Christmas Traditions Highlight Family Ties Worldwide
Four international students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale share how Christmas centers on family gatherings and shared meals across Israel Finland Germany and Colombia. They describe home visits candles at gravesites Santa traditions St Nicholas Day and regional dishes from tamales to ham and goose while noting local customs and festive lunches in Jerusalem.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Barbara Gates
Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Israel
Violet Fasheh
Clara Villamizar
Colombia
America
Finland
Erja Puturunen
Erin
Anne-Kathrine Wielgosz
Germany
Clara
Anne-Kathrine
Santa Claus
Papa Noel
Violet
Erja
Joulupukki
Eria
Boy Scouts
Turkey
Jerusalem
Honduran Christmas Traditions Seen Through SIUC Student
Mauricio Rodezno, a Honduran international student at SIUC, has spent the past two Christmases away from home but plans to return to San Marcos this year. He describes Honduran customs including caroling, a Christmas Eve Mass, family dinners with turkey and stuffing, and baked pork with various spices, noting fewer traditional songs than in the United States.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mike Scaletta
Southern Illinoisan
Mauricio Rodezno
SIUC
Mao
Honduras
San Marcos
United
States
The Christmas puzzle of motherhood and guilt
Erma Bombeck reflects on Christmas memories and the guilt of raising four children with no instruction manual. One son will miss this Christmas after years of rivalry to place the first ornament, as she questions if doing the right things ever eases the ache of separation and family strain.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Erma Bombeck
Mothers in law inspire praise from grateful wives
A reader survey of letters from women across the country celebrates positive bonds with mothers-in-law. Exemplary notes from Elm Mott Texas Long Island New Jersey Boise Buffalo Vancouver Hot Springs Canton Dallas and more praise kindness support and generous guidance from mothers-in-law, with reflections on how these relationships shape families.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Peggy
Dallas
Ann Landers Readers Share Love for Mothers-in-Law
A trio of letters from Ruthie in Ohio and a Raleigh reader praise their mothers-in-law. One mother-in-law vows to move in if a marriage ends, another offers humorous gravy tips, and a source voice calls her “an angel” in a lighthearted tribute to in-law bonds.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Anne
Raleigh, N.C
Ruthie
Middletown
Ohio
Scrap drives steel production since late 1930s
Large scale reprocessing of junked cars for their steel traces back to the late 1930s. Scrap now accounts for about one third of new steel production, highlighting long term recycling in the industry.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Universal
Norfolk Island
James C
Uofl Extension Service
Wit’s End
Seveal
Elm Mott
Tex
Long Island
Buffalo
Janice K
Vancouver
Hot Springs
Ark
Betty
Canton
Ann Landers
Poinsettias
N.22nd
LogAn Murphysboro
Ethan Allen Holiday Sale
Ethan Allen
Chapman
Rollo
Ethan Allen Gallery
Murphysboro
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!