In a world where there are so many traditions and religions, I thought it would be interesting to share some of the important traditions my family have established for the holidays. I observe the Jewish faith and love it. Almost every year, for Rosh Hashanah or Passover, I like to invite one of my friends to come to the dinner at our house and share the experience with us. There are some events that should be spent just with the family, but it is nice to bring a friend and show them a way that I celebrate the Jewish New Year, experiencing some of their festivities in return as well. For as long as I can remember, my mom, sister, grandma, and I have always cooked for the holidays, whether it was a Jewish or Thanksgiving one.

We typically host them at our house. Even though it can be stressful, preparation is probably my favorite part of the process because I get to spend extra time with my family for set up and then after all of the hours in the kitchen ... finally taste the satisfaction of cooking it. As for Christmas, we try to stay away from where we live, as weird as that sounds, due to the insanity and chaos that arrives in Miami. Simply driving an hour outside of the area is wonderful.

Additionally, we usually see a movie and get Chinese food. Very typical of Jews, right? Regardless, this tradition is particularly special for us. Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah, or Chanukkah, however you like to spell it, is my favorite time of year. It is when we can all come together amidst all of the craziness of our lives and forget about our worries for a while. Now that my brother, sister, and I are all either in college or above, it can be hard for us to stay as in touch as we used to be when we were always together in one place. We live in different places, but the holidays, whether it is a Jewish or a national one, help bring us back to "home base" and remind us of what is most important. Of course, the presents are nice too. No matter how successful you are or how great you think your life is, if you cannot come home to someone with open arms, then is it really all worth it?

Hanukkah is a time for my family to take a deep breath and get ready for the new year. We exchange gifts, and everyone is so happy during this time. It is almost like a fog of nitrous oxide is spread throughout the area and makes it solely a more pleasant place. When I come home or call someone in my family like my grandma, the first question I am usually asked is "Have you found a nice boy yet?" Although it can grow old very quickly, I like how it has become a tradition.

Have you heard those stories of magical Christmases for Jews? The ones where the only restaurants open that night are Chinese or Japanese restaurants? Well, we continue that custom in my family. It sounds silly, but it is still fun and we catch up on watching movies in an actual theater! Pretty unheard of these days, right?