DeKALB | In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold said the most enduring traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of “kith and kin.”

NIU students might have never greased up a sled with industrial strength kitchen lubricant or chopped down a 25-foot evergreen, but they have some unique family traditions that rival the Griswold’s.

“My family goes paintballing every year for my auntie’s birthday,” said freshman psychology major Alexandra Davis. “We’ve been doing it for probably 20 years.”

Davis said that her aunt is one of 19 children, and now that her generation is old enough, she and her cousins participate.

Many family traditions are linked to the holidays, with special attention being paid to the food being served.

“We eat crab legs every New Year’s Day, no matter what,” said freshman finance major Andy Banach. “I have no idea why, but it’s always seafood.”

Freshman nursing major Samantha Garbacz said her family also adheres to a strict menu on January 1st.

“We have eaten lobster and steak on New Year’s Day for at least the last 18 years,” she said.

Garbacz’s family also has a culinary tradition for Thanksgiving.

“We eat tamales on Thanksgiving, which is unusual because most Hispanic families eat them on Christmas.”

Alexis Demopoulos, freshman physical education major, said her family eats lamb each Easter.

Demopoulos’ family also has a tradition rooted in the unknown.

“Every summer, all the women in the family get their fortune told based on the stains left in a coffee cup,” she said.

Freshman psychology major Leanna Rosinski’s family has a tradition that can be described as opportunistic.

“Whenever my uncle passes out drunk, my family puts a jar under his mouth and we bet on how much he drools,” she said. “There’s no rhyme or reason to it, we just did it once and now it’s a silly tradition.”