Each and every year, around Christmas, there is enough cheer to go around. All families across the country have their very own holiday traditions. Leaving home and visiting relatives or picking the perfect evergreen. At Cabot High School our students have all types of traditions.

“My favorite part of Christmas is the mistletoe,” senior Sabrina Tilley said. Among presents, carols, and food their is also love in the air. But the mistletoe didn’t always have the meaning of kissing beneath it. It was sometimes used for poisons or to ward off evil spirits, that’s why they started hanging them on their door frames. Of course there are also old Christmas traditions passed down generation by generation from family. “My great-great grandmothers made small ornament dolls that we hang on our tree,” senior Kaylea Handke said.

Besides Santa Claus, there are many other versions of Christmas. Kris Kringle is the German version of Santa Claus. For the month of December, many large cities have Kris Kringle markets set up. Within those markets there are various items for sale that are typically German. For instance senior, Annalise Winters, likes to drink the cocktail, hot chocolate. It’s a mixture of different candies, syrups and other fruits within the little cup of hot chocolate. There are also authentic bratwursts with sauerkraut and German style soft pretzels. Besides food there are also wood workings and handmade glass ornaments that are made right in front of your eyes. Many of the vendors at Kris Kringle markets are typically German or come from German descent. “Kris Kringle markets have the most Christmas spirit. Everyone is nice and treats each other like family, everyone is happy, and everyone is there for the same reason, to celebrate,” Winters said.

There is no doubt that there are many versions of Santa Claus, but they all share the same meaning: Family, love, and cheer.