No two countries celebrate Christmas the same, and Old Rochester Regional High School’s foreign exchange students are discovering those difference first hand this year.

Ailina Cervantes Diaz from Costa Rica and Louisa Truss from Germany compared the American experience with the traditions of their home countries.

In Diaz’s family, December is for decorating. The yard is filled with boxes resembling presents and candy canes while a live tree is trimmed inside.

The family celebrates Christmas on Dec. 24 with a family dinner and the opening of presents.

For dinner Diaz’s family gathers to make tamales.

“They are especially for Christmas," she said. "We do it together as a family and it can take four hours.”

Diaz spends time with her family as well on Dec. 25. In Costa Rica, the weather on that day is nothing like it is in Massachusetts.

We might be wishing for a white Christmas, but the temperature in Costa Rica is around 70 degrees. The snow that fell in the tri-town on Dec. 17 was the first snow Diaz had ever seen.

Truss’s family starts the celebration on Dec. 1. On each night until Dec. 24 the family reads a chapter of a traditional Christmas story. Dec. 6 marks the celebration of Saint Nikolaus, not to be confused with Santa.

The night before, each member of her family leaves their shoes by the door and in the morning they wake up to find them filled with small presents. On Christmas Eve morning, Truss’s family decorates the tree with lights, real candles, small angels and handmade ornaments.

Near the top of the tree are four hats, one for each member of the family, and at the very top is a star.

After decorating they eat a dinner of duck, dumplings, red cabbage, chocolate ice cream and cookies. Her family then goes to church, and when they return, Santa, or Weihnachtsmann as he is called in German, has delivered presents.

Diaz and Truss said they are looking forward to celebrating Christmas with their host families.

As for bringing traditions from home, Diaz says she and her Mattapoisett family are going to make tamales.

Truss surprised her Marion family on Dec. 6. “I put things in their shoes the night before so they woke up and had presents,” she said.

When asked what they wanted for Christmas, both said they didn’t ask for anything. Truss said, “I’m perfectly happy.”