Ah, the holidays. Frosty windows, blazing fires, and the hustle
and bustle of the mall. And of course, the food
– the glorious food.
By Stephanie Castillo, Teen Panelist
Ah, the holidays. Frosty windows, blazing fires, and the hustle and bustle of the mall. And of course, the food – the glorious food.
But for many, nothing is as important during this time of year as spending time with family. People of all cultures and backgrounds gather with loved ones to celebrate their own special traditions, and every year, teens in the South Valley enjoy a variety of family traditions.
San Martin resident Alyssa Andrade, 15, is Mexican-American, and she and her family are practicing Catholics. During December, they celebrate one of their holiest days, Christmas.
For Christians, Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth and one of the most important religious celebrations of the year. Each Christmas Eve, the family has a special tradition that incorporates their religion.
“My family and I go to my father’s mother’s house really early in the morning to make tamales,” Alyssa said. “My grandma has a man-made oven my grandpa made a few years back, and the tamales cook in there.”
For those who aren’t familiar with tamales, Alyssa explains: “Tamales are corn husks with masa or batter spread over them with meat added in the middle. We add olives too!”
Once each and every morsel has been cooked to perfection, the tamales are ready to be eaten. Although mouth-watering tamales are a celebrated part of the Adrade Christmas tradition, the most important component for them is family, Alyssa said.
“I love the Christmas season because my immediate and extended family are always so busy, but for Christmas everybody takes time out of their busy lives to spend time together,” she said. “It is so exciting knowing Christmas is coming and that I’ll be seeing ALL my family.”
Spending time with loved ones is also something San Jose resident Anjali Thakkar, a sophomore, enjoys. Her family, of Asian-Indian descent, celebrates Diwali, the Festival of the Lights. It is a Hindu celebration that takes place every year from mid-October to early November.
“The Festival of the Lights, Diwali, is a festive time for all Indians, and it’s the biggest Indian holiday in India,” she said. “People place little candles or lamps outside their homes. We retell the story of Rama, one of the Hindu gods, who was exiled into the forest for 14 years. Diwali was the time celebrated upon his return back to his kingdom. Diwali signifies a renewal of life. Because of this, it is an occasion when people wear new clothes.”
Food – particularly Indian cuisine – is another way the holiday is celebrated, Anjali said.
“There are several Indian sweets that are eaten during this time of year,” she said. “My favorite is called the gulab jamoon. It’s essentially a fried donut that is soaked in sweet-flavored syrup. I love it!”
A syrup-soaked donut? One word: Delicious! The festival also is devoted to the celebration of life and the importance of family.
Unlike Anjali and Alyssa, 15-year-old Nadia Arid celebrates two different holiday traditions during this time of year. Her father is Lebanese, and her mother is Peruvian.
“My father, being Muslim, celebrates Ramadan every year,” Nadia said. “The holy month of Ramadan, in which we fast from sun up until sundown every night, is actually based on the moon, so it doesn’t always exactly fall during the holiday season. But so far as long as I can remember, it has been near the end of the year – from October to December. At the end of Ramadan, there is a day of celebration called Eid, where family members exchange gifts and come together for a feast.”
For two years, Nadia and one of her closest friends, who is also Muslim, have fasted during Ramadan. Although many teenagers believe fasting is difficult, Nadia disagrees.
“It’s amazing how easy it became for us when we decided that this was something we wanted to do to demonstrate our faith,” she said.
For Ramadan, Nadia’s father prepares meals from “back home,” as he calls it: kefta, ground meat with a layer of tomatoes cooked in the oven; makloobeh, rice cooked with cauliflower, pine nuts, lamb, chicken and vegetables); and cucumber and yogurt salad are a few of Nadia’s favorites. The Arid family breaks their fast every evening with a date, which is a common fruit grown in the Middle East. For Nadia’s family, the celebration continues to include Peruvian traditions.
“On the other side of the spectrum, my mother, being Peruvian, is Roman Catholic and celebrates Christmas,” Nadia said. “Every year we put up a Christmas tree and have a Christmas dinner – just my mom, my dad, my younger brother, Omar, and me. As families do in Peru, we open the Christmas presents after midnight rather than the next morning. Following in my mother’s tradition for this holiday, we also hang up stockings for the three kings to give us gifts after Christmas.”
On Christmas, the family shares a turkey dinner, a traditional Christmas meal for Nadia’s mother. They also consume panetone, which is a special type of fruitcake that Nadia’s mother used to eat in Peru.
Combining two different customs into one family- and food-filled holiday is a blessing, Nadia said.
“I really enjoy having two different sets of customs, especially during the holiday season. I pretty much get the best of both worlds, and I am equally proud of both of my parents’ backgrounds,” Nadia said.
During the holiday season, it’s easy to be consumed by gifts, glitter and the commercialism of the holidays.
But the true spirit of the season – regardless of religion, culture or ethnic background – is what means the most: loved ones.
