Christmas is a time for families to get together and show how much they care for one another through family dinners and the passing out of gifts.

Many people have different Christmas traditions, eat different foods, and receive different gifts.

In this story, five students share their Christmas favorites.

Matthew Hintz, senior

Favorite Christmas Traditions

“Besides meeting around the tree, we hand out the gifts one-on-one,” Hintz said. “I take the presents I bought and hand them out one by one, telling that family member why I got that present.”

I thought it was sweet how Hintz’ family takes the time to explain to each other the reasons why they got their presents.

“We start off with piles of the presents we bought instead of them all being under the tree and passed out,” Hintz said. “Our Christmas takes two to three hours.”

Favorite Christmas Foods

Hintz’ favorite Christmas food is ham.

“Ham is pretty good,” Hintz said. “We still have it for like a week after Christmas.”

Hintz’ family makes a glazed ham with apple seasoning, a thing Hintz’ said has always been his favorite.

Favorite Christmas Presents

“I like getting clothes,” Hintz said. “I like graphic tees.”

Hintz said he likes getting graphic T-shirts that have meanings to them.

“I have a really close family. We’re really personal people. We know each other. For Christmas, I like getting clothes and stuff that I wouldn’t normally buy for myself.”

Nannette “Sparkles” Longest, junior

Favorite Christmas Traditions

“My family always opens a present on Christmas Eve,” Longest said. “My mom also would make this really awesome ham and pineapple combination that’s really, really good.”

Favorite Christmas Foods

Like Hintz, Longest enjoys a good ham during Christmas dinner.

“I love ham,” Longest said. “It’s like an angel coming down and blessing your taste buds.”

Longest said her mom, before she moved, would coat a dish with pineapples, then add a ham to it, and put more pineapples and cinnamon on the top of that.

Favorite Christmas Presents

“I’ve always liked getting gift cards and electronics for Christmas,” Longest said.

Her favorite present she has ever received is her scooter.

“A couple of years ago, I got this really cool Razor scooter,” Longest said. “It has to be my favorite present I’ve ever gotten.”

Ethan Goss, freshman

Favorite Christmas Traditions

“We have a big family dinner on Christmas Eve,” Goss said. “We eat, mess around, and open presents from other family members.”

Favorite Christmas Foods

Goss has the traditional family dinner on Christmas Eve, but his food choice is a little different.

“We eat prime rib and lobster,” Goss said. “My favorite of the two would be prime rib.”

Goss also said his favorite dessert to eat on Christmas eve is his grandma’s peanut butter cheesecake.

Favorite Christmas Presents

Goss said his favorite present “of all time” was the dirt bike he got three years ago.

Jake Reid, sophomore

Favorite Christmas Traditions

“I have a family dinner every Christmas,” Reid said. “We eat and watch TV together.”

Reid said he likes getting to spend quality time with his family.

Favorite Christmas Foods

“I really like cookies,” Reid said. “My mom, grandma, and aunt make them, and they’re really good.”

Reid enjoys the traditional Christmas dinner foods as well.

Favorite Christmas Presents

Like Goss, Reid’s favorite present he has ever gotten is his dirt bike, which he got two years ago.

Reid said he also really likes getting money for Christmas.

Aaliyah Jefferson, senior

Favorite Christmas Traditions

Jefferson had a lot to say about her favorite Christmas traditions.

“I have one family tradition we always do,” Jefferson said. “We always open a present on Christmas Eve, which is always pj’s to sleep in that night.”

Jefferson’s family also has a big family sleepover on Christmas Eve, where they spend time together and watch “A Christmas Story.”

Favorite Christmas Foods

Jefferson’s favorite Christmas food is something many people might not have at their tables.

“I love tamales,” Jefferson said. “With tamales, if you didn’t get a Christmas gift, you’ll still have something to unwrap.”

Favorite Christmas Presents

“My favorite present to get is gift cards,” Jefferson said. “I love gift cards because it’s like money for a certain place. Without having the gift card, I’d kind of waste the money.”