Staff Writer

Although holiday customs may vary from country to country, the themes tend to be the same.

International exchange students at several local high schools said last week that although their Christmases may be slightly different this year, the focus on family, food, traditions and togetherness remains the same.

Here is a sampling of what the holidays back home are like for six students from around the world.

"We have it in the bathtub, and it's still alive," Holejsovsky said. "On the 24th, my dad kills it and my mom cooks it."

On that night, Holejsovsky and his family — who live in Nitra, a city of about 90,000 in the central-European country — eat a traditional dinner of fish and potato salad.

"The most important day for us is Dec. 24," he said. "We have our Christmas dinner on that day."

On Christmas Day, Holejsovsky and his family go to an aunt's house.

"We have a Christmas lunch," he said. "After that, we open presents."

"I think it is beautiful," said Flores, who came to Unatego High School from Carabobo. "The snow is really, really pretty, but the cold — no."

In Venezuela, snow only hits the top of the mountains, Flores said.

But Christmas in her country — even without snow — is a huge celebration of the birth of Jesus.

"Everybody loves Christmas in my country," Flores said. "It's a big party."

Although families decorate Christmas trees, the focal point of the house becomes the Nativity scene, Flores said.

"When somebody comes to your house, that's what they want to see," she said.

The festivities begin on Christmas Eve, when Flores and her family eat a large dinner of turkey, hallacas — ground meat mixed with raisins, surrounded by a corn dough and served in a palm leaf — and a drink called bonche, juice mixed with a little bit of alcohol.

"At 12 (midnight), everybody hugs and kisses and says Merry Christmas," Flores said.

Her family also goes to church to celebrate Jesus' birthday, and while the family sleeps, Santa Claus visits, Flores said.

Christmas season extends to New Year's Day, when Venezuelans traditionally celebrate their version of Thanksgiving, Flores said.

Hungarians celebrate "Santa Claus Day," on Dec. 6, said Szekely, who is spending this year at Cooperstown High School.

"The little kids have to clean up their shoes and put them by the windows," she said. "In the morning, they are filled with little candies and gifts and chocolates."

On Christmas Eve, Szekely's parents put up and decorate the tree.

"We decorate the tree in the late afternoon," she said. "The parents decorate the tree so the kids are surprised."

Trees are adorned with lights, glittery ornaments and candies wrapped in colorful foils.

On Christmas, The Szekelys have a party in their home and receive gifts "from Jesus and the angels," she said

"I have a really big family," she said. "Everybody comes to our house and we celebrate."

The family feasts on fish, turkey and a special cake called "beigle," which includes poppyseeds, Szekely said.

On that day, her family gets a Christmas tree, but they save decorating it until the morning of Dec. 24.

"Then my mom makes this rice porridge," said Ilomaki, who attends Cooperstown High School. "That's our breakfast that we all eat together."

Later in the afternoon, the family eats a big dinner of ham and potatoes.

Contrary to American tradition, Santa Claus visits Finland while the children are awake.

"Usually around 6 o'clock, we start to wait for Santa," Ilomaki said. "He gives out presents and everybody opens them."

At midnight, Ilomaki's family goes to church.

For Finns, not much happens on Dec. 25, although some people go to church, Ilomaki said.

"We eat leftovers," she said. "It's not big."

"We celebrate that Jesus is born with a procession," Murilla said. "There is a Nativity with a real baby, and a real Mary and a real Joseph on Christmas Eve."

Just as in Venezuela, although a Costa Rican family has a Christmas tree — usually a Cyprus — the Nativity set is the main attraction.

"People want a real fancy Nativity set," Murilla said. "Usually every family gets a Nativity set and make together a place for the Nativity set."

The star of Murilla's family's Christmas cuisine is the tamale — a dish of fried, chopped pork; corn; peppers; and chickpeas wrapped in a corn tortilla.

"All Christmas season we eat tamales," Murilla said.

But for her, Christmas in Oneonta — with all its snow — doesn't really seem like the holiday season.

"I like this weather," she said. "But in Costa Rica, we have summer weather for Christmas."

And the lack of snow has provided for a slight variation in decorations.

"We don't have this symbol," Murilla said, pointing to a picture of a snowflake on her sweater.

Eighteen-year-old Regis David, a student at Sidney High School, celebrates a Christmas very similar to the one most area residents are familiar with.

"We decorate a Christmas tree, like you," said David, who is from Brittany. "We have a dinner with my family, and we open presents from Santa Claus."

In France, David usually eats a simple dinner with his family on Christmas Eve, then enjoys a larger feast of turkey, oysters, beans and ice cream on Christmas Day.

David's family doesn't focus on the birth of Jesus, however.

"We have Jesus, but it's not big," he said. "No church. We don't have any religious aspects with us."

———

Carolyn Norton can be reached at cnorton@thedailystar.com or (607) 441-7218.