This is an easy and fun time of year for me as a member of a multi-cultural family because I get to integrate Christmas traditions from Guatemala into those that are more typically American, and thereby celebrate not only my kids’ culture, but mine as well.

 

When Strive and I looked at international adoption programs, we took religion into consideration. One of the things that drew us to Guatemala was its strong Catholic heritage. The Christmas and Easter holiday seasons give us ample opportunities to share with our children stories of their Christian faith and examples of how their faith is celebrated in both countries. Thankfully, Strive and I have been in Guatemala in both seasons to have experienced the holiday traditions first-hand, so we have pictures and stories of our own to share with the kids to make “more real” what it is we are telling them.

 

Yesterday our Guatemala-born babysitter stopped by with Christmas presents for the children. She also brought a poinsettia for me and Strive. Had I not spent a Christmas in Guatemala, I wouldn’t have known just how central poinsettias are to the Christmas tradition in Guatemala. They are everywhere and, en masse, they are magical! Not only are they grown year-round in gardens (giving them a chance to grown at least three feet tall!), they are sold in pots especially for the holiday. It’s safe to say that at Christmastime the poinsettia is to Guatemala what the tree is to The U.S. It meant a lot to me that this very special cultural role model for my children brought this very central cultural symbol into my home. This experience was but one of “the little things” that will add up over time.

 

Members of my extended family will arrive by train this morning, bringing all of the joy and dysfunction that is typical the world over! I can’t wait! While my parents have spent Christmas at my house before, my sister and her husband and children have not. This will be their first time experiencing “our” family tradition of Guatemalan food on Christmas Eve and traditional American fare on Christmas day. My sister seems excited to share in the experience, and I am very excited to share it with her and her family.

 

When our babysitter stopped yesterday, she said she was on her way to a friend’s to make Christmas tamales. In Guatemala, Christmas wouldn’t come without the tamale! I mentioned that I make Guatemalan food for Christmas Eve and she let out a little laugh and said, “Really?! What do you make? You make tamales?” “No,” I said, “I buy those.” “Oh. You eat Mexican tamales,” she said, not quite approving and making sure I understood there was a difference. “Yes,” I said, “but they are so much work. It’s what I can find in the store, so they have to do.” She then quizzed me about what kind of black beans I would be using for the tostadas: dried or canned. And what brand. There was one brand that was clearly superior to all others! Rosa is a woman with only love in her heart, so I knew she was only trying to help. I asked if next year we could go grocery shopping together.

 

So, this is the way it goes in this multi-cultural family. I have no in-laws to tell me how to do things, only well-meaning babysitters. I’ll be up to my elbows in papaya and coconut and pineapple today making a stockpot-full of holiday ponche (punch) and tomorrow (the 24^th) I’ll tackle the shrimp ceviche, (Mexican!) tamales, (decidedly not Mexican!) black bean tostadas with guacamol and cabbage slaw, and probably (gulp!) pumpkin pie!

Merry Christmas, everyone!