CULTURE

Celebrating Cultures

Pieces other cultures have brought from their homes into the holiday season

By Emily Cunningham

The U.S. is chock-full of global cultures, people, languages and traditions. So many parts of our collective “American” winter holidays have been enriched by or lent to us by people from other cultures, who continuously add new cultural elements to our American salad of a country. Here is a small breakdown of some things we commonly utilize that we should recognize were graciously brought to us by other parts of the world.

Poinsettias These popular holiday flowers originate from Central America and Mexico and were delivered to the masses by the botanist and U.S. ambassador, Joel Roberts Poinsett. Though he earned himself an infamous reputation for stealing cuttings of the “Mexican Flame Flower,” they are no doubt an instantly recognizable holiday icon.

The Nutcracker This two-act ballet premiered in Moscow for the first time in 1892, but it didn’t become a holiday tradition until almost 100 years later. It premiered in Western countries in the 1940s, and the music suite is one of the most popular to date. Christmas Trees Dated all the way back to the Middle Ages in Germany, evergreen trees were used in “Paradise Plays” performed on Christmas Eve to celebrated the feast day of Adam and Eve. The oldest Christmas tree market can be located in Strasbourg in Alsace, and the first decorated indoor trees were recorded in Strasbourg in 1605.

Cookies and milk for Santa Believe it or not, leaving cookies for Santa became popular in the U.S. during the Great Depression. But the practice actually dates back to Norse mythology, where Santa and his reindeer are likened to Odin and his eightlegged horse Sleipner. During the Nordic Yule season, children would leave bits of food in hopes of having small gifts left in exchange.

Christmas Wreaths Holiday wreaths can be associated with the cutting of Christmas trees in Germany. However, before becoming a holiday icon, wreaths were a symbol of victory and power in ancient Greece and Rome. The pruned branches were molded into a circle for convenience but also to symbolize divine perfection and eternity. Combined with the evergreen aspect, they became a symbol of resilience and hope in European areas.

Luminarias Small bonfires were lit alongside the road to guide the way for the Mexican people celebrating Las Posadas, a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. They are commonly now smaller and more contained, often inside small lanterns or paper bags, and some even use string lights or battery-operated candles for safety.

How our team celebrates the winter holidays multiculturally:

“I often celebrate Simbang Gabi, which is a tradition celebrated in honor of the Virgin Mary by Filipino Catholics. Simbang Gabi (translating to Night Mass) happens for nine days and leads up to Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, we frequently hang lights and lanterns that fill up the streets. I still see this celebrated in the Catholic school near me and predominantly Filipino communities.” - Keisha de Castro

“My family is from Italy, and we go to Midnight Mass, and panettone is a classic food! My boyfriend is German, and Advent is an important part of our Christmas traditions. It’s common to make an Advent calendar for your loved ones.” - Rosabella Bojin “My parents were born in Mexico and moved here [to the U.S.]. A tradition for us is Noche Buena – we do our celebrations on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day! Christmas Day is more relaxing, and Christmas Eve is when we have our big meal and stay up until midnight to open gifts!” - Jen Chavarria

Emily Cunningham is a freelance magazine writer with a passion for wildlife conservation, civil and societal issues, and artistic pursuits including dance, creative writing, and handmade art.