“Russians emphasise New Year’s Day more than Christmas, for instance, and when they do celebrate Christmas, it’s often the Russian Orthodox version.”
The exact celebrations will, of course, vary from astronaut to astronaut but crew members typically share in the celebrations around the space station’s dinner table.
NASA allows its astronauts to select any special meals and snacks they would like to take up with them on their missions.
NASA food scientist Vickie Kloeris said: “If a crew member has a special food they enjoy for the holidays, we often have it on our menu lists.
“And if we don’t, crew members and their families are allowed to send bonus containers up to them in space.
“These are extra items that aren’t on our regular list of choices but are still approved to travel in space. Holiday items could go in the bonus containers.”