Clark County is quite a diverse county. With two official cultural corridors — Little Ethiopia and Filipino town — and many unofficial ones, people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds call Clark County home.

A Holidays Around the World event earlier this month at the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas highlighted traditions from different cultures, including Irish, Thai, Chinese and Hispanic. Children put together arts and crafts, leaving with tangible holiday mementos, including menorahs for Hanukkah, unity cups for Kwanzaa and lion dance puppets for Lunar New Year.

Here’s a look into how a few attendees say they celebrate the season.

Chelsea Snead

Every Dec. 6, Chelsea Snead and her daughter Abigail celebrate St. Nicholas Day, a holiday meant to honor the historical figure who inspired Santa Claus. Traditions for the holiday include children leaving shoes out for small gifts and treats as a prelude to Christmas festivities. 

“I woke up with gold coins in my shoes!” Abigail said about the traditional holiday.

Chelsea also shared that every year she reads her kids a book called A Special Place for Santa, by Jeanne Pieper, that ties together the story of Jesus and the legend of Santa Claus and has become a favorite Christmas tradition for the family.

Jenny Nguyen

Jenny Nguyen and her children open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, then go to bed to build excitement for the kids to play with their new toys the next day.

“I love the holidays because it really gives us a chance to slow down and focus on family, which is something I feel we don’t always get to do with the hustle and bustle of life,” Nguyen said.

Her family also celebrates Lunar New Year to honor their culture and to bring in the new year in a festive way.

Lunar New Year is typically celebrated in late January or early February and is observed by many Asian cultures. Traditions for the holiday include cleaning for good luck, feasting, honoring ancestors and decorating with red ornaments and zodiac animals.

Maddie and Jeff Fuller

Every year, Maddie and Jeff Fuller ring in the holidays by attending their church’s annual Midnight Mass, which celebrates Jesus' birth. Featuring carols, readings and Holy Communion, it is held as Christmas Eve transitions into Christmas Day.

They also have a special culinary tradition stemming from their family heritage.

“My grandmother is from Japan, so every year for Christmas, she would make her famous Japanese noodles that has become a traditional meal for us,” Jeff Fuller said.

Gina Munji

Every year, Gina Munji and her family go on a Christmas Eve trip. Past destinations have included Disneyland, Chicago and Los Angeles.

“The best part about the trip is that everyone is sleepy by the end of the day, so we all go to bed early and then it’s Christmas,” Munji said with a smile.

She shared that she allows her son to open one gift on Christmas Eve and saves the rest for the joy of Christmas morning.