The Catalyst (TC): Where are you from and what holidays do you celebrate around this time of year when you are at home?

Kira Schindler (KS): I am from Germany, and we mainly celebrate Christmas.

TC: What kind of traditions and activities do you normally do to celebrate Christmas at home?

KS: In Germany, most families buy Christmas trees and decorate with each other. We go to church on Christmas Eve and cook and eat dinner together. Handing out presents is a fun tradition especially for kids. The presents lay underneath the decorated tree.

TC: What do you plan on doing for the holidays while you are here? How do you think it will be different here than in Germany?

KS: So in Germany, I would be going skiing with my family in the mountains, but here we are going to celebrate Christmas at home. I am also excited for Thanksgiving which we don’t celebrate in Germany. I am going to celebrate here with my host family and we will cook and decorate the house together and spend time together.

TC: Where are you from and what holidays do you celebrate at this time of year when you are home?

Claudia Aguirre (CA): I am from Spain. We celebrate Christmas and New Year, but we do not celebrate Thanksgiving.

TC: What kinds of traditions and celebrations do you do to celebrate with your family back home?

CA: On Christmas, I have dinner with my mother’s family, and on New Year, I have dinner with my father’s family.

TC: What do you plan on doing for the holidays while you are here?

CA: For Christmas, my host mother’s family is coming home and we are going to spend time with them. But for New Year, we are going to LA and Disneyland.

TC: How do you think your holiday plans will be different in America than in Spain?

CA: It will be different because I will not be with my family, but it will be really fun.