The News Journal reached out to the three exchange students attending Wilmington High School through the EF Educational Foundation for Foreign Study’s Exchange Year program to learn about their holiday traditions and share their holiday experiences in America.

Mathia Supanz, 17, Ferlach, Austria

Tell us about some of the holiday traditions where you’re from. Is there one in particular that’s a favorite? Favorite food/dish/treat? Favorite story?

In my hometown, there are some differences in how we celebrate Christmas compared to Wilmington. At Christmas time there are plenty of Christmas markets in Austria and although it is a smaller town than Wilmington there are frequently going people in the market to try some candy or typical traditional Christmas food like the popular “Hungarian Baumkuchen”, which is literally in every market you are going to.

Additionally, every year there is a specific custom in the Alps which is very famous in European countries. This is called “Krampuslauf”. As a short explanation, those creatures used to run in a town looking for bad children to hit them with a stick. Nowadays, they just have their own zones in the middle of a city or a town where everybody can watch them running and screaming. They are becoming celebrated because of their scary masks.

What’s been your favorite holiday experience in America that’s different from your own country’s? What’s an experience that you’ve found very peculiar or at least didn’t anticipate?

A few days ago I went to the house of my host family’s friend where a small Christmas party took place. We ate some deserts and drank hot chocolate and we were surrounded by a beautiful Christmas decoration and a smell consisting of cinnamon and sugar. This gave me Christmas vibes.

Do you have a holiday message for the readers or anything else you’d like to share?

Finally, I wish the readers a nice Christmas holidays and a happy new year.

Maria Emmenegger, 16, Suree, Switzerland

Tell us about some of the holiday traditions where you’re from. Is there one in particular that’s a favorite? Favorite food/dish/treat? Favorite story?

One of my favorite “traditions” from my home country is that most people have real trees and put real candles on them and light them.

What’s been your favorite holiday experience in America that’s different from your own country’s? What’s an experience that you’ve found very peculiar or at least didn’t anticipate?

The thing that I least expected and that I really like is how over-the-top some of the house decorations are. There are Christmas lights everywhere, also the inflatables were very surprising. I love to see all the different houses, how people decorate them, and how they all are different from each other.

Do you have a holiday message for the readers or anything else you’d like to share?

I would just like to tell everyone to remember to enjoy the holidays and to be grateful.

Elena Gatti, 17, Bergamo, Italy

Tell us about some of the holiday traditions where you’re from. Is there one in particular that’s a favorite? Favorite food/dish/treat? Favorite story?

In Italy, we have a lot of holiday traditions, especially during this period of the year. For example, La Befana is a Christmas tradition that takes place on the night of January 5th. It is similar to the concept of Epiphany in other cultures. The character of La Befana is an old lady who is said to fly on a broomstick and bring gifts to children on the night before Epiphany.

One of my favorite dishes to eat in this period of the year is “polenta e coniglio” (polenta and rabbit) signifies a dish where rabbit is prepared alongside or served over polenta. The rabbit may be cooked with a flavorful sauce and then presented on a bed of soft or sliced, grilled polenta.

What’s been your favorite holiday experience in America that’s different from your own country’s? What’s an experience that you’ve found very peculiar or at least didn’t anticipate?

So far one of the American holidays I’ve appreciated more is Thanksgiving, because unfortunately in Italy we don’t have a holiday focused on being grateful for what you have.

Do you have a holiday message for the readers or anything else you’d like to share?

It’s not really a holiday message but if you have the possibility to travel and discover the world, do it. there are so many places in the world that need to be seen one time in your life and travel also help your personal growth

Reach John Hamilton at 937-382-2574