Every year, families come together to celebrate the holidays and enjoy a meal together. Not everyone enjoys the same meal, however; some families are looking to broaden their horizons during the holiday season.

For some, pizza can be a quick solution for last-minute dinner cancellations or a quick bite with friends, but for freshman Lily Wallace and her family, they call it their Christmas dinner.

“It was a tradition when my parents were younger [because] we’re Italian,” Wallace said.

Cookies made by her dad are her personal favorite.

“The entire family looks forward to my dad’s Christmas cookies,” she said “After they’re all done we get frosting and sprinkles and decorate the cookies as a family.”

For senior Brandon Amann, Christmas seems like a long time ago considering he forgot what he ate at last year’s dinner.

“Sometimes [we eat] turkey and mashed potatoes,” Amann said. “It sounds like Thanksgiving but it’s not.”

Christmas at junior Anika Arif’s house consists of several of her mom’s desserts.

“On Christmas Day, you can smell my mom’s peach cobbler everywhere around the house,” Arif said.

Arif’s mom is famous in the family for her peach cobbler, and every year people are triple checking to make sure it will be at the Christmas dinner.

“My mom won’t tell anyone the recipe she uses. It is her secret and what sucks is that she only makes it on Christmas; it makes the holidays even more special for us,” Arif said.

Senior Rebecca Prater knows about being in a big Italian family during the holiday season. A Christmas dinner at the Prater household consists of lasagna and pasta along with sweets.

“Sometimes we make cookies and gingerbread houses,” Prater said. “Then we open our presents and it’s really fun.”

Korean food is appreciated at freshman Tatum Pafford’s house.

“We usually eat Korean dishes,” said Pafford. “There’s meat and rice and greens and all that.”
Her family enjoys its food, but the number one priority for them during winter is making sure the Christmas tree doesn’t take a tumble.

“Our Christmas tree falls every year,” Pafford said, laughing.