Caitlin McLain, junior

By Michelle Klanke

Junior Caitlin McLain celebrates a Nigerian and traditional American Christmas. 

McLain’s family prepares by cleaning the house because her mom always says they “can’t celebrate Jesus’s birthday in a dirty house.” 

For her little siblings, McLain hides the Elf on the Shelf from Thanksgiving to Christmas to keep the season magical.

For food, the McLain family has Chinese food on Christmas Eve. On Christmas, her grandmother makes a chocolate pie.

Nigerian Christmases are very centered around religion. On Christmas, her father always reads the Bible, including the part in Luke where it talks about Jesus’ birth. In the evening, her family does karaoke with Christmas songs like “Oh Holy Night.”

To decide who can open the first presents, they hide a pickle ornament. The first to find it, opens the first present. 

“In Nigeria, where my grandparents grew up, it wasn’t as present-focused,” McLain said. “It’s more about your family, God, Jesus and all that.”