As the fall semester comes to a close, the holidays are right around the corner. Students share what December holiday they celebrate.
Aidan Ishaan Raman Bogan, a sophomore diplomacy major, said he celebrates Christmas Eve with his family.
He also said he usually goes to church to honor his grandmother.
“She’s much more religious …we see it as a kindness to her,” Bogan said.
His grandmother’s faith brings Bogan’s family together during the Christmas season, according to Bogan
Matthew Zaunczkowski, a sophomore political science major, said he celebrates Christmas by going to his grandma’s house on Christmas day and spending time with family members and cousins. He said they usually talk, eat, and play an occasional football game.
“Christmas is the time of giving, but when I say giving, I mean being selfless,” Zaunczkowski said. “You go into a room with a bunch of your family members, you connect with them, you unite with them. You enjoy their time and spirit—that’s what Christmas is all about. Not just the presents, but the people you’re around; your loved ones.”
Christmas is not the only December holiday students celebrate. Some celebrate Hanukkah.
Aaron Hedvat, a sophomore in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, is the event coordinator for the Hillel Jewish Club at Seton Hall. He said he celebrates Hanukkah with his family, which reminds him of the history of his culture.
“It is supposed to remind us about the war that was fought in Jerusalem during the post-Alexander the Great Greco army called the Seleucid Empire,” Hedvat said.
He added that the Seleucid army was a Greek army in Syria and Babylon that invaded Israel and took over the second temple.
“They destroyed the temple and forbade the Israelites from believing in Judaism and forced them to practice Greek paganism,” Hedvat said. “A small group known as the Maccabees…decided to rally a lot of Jews to create an army and fight against the Greek Seleucid army.”
Isabella Laor, a sophomore history major and president of the Hillel Club, said part of Hanukkah is about the food.
“[Hanukkah is] eating fried foods and lighting candles since it [is] the Festival of Our Light,” Laor said.
During Hanukkah, Laor said her family eats sufganiyot, which are yeast-based donuts that have fillings. She said she prefers Nutella with them, but they traditionally come in jelly or lemon curd, topped with sugar.
At home, Laor said she has a big family dinner every fifth night, in which they have brisket or big pot roast with latkes on the side.
“[Hanukkah] is all about being together,” Laor said, adding that the feast is a celebration of a big moment in history where Jewish culture was preserved and survived.
Thomas Canela is a writer for The Setonian’s Campus Life section. He can be reached at thomas.canela@student.shu.edu.
