“I celebrate Christmas, but not in a religious way, and we don’t get together with any family because we don’t have any in America. It kind of in a way assimilates us, not to Americanize us necessarily, but to help us fit in. I guess the Buddhist holiday similar to Christmas is the Lunar Moon Festival. It’s in mid-Autumn. I haven’t celebrated it in a while, but I remember we would have lanterns and little pastries that had egg inside and were shaped like pretty flowers. We would go to our church–which is a temple–and we would celebrate it there. It was a way for me to relate; the Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday during Christmas while I’m here celebrating my religion–Buddhism–who I am, and how I’m unique.” – sophomore Mai Nguyen