is only allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve.