Feliz Navidad!
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. To this day, I still love the smell of Panetón Peruano con su chocolate caliente and the sound of villancitos (Christmas Carols in Spanish) filling up our home. It reminds me of Christmas growing up.
Each year, our family would take turns hosting Christmas but most of the time it was at my house. My mom and I would put up the tree, decorate the space, and wrap gifts together to prepare for Noche Buena. It became our little tradition.
The entire family would come over on Christmas Eve. The kids would play games, we'd listen to music, and stuff our face with food until the countdown to twelve began. Once the clock striked, we went around the room exchanging hugs with everyone while Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano echoed in the background. And then, the MCs of the evening began announcing each gift one by one. That was it.
I miss those days. It was fun, easy, and exciting. As much as we try to keep the same agenda, Christmas looks different nowadays, and that's ok. As an adult, Christmas joy comes from gifting and making sure everyone experiences the holiday spirit. This year, I wanted to make sure that I, too, felt the joy of Christmas...and that meant taking everything at my own pace and not overwhelming myself with everything that needs to get done. I'll get to it eventually. For now, it's Merry Christmas!
🎶 Cues Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano.