The holiday season is in full swing, with Halloween having just passed, and Thanksgiving and Christmas being just around the corner. Many will celebrate these typical American holidays, but some may take their own cultural and or religious spin on these festivities or celebrate different holidays entirely. 

  Jacob Motak, a freshman with Polish heritage, describes his family’s Christmas, “My dad’s side does (celebrate the typical American holiday traditions), but my Mom’s side (is) more traditional…we usually go for Polish Christmas, we really just don’t have any meat at all.” He added, “We have nine courses for Christmas, usually we’re filled up by the time we’re heading home.”

  Animesh Bijawat, a junior who is Hindu, stated, “My family doesn’t celebrate typical American family traditions.” 

  Food is a major part of many holidays, Motak says that for his Christmas his family has “Traditional Polish foods, (and) Kompot, which is a plum juice that you boil, it’s like hot chocolate but plum.”

  Bijawat also enjoys different food than the norm, “My family eats traditional indian food such as Aloo Mattar (potatoes and peas), roti, and sweets such as laddoo,” said Bijawat.

  Diwali, the festival of lights, is a holiday that Bijawat celebrates, which occurred on October 24th this year, “We celebrate Diwali as it is the Hindu new year and it signifies the victory of light over darkness,”  stated Bijawat. 

  The United States is a diverse country, with people of all religions and cultures, Motak explains exactly why his family and likely so many others celebrate these traditions, “My mom really wants to keep Polish traditions alive.”