Olajide Ojo-Olajire liked his first taste of a Canadian Christmas.

A masters candidate in civil engineering, the Nigerian native joined holiday festivities Thursday in the International Student Centre. He helped to trim the centre’s tree, decorated gingerbread men, and sampled traditional treats, including egg nog and spiced apple cider.

“It’s nice to see all the students from everywhere in the world come together,” he said. But his favourite part was meeting a certain jolly elf: “I especially liked taking the pictures with Santa Claus.”

Jeslyn Xie, president of the International Student Society, said the celebration introduces students to new experiences.

“I have never done this before!” exclaimed the master of management major as she topped a ginger cookie with icing and sprinkles. “This is really fun.”

Find an album of images from the event on the UWindsor Facebook page.

Members of the community who wish to share their traditions with international students may register for the Host for the Holidays program, which pairs visits with local families willing to open their homes for a holiday meal. Learn more at uwindsor.ca/host.