Although it can be easy to find differences between the various cultures, especially with the many holidays celebrated around this time of year, there are many similarities worth noticing.
Junior Megan Hickinbotham and her family converted to Judaism and started celebrating Hanukkah a few years ago.
“Because I used to do Christmas, now I have to miss out on all the things I used to enjoy,” Hickinbotham said. “But in ways it’s still like Christmas. The family gets together and enjoys the holiday.”
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday typically occurring in December, celebrating the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of a small amount of oil lasting eight nights needed to light the Menorah.
“At my old school, we would have a Hanukkah festival,” junior Juliette Miller said. “We got to spend time with all the kids and they’d have a reenactment of the Hanukkah narrative.”
For many, the holidays are full of traditions. While some of these are rooted in older customs others are less orthodox.
“My family has this tradition of having a Christmas ornament of a pickle on the tree and whoever finds it first gets a prize [like one of those candy canes filled with chocolate],” junior Amanda Wollin said.
Diwali, or Deepavali, is a Hindu festival celebrated in autumn in the northern hemisphere. This year it took place in November.
“Diwali is the festival of lights,” junior Ahila Arulmani said. “It’s about making yourself happy and bright.”
Every year, downtown San Antonio is lit up for the festival as people release lanterns. Additionally, many families make traditional foods and go to temple. Some throw parties, decorate their houses and set fireworks in celebration.
“In Houston, there was a lake near my house and I remember the whole Indian community would light lamps on the lake to celebrate,” Arulmani said.
Although Christmas, Hanukkah and Diwali are some holidays frequently thought of in the later months of the year, sometimes Ramadan also occurs around this time. This was the case when Junior Abdelqader Iqab was in elementary school.
“We usually make good food,” Iqab said. “We put lights all over the house, not for Christmas, but for Ramadan for rejoice and celebration.”
Despite cultural differences, this is a time of light and celebration for many students.