Students learn foreign traditions

About 20 students attended “Christmas Around the World” Thursday at The Hub, to learn how foreign countries celebrate Christmas.
Fried chicken was a feature because Japan serves fried chicken as a Christmas tradition.
Students also crafted Christmas cards without red. Japan eliminated the red from the cards, because it was used for funerals.
Carly Slaght, 20, junior of Scottsbluff, said the chicken was good but thought it was weird Japan does not use red in Christmas cards, because the color comes to her mind when she thinks of Christmas.
There was also spider and cobweb crafts, because it brought good luck in Ukrainian tradition. Abby Hill, 19, sophomore of Taylor, said that it was different.
Another table decorated cookies, because there was a story where a South African grandmother killed her child in a fit of rage for eating all the Christmas cookies.
Adalida Dickmander, 20, junior of Bruel, was at the cookie-decorating table and said she thought the South Africa story was interesting.
“It’s fun,” Dickmander said. “I used to do it all the time. It’s kind of a Christmas tradition we did all the time as a kid.”
Spain has a Christmas tradition where they stuff the presents in hollow logs and put a face on them. Afterwards, children will sit on the log, sing a song and hit the log to get the presents inside.
“I think it’s fun,” Slaght said. “I like learning about the other countries.”
Garrett Brunson, 20, senior of Gillette, Wyoming, said he thought the event was fun and enjoyed the cookies and the Charlie Brown Christmas on the television.