With the holidays fast approaching, many students and faculty have traditions and decorations they incorporate in order to celebrate. While we all come from different backgrounds and celebrating may look different there are some classic traditions that stay.
Janet Cuevas, an intern for Career Technical Education (CTE) and Workforce Development, noted her family traditions during this time of year.
“We just have an advent calendar, it starts today [Dec. 1]. I spend time with my family and as far as traditions go, we do 12 grapes and 12 wishes for the 12 months coming into the new year,” said Cuevas. “We also do colored underwear for what you want to bring into the new year. Red for love and yellow for wealth.”
Lex Estrada, a CTE and Directing Adults on the Right TrAC for Employment ambassador shares her holiday traditions she partakes in with her family.
“I usually set up the Christmas tree myself because I enjoy doing that with some music I put on. We usually do the ornaments part all together. We host Christmas breakfast and my grandparents hold Christmas dinner. On Christmas Eve everyone does their own thing, they come after dinner to open presents,” said Estrada.
When asked about any special holiday traditions that Estrada does with her family, she mentions something she enjoys every year for the season.
“We have an ongoing joke with the nativity set and my brother hides the baby Jesus every year and we have to find it. It’s really small so it’s hard to find,” said Estrada. “Or sometimes he will replace it with something different. He just did it one year and since then it’s been a tradition.”
Jerry Sam, an Instructional Support Assistant III who has worked at Delta College for 20 years, noted his family traditions after coming to the United States from Cambodia.
“I’m from Asia, I have lived in the United States for 40 years and we adapt to a new culture. We are happy to celebrate western culture. When I was a little boy I always heard about Christmas. Now I understand Christmas Celebration. Now we always celebrate. Now after having children, my son always asks for a Christmas tree during the holiday season,” said Sam. “ We do good during this Christmas because that is our tradition. We also do Cambodian food and mixed American food so our children don’t forget our food. We usually make Cambodian noodles during the holiday.”
Nayeli Soto, a student at Delta, shared her typical holiday activities, meals and traditions.
“Around this time of year I do a lot of baking and spend most of my time watching movies by the fireplace with my parents. My favorite holiday decor has to be setting a new Christmas tree theme every year. This year’s theme is gingerbreads, cream, brown, and dark green,” said Soto. “During the holidays it’s most important to me that I spend the majority of my time with family and getting them gifts that really say ‘I pay attention to you and see you.’ What can I say? I love giving gifts.”
Soto also shares her Hispanic culture’s traditional and classic foods.
“Traditionally for Christmas we make pozole and tamales and that lasts us up to three to four days to eat because we make a lot and anything I bake of course,” said Soto.
The holidays are about doing festive things you enjoy and spending time with those you love. Whether that’s creating new traditions or continuing past ones.
