Murray, NEB- This time of year people near and far come together to spend time with family and friends. They have unique traditions that show their cultures, whether it be setting a tree in your family room or lighting a candle each night.

Christmas is celebrated by people who believe that Jesus Christ was born. The anticipation of the day creates a festive atmosphere by houses getting decorated by lights and yards also getting covered by decorations. People go around caroling, exchanging cards, gifts, and most importantly spending time with family and friends. People spend time with family by walking in the neighborhood to look at the festive houses, you can make cookies or pies and then later eat them together. To make Christmas even more special, there is an Elf on the Shelf that goes to houses of children to see if they are misbehaving or not and they report back to Santa Claus. When Christmas arrives, the elves go back to the north pole with Santa Claus when he is delivering the presents.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that usually ends up in December and lasts eight nights and eight days. The start of Hanukkah is determined when it is the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar which lands on December 7 this year. On each night, the family gathers around the candles that are held in a menorah and while it is being lit music is played in the background while they dance and say prayers.

Both of these holidays bring people together with their unique traditions. Whether you are setting up a christmas tree or lighting the menorah, these are times for family and friends to share joy and create memories.