Mercerians share special holiday traditions
Image: Marianna Bacallao
Monica Lesley Stephenson decorates for Christmas.
December 16, 2016
With the holidays coming up, more and more people are getting excited about going home and celebrating with their families. Going home also means participating in family traditions.
During Christmas, most people decorating a tree together and open presents on Christmas Eve. Some Mercer University students chose to share some of their more unique traditions they celebrate during the season, and different holidays they observe.
“My grandma and I like to adopt a family for Christmas. It’s basically where you go through a program that gives you a family that is in need during Christmas,” Freshman Johna Wright said.
Some families choose this season to give back and help others celebrate. Wright explained that her family provides for their “adopted family” throughout the holiday season.
“They have a list of things that they might need for the house or the kids, and you can go out and buy the gifts for them. Then you meet the family when you give them the gifts,” Wright said.
Christmas isn’t the only holiday celebrated during the time that we have off from school.
Another religious holiday celebrated by Mercer students is Hanukkah. Different families can have different traditions that they do during Hanukkah, just as families have different traditions for Christmas.
“On the first few days, we give presents to each other. Then, on the first or second day, we have latkes and have friends over. Then on the last few days we give the rest of our presents,” Junior Alexa Levine said.
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Hindu religious holiday celebrated by many students at Mercer University during the season. During this holiday, people decorate, pray, and light candles to celebrate their holy figures.
“The way that you guys celebrate Christmas is how we celebrate Diwali. We pray to God every day that we celebrate it, and we also light small candles,” Sophomore Nisha Patel said.
There are so many traditions that have been passed from generation to generation that are celebrated in families. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali or any other holiday, make sure to enjoy the time you get to spend with your family.
Marianna Bacallao is a senior Journalism and English double-major. She recently completed an internship with Georgia Public Broadcasting, where her work...
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