With the holidays sneaking up on us, The Apple Leaf staff decided to take a look at how some of our diverse students celebrate this joyful season in their home countries.

Brazil: Alexandre Espinola, 12
Since coming to America for an exchange, senior Alexandre Espinola has noticed only a few differences in how people celebrate the holidays. Brazilians still decorate trees and give presents on Christmas, but all trees are fake because of the lack of pines in Brazil. On the 24th, everyone gathers at a chosen friend’s house until midnight, which is when they open presents.

“On the 25th, we have a big family lunch and it’s lots of fun,” Espinola said. “The main difference here in America is the lights on the outside of the houses. We only decorate inside the house.”

Norway: Tonje Farstad, 12
Senior Tonje Farstad is used to participating in many traditions that sound strange to our American ears. According to Farstad, Norwegians mainly celebrate on Christmas Eve. At noon, they sit down with their families to eat porridge. In one of the bowls, an almond is hidden and whoever finds this almond gets a prize of marzipan (a confection made out of honey or sugar and almond meal) shaped like a pig (it is about the size of two clenched fists side by side.) Later, they eat a dinner of lamb or lutefisk (dried cod that is soaked in lye, then skinned, boned, and boiled to a gelatinous consistency.) Another tradition is that a neighbor will dress up as Santa and surprise the kids with a gift.

On New Year’s Eve, Farstad remembers dressing up in costumes as a kid (much like our Halloween) and going door to door singing Christmas carols in exchange for candy. In large cities at midnight, people are hired to do professional fireworks shows. In small towns, neighborhoods gather together and collect fireworks to watch together. “It’s much more extravagant in the city,” said Farstad. “When you’re with your neighbors, it feels like you can watch [the fireworks] go off forever.”

Russia: Lena Changalidi, 12
Though senior Lena Changalidi has lived in America for the past eight and a half years, she was born and raised in Russia. She recalls the cold holiday season in her hometown of Kostonay and how different the celebrations are from America. Changalidi will be going back to Russia for New Year’s for the first time in eight years and is looking forward to seeing family and old friends.

“I enjoy New Year’s more over there [in Russia],” she said. “It’s more widely celebrated. When I’m in America, I get homesick. I have to chose whether I want to spend time with family or friends, but over there it’s just family.”

New Year’s is a family-oriented day in Russia where people often have a big dinner together. According to her, Russians celebrate on New Year’s Day similarly to the way we celebrate Christmas. At exactly midnight, the president addresses the country in Red Square and wishes them a good year. After this, they open presents and celebrate, sometimes lighting fireworks. In her hometown, buildings are extravagantly decorated. There is also big slide made of ice and snow and decorated with the animal for the Chinese New Year that children can play on.

“I remember playing on it as a kid,” Changalidi said. “My sister got knocked down and got a concussion when she was 7. Besides that, we always had a good time.”

America: Allie Wright, 11
Junior Allie Wright once spent New Year’s in Anaheim, Calif., in Disneyland. She spent her night riding carnival rides and watching an abundance of fireworks. She said she wasn’t sure if people around her were kissing or not because it was so dark, but they probably were. There was a big countdown to the new year and people screamed and clapped when it hit zero.

She says that even though New Year’s isn’t “a huge deal” to her family, she still celebrates it every year.

“It’s more of a big deal concerning New Year’s resolutions,” she said. “You know how some people go crazy with Christmas lights and stuff? Well it’s not really like that for my family. It’s still something to celebrate, though. You lived another year and should reflect on your achievements.”