The holiday season is a time for tradition, togetherness, and making memories with loved ones. Yet, every family has their own unique way of celebrating the holidays, shaped by their cultural heritage, personal preferences, and cherished customs. The way families celebrate varies from decorating the tree on a specific day to cooking a special meal, or to opening gifts on Christmas Eve. But the one thing that stays constant is family.
Kristina Omelchenko’s Christmas celebrations are a heartwarming blend of family, faith, and festive fun. Her mother’s side of the family typically cram into her aunt’s house and participate in a variety of activities, including the classic game of White Elephant. They also engage in friendly competition with Kahoot quizzes, testing their knowledge on various topics.
Typically, the holiday tradition is to wait until Christmas day to open presents, but Kristina’s family opens presents on Christmas Eve. “My mom just decides when we get to open presents whenever the house is clean enough,” Kristina says. The rest of Christmas night is spent talking and playing games until very late at night then everyone goes off to bed.
In Colombia on December 31st, families and friends gather in streets, parks, and town squares to celebrate El Año Viejo. The festivities begin with the creation of the muñecos (dolls) which are often humorous and satirical representations of the past year’s events. As the clock approaches midnight, the muñecos are on fire, symbolizing the destruction of the old year and its troubles.
Juan Tobar-Blanco’s family celebrates El Año Viejo every year. Juan’s family creates this small doll made from their own personal belongings and when it hits new years, they set it on fire and watch it burn, symbolizing that they are letting go of the old year and saying hello to the new one. “As much as it sounds dangerous, from what I know nothing has ever gone wrong before,” Juan says, reassuring me that no one has ever gotten hurt during this celebration.
