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At the end of December, for many people, it is a time of family fun and holidays. It’s no different for the people of Capitol Hill, which is currently a ghost town after lawmakers head home to their respective districts to celebrate their favorite year-end traditions.
For others, like Reps. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., and Byron Donalds, R-Mo., that means annual Christmas traditions with their loved ones.
“So, Christmas Eve is Spanish bean soup and Cuban sandwiches,” Donalds told Fox News Digital. “And Christmas Day we’re just spending time, and Christmas night will be basketball, some football, and maybe a fire.”
Burlison described the “special hunter” for Christmas that her mother wore for her grandchildren to find in their stockings.
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The 2025 Capitol Christmas tree is seen on the West Lawn of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Dec. 7, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
“Then we do Christmas bingo to get our White Elephant gifts, and it gets very competitive,” Burlison smiled. “One of the funny things that happens every year is that my brother, even if we are at home, will steal something from the house and throw it away as one of the gifts.”
“You’ll end up opening it and you’ll be like, ‘Oh, we have a vase like this, wait, our vase!’ It’s very funny. He does it all the time.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital his favorite Christmas tradition is opening presents with his kids and eating Cajun fried turkey.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise during a news conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, said he always keeps his faith close at Christmas.
“The holidays always start with going to Christmas Mass and thanking God for the miracle of Christ’s birth,” Cuellar told Fox News Digital. “From there, it’s about being at home with family — gathering around the table, sharing home-cooked meals, and maintaining traditions that bring everyone together.”
At that time, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., likes to share the holidays with her chosen family of friends and neighbors.
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Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, is seen at the US Capitol on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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That includes making and sharing Christmas cookies with those same people, as well as “holiday dinners with my college roommates and holiday dinners with my poker club.”
And Rep. Josh Gottheimer, DN.J., said Hanukkah and the entire holiday season is about his loved ones as well.
“The holidays are a special time for me to celebrate with my family — whether that’s lighting a menorah with my kids, donating toys to local toys, or joining our community for tree and menorah lighting,” Gotteimer said.
