Crisp cool air, my grandma setting out to the store to get tamale husks and the talk of the yearly trip to San Francisco. These are the signs that the holidays and the busiest month for my family is approaching.
Having a big family is always fun, especially during special occasions and holidays. With multiple birthdays throughout December (six to be exact) and Christmas, everyday is a party. Every weekend my family and I are booked with parties and dinners, making the celebrations endless.
Christmas is my favorite time of the year, for so many factors, one being the incredible food. The schedule is as follows: tamales and a feast on Christmas Eve, pozole on Christmas day followed by dinner at China Stix, and then some sort of dinner at my aunt’s and cousin’s house on the 26th. We then end off with a breakfast feast my family hosts on the 27th, the day my family from Los Angeles typically leaves to go back home.
Along with the amazing feasting, an annual trip to San Francisco never fails. My whole family (21 of us) take a drive up to the city for a couple of nights. We usually kick off the trip with shopping in Union Square, followed by dinner at a nice restaurant. The next morning, we head to the Fairmont for a great breakfast, and of course, go through their infamous gingerbread house.
Since I was a little girl, doing all of these traditions has really had an impact on my life and my expectations of what a true Christmas should be with family and loved ones. I hope to carry on these traditions in the future, so I will be reminded of the memories my family and I created for ourselves.
Many will say a big family is beneficial because of all the presents one will receive, and it is partially true, but that is not the idea of Christmas. The reason why Christmas and the holidays are my favorite is because of the bonding time I get with my family, especially the ones I do not get to see very often. The holidays bring people together and that is the beauty of it.