For international students, a family Christmas is not a given, discovers Varvara Bashkirova.

What does Christmas mean for a British student? Usually it’s presents, a turkey, a Christmas tree, and, of course, the key ingredient of any Christmas celebration: family. You might not have particularly warm feelings towards your extremist cousin or pious aunt, but during the festive season their status as family members is what matters most.

With the company of family, traditional meals, and familiar ceremonies year in and year out, Christmas establishes itself as an unchangeable pattern of actions, and it becomes almost impossible to imagine having it in any other way.

However, many international students at the university stay in Edinburgh over Christmas, meaning that they don’t get to see their family and celebrate with them. Christmas in another country can be very different, especially where Christianity is not the main religion.

In Pakistan, for example, it is called the Big Day, and non-Christians celebrate it as a birthday of the founder of the country, Jinnah. In Nigeria, Christmas is celebrated with numerous festivals and masquerades; people wear masks, dance and sing traditional songs. In Russia and other Slavic countries, Christmas is a purely religious holiday and is not universally celebrated. Its date is also different: January 7.

Although these traditions seem quite different, they all still emphasise the importance of being with family – if not on December 25 specifically, then on some other day instead. In Russia, for instance, New Year’s Eve is a big family celebration. Overall, it seems that Christmas the world over is a time for people to go back to their homes and to spend time with their families. So why then are there so many students who decide not to go home for Christmas?

For many, it is a purely practical issue. Going home is expensive, especially if it is somewhere really far away: China, Japan or Mexico. “It simply is not worth it going all the way home and paying around £1500 just for 2 weeks at home. We do celebrate Christmas in Hong-Kong, but I will just celebrate here with friends instead,” said Steph Wong, a 2nd year English Literature student from Hong-Kong.

Another reason might be work. The Christmas season opens up many opportunities for students to earn some extra cash to spend on that mulled wine. Employers often give only a few days off work over Christmas, which makes going home simply not worth the money. This affects not only international students but those from the UK as well. Isabelle, a 2nd year Classics student, explained that “initially I wanted to go back to London for Christmas, but my employer only gives me one week off work, so I decided to stay here. It will be my first Christmas away from home.”

It is not always as sad as it appears to be, though. For many, it is an opportunity to travel around. Issei, a student from Japan, is going to Sweden with a few friends for the whole of the Christmas holidays. “Normally I would not get an opportunity to travel around Europe: I live far away, and while I am here I am constantly busy with studying,” he said. Lulu, a second year Economics student from Beijing, is going to London and Paris with her friends: “I am very excited about it. Christmas is not that big a deal at home anyway, so I don’t feel like I am missing out.”

Many students, unable to go home themselves, are having their family come over to Edinburgh instead. “It will be great to be together for Christmas, and at the same time show them Edinburgh as well – and I won’t have to pay for it,” said Helena from Estonia.

Being far from home is tough at any time, and especially during a time so traditionally family-oriented. If you find yourself far from home during the festive season, it’s a good idea to look at it as a unique opportunity to experience Christmas in a different culture. I am not going home for Christmas myself, and am excited about taking part in the Hogmanay celebrations. Anyone interested in joining in?