Living in a new country is really exciting and enriching, especially on the cultural and traditional side. Yesterday I discovered several Christmas traditions from diverse American countries.

Lizzie (with whom I spend the Best First Thanksgiving Ever) held a party at her place for all the students in our program. All dressed with ugly sweaters or whatever was close to ugly sweaters, we started backing gingerbread cookies and decorating them as real chefs!

Then Milena introduced a Columbian tradition called “Hide Baby Jesus” as the name of the game let you assume, she hid a figurine of Baby Jesus in the Living room with a little gift and we all had to find it. It is supposed to be a game for kids but I was happy to discover it and we had so much fun looking under every piece of furniture!

Following the game we started the present exchange, not with a Secret Santa as I am used to do in France but with a Yankee Swap! This is totally crazy, stole gift from each other was very fun I got a nice car-shaped hand-made frame with the pictures of my 4 teachers. I am not sure I with put it in my bedside table but it’s really fun.