With Christmas less than two weeks away and New Year’s Eve following right around the corner, it’s safe to declare that we’ve all made it through yet another beautifully chaotic year once again. I say chaotic because we all have our own lows that we deal with, but the beauty found within every day lived keeps us moving forward.
Christmas is and always will be my favorite holiday to celebrate. I love paying homage to both my loved ones and heritage during this time. It helps any place — no matter how far away from your roots that you are — feel like home. I put the Christmas tree up early at the beginning of November and then decorate it with vintage ornaments that my grandma owned and used for her own kids. I feel so blessed to have these ornaments serve as little reminders of my precious grandparents and incorporated into my annual festivities. Since I first got our tree in 2021, I’ve been buying a small box of new ornaments when they go on sale after New Year’s — it’s so fun to continue adding new pieces and seeing how it changes every Christmas.
Of course, I also have some handmade and gifted ornaments on the tree. One of the volunteers I used to work with at MediLodge in Alpena was an amazing holiday decorator and crafts person. She taught me how to make so many cute hand-made ornaments and gift wrapping techniques. I learned how to curl the prettiest ribbons, how to make snow globe ornaments, and even how to make an angel decoration to top off a tree. This angel tree topper, one that is simple and primarily made of ribbon, is one that I still treasure and have been using for the last six years.
Then there’s the food and many, many sweets made with love. My mom does most of the cooking and I do the watching (in amazement) and washing. Every Christmas, she makes traditional recipes passed down from my grandparents like poppy seed and walnut filled Hungarian kolache and kiffles, angel wing cookies, and chicken paprikash soup. A nod to Hawaii, I’ll make a batch of butter mochi as a dessert and add some red food color and holiday sprinkles to it. I’ll be attempting new recipes for us this time around though, one of which is Haupia (coconut) pie, another dessert I loved growing up especially during the holidays. Recreating these recipes is such a great way to not only honor and connect with the cultures that make you who you are, but it also adds meaning and tradition into your own life.
For the remainder of time left this year, it’s important to remember why this season is so magical. The people, the stories, the traditions old and new, make this life and the chaotic days in it all seem worth it, especially at Christmas.
