19 Dec Holiday Traditions from Expats
From All Over The World to Panama, Locals Share Their Homeland Holiday Traditions
What a joy this was to research. Mostly due to the delight in people’s voices and the glimmer in their eyes when talking about their favorite traditions. Many of us may not be in our home country or with our own family, but we can certainly celebrate with one another in our chosen home of Panama.
One item you may have seen in the stores are the packages of bread covered with almonds. This egg bread (rosca de huevo), is mildly sweet, denser in consistency and the crunch of the almonds on top add a nice textural element. This is a Panamanian staple for the Christmas meal – why not pick one up and enjoy a part of cultural Panamanian Christmas cuisine. The leftover bread with guava paste will be perfect on Christmas morning as you sip your café con leche and contemplate your blessings.
Nicole Chaniac
From Provence, France
Nicole currently lives in Gorgona and fondly remembers the Christmas traditions she celebrated in the Provence region of France as being a peaceful time during the holidays.
She recalls the beauty of the family table set with three layered white cloths for three different meals during Christmas. The décor was brought in from nature; pine or cypress branches, holly clusters and walnuts.
The season started on December 6th when the family put up their tree and celebrated St. Nicholas who brought special treats for the children. Typically, a pastry known as galette was served and might contain a ceramic collectible trinket hidden inside for the children to find.
The first Christmas meal was served on the 24th and the table always included an extra place setting for the poor. The next layered tablecloth was revealed for the meal on Christmas Day, which may include a special brioche and oranges. The third tablecloth was used the following day for thirteen desserts such as dried fruits, quince paste, figs and almonds served in a basket that stayed on the table for three days.
Massiel Oro
From Panama
Massiel grew up in Panama City and has special memories from the Fiestas Patrias (Panama’s national holidays) starting with Flag Day on November 4. She and her classmates studied the formal Panamanian Constitution in school, and she has always held respect and appreciation for what her country of Panama endured in order to become independent.
A teacher inspired her class to take up playing instruments and performing for the school assemblies in addition to marching in celebratory parades in the city. For some national holiday occasions, she wore a pollera, the beautiful traditional dress with flowing colorful material and she’d adorn her hair with a tembleque, a colorful beaded hair accessory.
She feels a great sense of pride for her country and is happy to have the expats here who appreciate all the beauty and bounty in her homeland. She suggests that you try some of the traditional food during the holidays, like turkey or ham with tamales and rice with coconut and guandu (pigeon peas).
Maria Fernanda Yanes
From Venezuela
From our conversation: “I grew up in one of the oil camp communities that were common in Venezuela after oil was discovered there. We had many nationalities living there due to the oil industry employing people from all over the world. Venezuela was primarily populated with people from Italy, Spain, Portugal, China and then later, other Europeans who fled the war in Europe.
I lived in Maracaibo, the 2nd largest city in Venezuela, close to Columbia. There were strong holiday traditions starting on Nov. 18 with a big parade for La Chanita (The virgin of Chinquinquira) where people sang happy birthday to the virgin. That marked the start of the holidays.
The local music, gaita, can still fill me with such emotion when I hear it. The lyrics may have been about current events, commentary, humor – lot’s of humor.
The instruments like the furruco drum (a friction drum) and the cuatro (a four-string guitar) with the maracas had such a unique sound.
A few of the favorite foods I loved are the hallacas (like a tamale but different) and a holiday drink called ponche crema made with rum, eggs and vanilla (similar to egg nogg).”
Maria’s love of jazz is shared with us through the live music nights at Manglar Lodge.
Dorothee Upchurch Coronado Concierge
From Germany
Dorothee talked about her favorite holiday memories from when she still believed in the magic of Christmas. On Dec. 1st the advent wreath was put out with the first candle for the start of the holiday season.
Her mom always had a creative advent calendar with a little toy or piece of candy or some little collectible item tucked in the calendar pockets. She loved the anticipation of waiting for the first snowfall while keeping warm inside.
She smiles remembering all the aromas of cookies baking in the oven, the spices like clove and cinnamon, the herbaceous aroma of the tree and walking through the Christmas markets serving food and cider. Her family had goose for Christmas dinner and some years fondue. When Bill and Dorothee first started celebrating the holiday together, he wasn’t aware that the pan of cooling goose fat was a special treat. But that never happened again.
Dorothee’s family didn’t get the tree until Christmas evening and after bringing it home, it was decorated and lit with real candles. While the kids looked outside the window into the night sky for the Christmas Angel, magically, their presents appeared under the tree and her parents would tell them it was time to open their gifts.
Christine Djelalian
From Canada – Armenian Origin
When Christine talks about her holiday memories, my mouth was watering. Her family is a blended varietal of Armenian, Egyptian and Lebanese cultural heritage and they love to gather the family crowd together to enjoy one another’s company, share stories and laughter and some delectable dishes.
The criteria for where to host? The house with the biggest space. She has 21 first cousins and laughed when recalling it usually took two hours for them to open their gifts. A few weeks before the celebration on December 31st when the family feasted and opened presents, the menu would be planned carefully to make sure all the favorites were covered; pastitsio (a Greek style lasagna), baba ganoush (a delicious eggplant dip), dolmas, fattoush and even ambrosia salad and a turkey roasted in bacon strips. Anyone have a big house where we can gather?
I’m not sure if she was joking when she said her family loved to celebrate any number of life’s special moments, including throwing a feast when a baby got his or her first tooth. The kid will need a healthy set of teeth to keep up with the culinary delights and festive family parties.
Whether you celebrate Hannukah, Kwanza, Bodhi Day or Diwali, or nothing at all, we hope you find joy in your activities with family, friends or in solitude. Wishing you peace.
