Christmas means different things to different people and is celebrated in various ways around the world — from church services and carols to family gatherings and dinner parties to gift-openings and fireworks. For three international students attending Freeman Academy, James Xian, 17; Kate-Lyn Tivert, 16 and Sheron Ke, 18, this holiday season will be spent far from their homes in China and Rwanda and, instead, with host families in Freeman. But they will think back fondly on their own traditions in their native lands, with their friends and family back home. Read their stories starting on page 3 This Christmas greeting section is included with the Dec. 21 edition of the Freeman Courier and made possible thanks to the generous support of the businesses represented on these pages. We invite you to look through the pages and enjoy the messages and well-wishes from our friends. Merry Christmas! December 21, 2017 | Page 2 Merry Christmas! December 21, 2017 | Page 3 Christmas across the sea The international community at Freeman Academy includes nine students, most of whom live in China. Among them are James Xian and Sheron Ke from Shenzhen, as well as Kate-Lyn Tivert, who lives in Rwanda but also has connections in France. James, Sheron and Kate-Lyn sat down with the Courier for this special section, helping give these pages a robust and fascinating international flare. are younger, some are made using Story & Cover Photo by milk from cows, others from milk from goats. The cheeses come in The Republic of Jeremy Waltner | Publisher a variety of colors, too, and — oh Rwanda is located When Freeman Academy junior yeah — there are a large variety in the central and Kate-Lyn Tivert thinks about of breads that are passed around, eastern portions of Christmas, it’s not the lights or the too, “because this cheese goes decorations, the songs or the gifts with that bread and this cheese Africa and is one that she enjoys the most. For her, goes with that bread,” Kate-Lyn of the smallest it’s the food served on Christmas explains. countries on Day — and there’s plenty of it to Yogurt follows, and then comes the continent’s go around. dessert — a cake topped with mainland. It That’s the tradition she grew up cream cheese and chocolate. covers about with. Kate-Lyn says because the cake “We eat a lot,” says Kate-Lyn, is so difficult to make, it’s usually 10,000 square who lives in her mom’s home reserved for Christmas meal, and miles and has a country of Rwanda, but also is a real treat. population of more travels for the holidays to her “It’s really good,” she says. than 11 million, dad’s home country of France. Oh, and there’s ice cream, too. according to the Kate-Lyn says the family meal Kate-Lyn’s family Christmas 2015 estimate. on her dad’s side of the family is dinner in Rwanda is similar to a particularly refined and orderly the one she enjoys in France, Official languages process. except that, there, soup is typically are Kinyarwanda, “Before the meal everybody reserved for evenings and the English, French will sit at the table, and we’ll talk, main course features even more and Swahili. and we’ll have some chips so you food. SOURCE: don’t get too hungry,” she says. “In Africa, when they say fill WIKIPEDIA The salad and soup course your plate, it’s seriously filling follows, which leads into the your plate,” she says. “You have a main course — dishes full of food mountain of food, and they don’t passed from person to person. care what it is. They’re going to “That’s a lot of different stuff mix it all together. That’s fine. — a lot of meats and a lot of It all goes to the same place, potatoes in different ways,” Kate- anyway.” Lyn says. “So you can choose from all of that.” Shenzhen, China Next comes the cheese which, based on Kate-Lyn’s account, The feast that Kate-Lyn enjoys appears to be the Main Event of with her family while in France the day. and Rwanda for Christmas is both “Cheese takes a long time,” similar and different to the one she says. “There’s a lot of it, and enjoyed by Sheron Ke, 18, and everybody’s like, ‘You should try James Xian, 17, in their home city that one, because it’s better.’” of Shenzhen, China. So how many different cheeses Ke and Xian are also students are we talking about? at Freeman Academy and, like “More than 50,” she says. “For Kate-Lyn, will be spending this Christmas? Yeah. Because my Christmas and New Year’s here family comes from different parts with host families and far from of France, they all bring, like, five their own family and friends back different cheeses. And they all home. come together at my grandparents’ The foods they enjoy are house.” Some cheeses are older, some SEE THE NEXT PAGE: FOODS The People’s Republic of China (PRC), is located in East Asia and has a population of around 1.4 billion; it is the most populated country in the world. Its land covers about 3.7 million square miles. It has the world’s second-largest economy by Gross National Product as of 2016. SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA Merry Christmas! December 21, 2017 | Page 4 FOODS: CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE From All of Us similar in that there is plenty to go either. To All of You around, and eating is a hallmark “We celebrate the New Year for, event of the season. But their meal like, half the month,” says Sheron. Our very best wishes for a is different since it is hosted in “So we eat that kind of stuff every HAPPY bright and beautiful season. conjunction with the Chinese New day.” Thanks for the gift Year, which in their country is HOLIDAYS of your friendship! celebrated with more enthusiasm Other customs from Et Cetera Shoppe than is Christmas. And, whereas Food, of course, is a big part Albrecht Insurance Agency AND Kate-Lyn’s dinner table in France of the holiday celebrations here KEVIN ALBRECHT Global Gifts is a more formal setting, and the in the United States, too. On serving of food a more deliberate many dinner tables, and in many 605-925-4659 affair, James and Sheron say their dining rooms, ham is to Christmas dinner tables are piled high and what turkey is to Thanksgiving. wide with food, and Cheeseballs with the guests have at it. crackers, various For Christmas dips and candies it’s just chicken — Quotable are often rolled or McDonalds,” “For Christmas it’s out, and friends James says. “For just chicken — or and families take New Year’s, we eat McDonalds.” their time around almost everything. tables enjoying the Every category, we fellowship that goes pick some.” along with the food. There’s fish, In that regard, dumplings, chicken, Christmas in beef, lamb, noodles Freeman and other and seafood, they rural American say. communities like “They make it is no different everything and try from the holiday to fill the table.” celebrations in James continues. China and France. “No matter how big the table But all three international is,” Sheron adds. students acknowledge that the And, because the scope of the United States places far more party is so large, it’s not always emphasis on Christmas than they just one table that’s filled; it’s do back home. several. That’s particularly true in “It’s your friends, your friends’ China, where the New Year’s friends, your grandma, your holiday takes the cake. grandpa,” says James. “Basically, “It is weird if you don’t from theyou canstaff fill andfour, five,students six tables. at celebrate Chinese New Year,” You can eat everything you want says James. “Other people will Dale Strasser — stay there for the whole day. be like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to meet FreemanIt’s not a big problem.”Academywith your parents. You’ve got to Diana Randall And it’s not just on one day, meet them to have a meal;’ that is from the staff and students at Ev Weier Freeman Academy Gina Fuhrmann Wishing you a letter-perfect holiday 20/17 With glad tidings from our entire staff this holiday season. We thank you for your kind patronage and look forward to seeing you again, soon! Sioux Falls Bake’s Family Vision Dr. Jeff Sayler Merry Christmas! December 21, 2017 | Page 5 In China, red bags — or hongbaos — are frequently used to give Ray’s money on special occasions, including at Christmas. Cabinet the opportunity to meet with your That’s true in China, too. In Valley Electric family.” fact, Sheron and James both say Shop Says Kate-Lyn: “In the U.S. that most people give children (Christmas) is really important, money, and do so packaged in but in France a lot of other things a red bag — a specially-made are going to happen throughout envelope — called hongbaos. the year. Christmas is important Sheron says it is also because they sell a lot of food, but customary to give apples as it’s not the most important thing of gifts on Christmas Eve. Apples, the year. In the U.S., everybody is he explained, represent peace so hyped up about it.” because the Chinese word for Kate-Lyn says in both Rwanda “apple” — pingguo — sounds and France, Christmas trees are similar the word peace.