Christmas is a wonderful time where the entire family fills your house to the brim. Growing up I would hear about how my non-Hispanic friends celebrated and knew that we celebrated slightly differently, and in my own opinion, maybe a little better. For most Hispanic households in the U.S. however, Christmas Eve is the day when the entire family gets together, rather than Christmas day. Christmas day would be more for the “recalentado,” or when you come gather once more to enjoy the leftovers.
Christmas Eve Morning
It’s morning of Christmas eve and you are woken up by your parents promptly at 8 or 9 a.m. It is one of the times you do NOT want to mess with the wake-up time. If they did not physically wake you up it was the sound of whatever music your mom has decided to blast as she starts cleaning.
10 a.m.
You are done getting semi-decent and cleaning your room, your mom has been in the kitchen already starting to cook and you and your sibling exchange a look of “And so it begins.” You and all of your siblings start to clean every room in the house.
12 p.m.
It's noon and if you are lucky you have cleaned almost everything your parents have asked you to. It is not time to go to the store for things needed day-of, or forgotten things at the grocery store.
12:30 p.m.
You are at the grocery store and split up to get everything faster, but end up taking forever anyway. You bump into other people you know from church, or people you hadn’t seen in years and have to make awkward small talk with.
1:30 p.m.
The cooking is still happening and everything smells great, it's time to eat. This “lunch” is light, because it is the pre-game of eating for the main courses later in the night. Typical things you can find that have been cooked are: pozole, tamales, and turkey (not just for Thanksgiving). Sometimes you can find a roasted pig, or lengua which are also delicious, they just take more time to prepare.
2:30 p.m.
Everything is cleaned, you have eaten lunch and cheated a little by eating a little more than you should have. It’s time for the communal nap.
4 p.m.
It is an hour before church and you know that whoever gets in the shower first will set the time of whether or not the entire family will be able to shower before.
5 p.m.
You are racing to church and know you won’t find parking hope that for some reason you’ll find parking.
5:15 p.m.
You didn’t find parking and now everyone is tense.
5:20 p.m.
You walk into the church and stand in the back, in shame. You listen to the homily and know it’s all okay, you remember the real meaning of Christmas.
7 p.m.
Church finally ends and you are on your way back. Around this time you start checking Facebook and Twitter and see all these “I’m so stuffed” or “Oh, here comes the food coma” posts that make you start feeling hungry. I never understood how people could eat so early.
7:30 p.m.
They realize they forgot to get stuff for the ponche, or the rompope; depending on your family you could have two.
8 p.m.
It’s panic mode. Guests are arriving and you have turned into the personal valet of the night.
8:30 p.m.
It’s time to feast. Guests have brought deserts or another entrée and you are STUFFING YOUR FACE with so much deliciousness.
9 p.m.
Food coma. Food. Coma.
10 p.m.
Family is singing karaoke, drinking ponche, and you are with your cousins watching a movie or in someone’s room looking after the young ones who without a doubt will start crying because of one thing or another.
11 p.m.
People have begun to dance in whatever small space in the crowded house they could find. Some cousins have passed out and some have gone for round two of dessert.
12 a.m.
I have run away to my room because I need to sleep or Santa won’t come. Family is starting to head out and the night is winding down.
Although it can be a stressful time, it’s important to note that any time an entire family gathers it’s something to be thankful for. Happy holiday wishes!
