The Ghost of Christmas
December signifies the start of the holiday season. It is the month where the Christmas countdown begins and seasonal celebrations take place. Despite its prevailing essence, traditions have extensively changed over the years. New customs are introduced and old ones are left behind.
A series of people, ranging from Baby Boomers to Generation Z, was asked about what Christmas was like for them. Their stories allowed us to analyze the changes the holiday had endured throughout the past years.
Traditions
Millenials: Popular traditions include games like gift swap, funny gifts, charades, and the 20 pesos dice game. Many interviewees described Christmas morning as a time to bond and relax with the family while watching movies like Elf and The Polar Express.
Generation X: During their childhood years, adults experienced a more “homey” Christmas than today. Traditions like cookies and hot chocolate, and making Christmas dinner were very common during the holiday season. Christmas decorating was a special event where the family came together to decorate the house and the tree.
Boomers: Games usually included a piñata filled with mandarins and typical Christmas candies. Children would also play games like el burro, as well as sing traditional villancicos, and when assembling the Nacimiento it was common to include the devil as well.
Christmas Dinner
If one thing has remained constant over the years, it is the food that is on the dinner table. The most common meal among these four generations is mainly turkey and pasta and it is either homemade or ordered. “One of the things that I most look forward to about Christmas is dinner on the 25th at my grandparent’s house. We eat spaghetti and turkey made by my grandma. This is when I get to sit down with my whole family and enjoy their company,” tells 12th-grade student, Marian Clariond. Aside from that, each family incorporates its own traditional recipes and usually starts preparing for the feast weeks in advance. In traditional posadas, tamales are served as well as buñuelos or churros.
Christmas Tree
Millenials: Most of the people interviewed reported that they either hire someone to decorate their Christmas tree or that it is done by their mother. Yet, there are a few who still follow the tradition of doing this activity along with their whole family.
Generation X and Boomers: The tree, usually a real one, was decorated as a family; some even made their own ornaments and decorations by hand. “It was what I enjoyed the most and I feel like now it’s more of a competition to see who has the best-decorated house and the prettiest tree,” says Ms. Zuloaga, 7th-grade middle school Spanish teacher.
Gifts
Millenials: Teens typically like to do gift exchanges and play games among friends and cousins. Their focus lies more on the entertainment of the than on the gift itself.
Generation X: Usually buy gifts from Amazon or other online websites, some even give out money to their godchildren and nephews. Ms. Sanchez, Character Education teacher, has noticed that many of her nephews will ask for money. “It is something that I don’t really like giving, I prefer to gift sentimental presents that I picked out,” she expresses. Overall, when choosing gifts quality is preferred over quantity, and store-bought pastries are a common gift as well.
Boomers: For this older generation, giving presents was all about the anticipated excitement and mystery around what they were going to receive from their loved ones. Even though gifts were an exciting part of the holiday, celebrating the birth of Christ as a family was the most important part.
Posadas
Millenials: It is not Christmas without the long-awaited for posada, which teenagers organize annually with their group of friends. A student who wishes to remain anonymous expressed that, “posadas are a way to have fun with friends and meet new people. Even though they might be over the top, they are able to bring people together to celebrate.” Ms. Sanchez, who is unfamiliar with this type of posada, wonders, “if you take away the decorations and the cold and make the posada in June, would it be a regular party?”
Generation X: A typical posada would involve a feast cooked by the hostess, normally the mother of the family, with the help of her daughters and sometimes her sons. She would organize the whole party from the decorations to the food.
Boomers: Unlike the current generation, the great grandmothers that were interviewed described their posadas as nine-day celebrations commemorating Joseph and Mary’s search for refuge and the warm welcome they finally received from a stranger. They sang the traditional “Pedir Posada” song with instruments and figures from the Nacimiento.
Even before the calendar strikes December 1st, people begin to awaken the Christmas spirit. This is a holiday eagerly awaited by all and celebrated differently in every household. So whether you prefer playing indoor games or breaking the piñata, or your go-to movie is Home Alone or Elf, this holiday is the perfect time of year to come together with family. Amidst the age gaps, holidays are enjoyed by all and while Christmas traditions may change, it remains as the most wonderful time of the year.