Clearly not much has changed
It really is the most wonderful time of the year!
Christmas Eve and Christmas day are simply the best.
My parents are both one of six children, so I have a massive, loud and completely amazing extended family. Because my family is Irish-Italian and Peruvian, we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, as is traditional for both cultures. On my dad's (Irish-Italian) side, we all get together before the big day to make handmade ravioli as well as a porcini mushroom sauce that we all eat on Christmas Eve. I love that we prepare everything together, emphasizing what Christmas is really about: family (and food)! We meet again on Christmas Eve for late lunch and a secret santa gift exchange between my many cousins.
Afterwards, we head over to my Grandie's house (maternal grandmother). Again, we cook as a family, this time making alfajores, traditional Peruvian cookies. I'm the oldest cousin on that side so it is so fun when I (and the other three older cousins) play with the five younger cousins who are all under five years old- crazy! After a very late dinner, we talk and listen to music, and then open presents together. Every year my Grandie's living room turns into a wrapping paper war zone with crumpled "snowballs" thrown at, well everyone, by the younger cousins. Before too long the little ones crash and we put them to bed upstairs for a sleepover.
My immediate family then heads to Midnight Mass, which brings a little peace to our Christmas Eve marathon.
Christmas day is perfectly low key for my family. We get up late and open presents followed by a delicious brunch that we prepare together. Then we watch a movie (usually Irving Berlin's White Christmas) and relax. Most years, two cousins that my brother and I are really close to come over with their parents for a delicious dinner made by my mom. The cousins usually sleep over as my birthday is the next day and the past couple of years, I've been opening my presents at midnight (talk about never-ending celebrations).
Despite the stress of preparing for the holidays, the family traditions I value so much reinforce that Christmas is special to me because I get to spend time with people I love. Thoughts of the presents under the tree or in my stocking totally disappear the second I see the faces of the people who've supported me my whole life. This is why I love Christmas so much.
And every year, it seems to get better and better.
I know this year will be no exception.
Merry Christmas!
xoxo