December is here and the holidays are just around the corner. Students and staff will be spending this winter celebrating and practicing various traditions during the month.

On the days of Dec. 14 to Dec. 22, the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah, is celebrated by senior Josie Michna.

“We definitely don’t have a ‘traditional’ Hanukkah because we only spend one or two nights with our family or with friends,” Michna said.

Hanukkah has eight nights of celebration. On each night, Michna and her mom will light candles on their menorah for every night.

“We barely practice Judaism during the year, but Hanukkah is a time to honor our roots and spend time with loved ones,” Michna said.

Coming from Venezuela, sophomore Fabien Martinez listens to traditional music during the holidays called Gaitas, and instead of decorating a Christmas tree, he and his family decorate a pesebre.

“We put El Niño Jesús in where he was born and then we spend the 25th cooking hallacus, pan de jamón, and sometimes cakes,” Martinez said.

Originating from Mexico and other Latin countries, senior Princess Mondragon and her family practice a tradition called posada. This tradition is a series of celebrations from Dec. 16 to Dec. 25.

“It’s supposed to reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. It includes fun things like a short story, songs, foods, and breaking a piñata,” Mondragon said.

It’s a time for her family to come together and commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph.

“My favorite thing about the holidays is the food. My family likes to go all out on food,” Mondragon said.

On Dec. 25, junior Issac Eskew and Early College Coordinator Jessica Dunn both like spending Christmas time with their families.

“My favorite thing to do with my family during Christmas is going to the Trail of Lights or shopping for each other's gifts,” Eskew said.

For Dunn, her favorite thing to do with her family is to lounge around and watch movies.

“When my mom and brother followed me to Austin, we had our first Christmas dinner together. It just felt really special to me. After we ate, we all took a nap, woke up, and watched a movie,” Dunn said.

At Crockett, there’s a variety of different holidays and traditions that are celebrated by students and staff.