by Grace George |

Decorating trees, cookies and snowmen; the traditions really do vary.

With jeans, sweaters and long socks most of us will be hairy.

Family customs, they come and go, and they are great in the winter snow.

While some think holidays are boring and cold, most let out their inner “ho ho ho.”

There are a lot of different religious backgrounds that celebrate in different ways around Liberty. Americans spend their holidays in many different ways. Junior Connor McCoy spends the holiday season with his family at home.

“Everyone in the family comes over for Christmas and we have a great time,” McCoy said. “We watch movies, eat turkey and cake and play games. We play different board and sports games each year. The overall winner of the family tournament gets to take a trophy back to their house until the next Christmas get together.”

Unfortunately, McCoy has never had the opportunity to win the trophy.

“I try so hard every single year, but I can never get it! One day I will get it, I just know it,” McCoy said.

Instead of turkey and cake, senior Adam Talpers prefers more cultural foods to his Jewish heritage.

Talpers celebrates his Jewish heritage with family members during the holiday season.

“We celebrate like most Jewish families with Hanukkah,” Talpers said. “Basically, all we do is the candle and prayer each night, then presents at our grandma’s. I have been celebrating Hanukkah since I was a child, so it’s nice to think about all the memories that I have made with my family.”

One of Talper’s favorite parts about the holidays is the Jewish foods.

“Every year we have Matzoh, horse radish and parsley. It’s nice because that’s the only time of the year that I really get to eat that kind of food,” Talpers said.

While Talpers spends his holiday season with his Jewish family, sophomore Mary Mwuara spends them with friends that are just as close to her as family.

With all the different backgrounds in Liberty, it is hard to find people that come from the exact same race or culture. Mwaura comes from an African American family who celebrates much different than most other families around town.

“We belong to an African Community group and during the holidays we all get together and have a meal. Everyone brings their own African dish to share. We have a bible scripture and then we eat,” Mwaura said.

Not only does Mwaura enjoy the food she is eating, she always likes being with people who are in the same shoes as she is.

“Since a lot of us have family in Africa, sometimes it’s hard because we miss them. With the group all getting together, it’s great because we get to talk to people who know exactly how we’re feeling,” Mwaura said.

Mwaura is not the only one with fun traditions

Math teacher Sarah Hertzog plans to have some fun this holiday season with her husband and their infant.

“We bought an elf on the shelf this year for my son,” Hertzog said. “Basically, it’s a toy elf that you put on the shelf. You can’t touch him, but he watches you every day. Each night, he leaves to go tell Santa how you have been acting. In the morning, he comes back in a new hiding spot that you must find.”

Not only does she want to have great traditions with her son, she also has traditions she has been doing her whole life.

“Every Christmas eve I go to church with my parents. We come back to their house, make homemade pizza, and watch A Christmas Story together. It’s always a great time,” Hertzog said.

No matter how they are celebrated, the winter holiday season is one of the happiest times of the year for people all across the globe. From Hanukkah to Christmas, turkey to horse radish, and elf spies to Santa, everyone has unique family traditions that are special to them.