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Category: Holidays, Traditions and Family Gatherings

Holidays and family gatherings are special events. Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. Come learn about the different ways we celebrate these holidays. Recipes and ideas included!

  • New Year’s Eve with Families!

    New Year’s Eve is a memorable occasion for celebrations. Celebrations of lasting memories with family and friends. It’s the opportunity to reflect and look forward into the New Year of becoming better versions of us, planning your future, or maybe it’s about anything, you name it. As long as it’s positive and you’re happy, that’s all that counts!

    How Do We Celebrate New Year’s Eve?

    My family usually spends New Year’s Eve at my uncle and aunt’s house. It will be quite a gathering of family members. Most of whom are my uncle and aunt’s side of the family. We’ll get to meet our uncles, aunts, and cousins. And few who are distant family members. All in all, we had a wonderful time. Every family member brings in delicious foods and drinks. There will be a variety of dishes, most of which are traditional Mexican cuisine. For instance, tacos dorados, pozole, tamales, carne asada, and the list continues. It’s indeed a lot. Everyone’s having a good time chatting, younger cousins running around, some heading out to the backyard and playing soccer, others dancing, drinking, music playing in the background, etc. Once the midnight countdown begins, we all are gathered at the living room eating our 12 grapes of luck. We then wish each other a Happy New Year! Give each other warm hugs. 

    What Are the Things I Want to Do Next Year?

    There are many things I would love to do in the upcoming year. First as I’ve previously posted on one of my posts, planning a summer family vacation to San Diego, California. We haven’t taken a family trip in quite some time. It would be wonderful to visit my grandma in Mexico. I haven’t seen her in quite some time, even though we talk on a daily basis through phone calls. I miss her warm hugs and kisses!

    May you and your loved ones be healthy and happy!

    Happy New Year!!

  • A Wonderful Traditional Christmas with Family and Friends!

    It’s the time of the year when we celebrate Christmas! A holiday that is filled with bright colors, feasts, a Christmas tree, lights, decorations, gifts and more. More importantly, a moment to cherish and spend time with family and friends. A holiday celebrated by many cultures and adapted to their traditional customs. Indeed, a special Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. 

    In previous years, we’ve been invited to my uncle and aunt’s house for Christmas Eve. There would be a huge gathering of families, most of whom are my uncle’s side of the family, including friends and colleagues. It was a great time that brought happiness and memorable moments. We danced, sang, prayed, dined, exchanged gifts and did all sorts of activities. 

    How Are We Celebrating Christmas? 

    We are celebrating Christmas at home this year. Recently, my mom’s baby Jesus arrived from Mexico from my grandmother’s home. In her early teens while in Mexico, she always dreamed of having one of her own because visiting nearby families all had a baby Jesus. Everyone in her community will walk out with their baby Jesus and head to a local church for it to be blessed, in which people will sing and pray together. Children, especially adults are welcomed to their nearby neighbors and families homes to visit their baby Jesus nativity scenes. At their visit, food is prepared for anyone to eat, especially candies are given to children who come by their doors. It’s indeed a marvelous day for both Mexico and religious traditions. 

    Throughout Christmas, we are going to spend it the same, and it will be our first experience. Well, our first experience at our home. We invited a few friends, and family members. My father, brothers and I own acoustic guitars and will be playing while we all are singing, praying, and my younger sister will be gentle rocking baby Jesus, and give him a loving kiss.

    Wishing you all a Precious Happy Holidays!

  • A Special Day for Gratitude & Family!

    Thanksgiving is a special holiday to express gratitude, reconnect, and share wonderful memories together. It’s the opportunity for spending time with family, families, and friends. Of course, each family has their own way of celebrating thanksgiving, particularly through their distinctive cultures and traditional feasts. 

    How Was Our Day? & What Did We Do for Thanksgiving?  

    Well, our day went like this. We all woke up and said good morning greetings to one another as usual, followed by our daily morning routine. My father was required to work, but lucky enough his boss allowed him to leave two hours early. My brothers and I had the day off from work and school, especially my younger sisters. My bros and I took our furry companion for a stroll in our local nearby park about 6-8 minutes from our home. We had a great early morning, taking our dog for a stroll in the park and running, which is something we rarely do together. Therefore, my sisters were aiding my mother in preparing for the afternoon holiday feast. Though, I’ll love to continue, but here was a bit of an overview on our morning. 

    This Thanksgiving, we are celebrating alongside our aunt, uncle, and younger cousin. And we’re looking forward to spending time with them!

    My family is from Mexico, and my mother, sisters and aunt prepared a variety of delicious traditional Mexican dishes. For instance, pozole, roast pork (with added potatoes, carrots, some add in juices for flavor) types of salsas, tortilla chips, tostadas, mexican rice, to name a few.  For desserts, we had homemade chocolate brownies, caramel flan, and Mexican rice pudding with cinnamon. Our furry pals also had tasty meals too!

    We enjoyed a wonderful night of sharing memories, expressing gratitude to one another, playing board games, and listening to music in the background while communicating and sharing moments of laughter and happiness!

    Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving!

  • I See Warmth in Snowfall

    I don’t think I know how to celebrate Christmas. The little snippets I get of this specific holiday is through television, and it always looked like such a gentle holiday. There’s a pine tree adorned with ornaments, a wreath (not reef), hot chocolate, sweaters, friends, family and a big meal. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Like all the good things in the world and nothing hurts. I would love to celebrate the holiday when I’m older, gather my two best friends and experience that golden warm feel. Maybe it could go something like this:

    There Would Be A Tree in Our Living Room

    There would be a tree in our living room. It would be the most perfect tree, meticulously picked out. It would smell like pine and there would be shiny baubles and bright lights. A star would sit at the very top of the branches. Under the tree would be presents wrapped in pretty paper with bows on top.

    And There Would Be Hot Chocolate

    And there would be hot chocolate. We would heat up some milk and pour it over pieces of chocolate. Then we would add marshmallows and whipped cream and cinnamon sticks. It would taste sweet on our tongues and settle warm in our bellies. The smell of chocolate would linger in the air, a steady reminder of gentle times.

    There Would Be Sweaters

    There would be sweaters. They would wrap us up in softness and warmth. The cold would be left outside and we would be without a care in the world. I can almost feel the yarn against my skin. I can almost feel the fuzzy fibers wrapping gently around me. And we would be in sweatpants and fuzzy socks. I can almost feel Christmas, all comforting and serene.

    And There Would Be Three

    And there would be three. There would be three girls and three mugs. There would be three chairs at the table and three plates. Three sets of utensils and three voices.

    This is what Christmas would look like to me. It would be cold outside, but so very warm inside.

    Happy Holidays

    Remember to be with your loved ones. Or you could give them a call. Write them a letter, I guess.

    And, Merry Christmas.

  • The Most Terrific Winter-Wonderland Activities in Central Park

    Hey y’all! Today, She Ate Dat is collaborating with Kindly Beautiful. Where food meets lifestyle! 

    What activities can you do?

    Imagine going to the beautiful Central Park located in NYC for this winter season. Central Park has many attractions and there are many activities you can do while you are there. Apart from the beautiful views and site seeing. The Wollman ice skating rink is one of them during this winter season. The ice-skating season starts during October and ends around April. Each ticket cost range varies from $10-$35 depending on age and or any additional benefits. You can enjoy an activity such as Ice skating with your friends, family or lover. You will have a great bonding experience with your loved ones while also having a great workout section. Your muscles and joints will get even stronger once you finish your ice-skating section and if you do it constantly it will be even better.

    In addition, once you’re done ice skating, you can always go home and have some rest. However, if you are a foodie just go to the Columbus holiday market, around this time of the year. The Columbus holiday market is located right outside Central Park’s entrance. This market runs from November to December every year. In this market you can have a lot of fun by doing some Christmas shopping while also eating some delicious food. Some of the type of food they sell varies from “bureks to tacos to fancy doughnuts and bratwurst.” 

    Therefore, next time you go to Central Park whether it is to walk, site seeing and or ice skate. Please, do yourself a favor and pass through the Columbus holiday market and do some shopping and go ahead and buy you some delicious food. Enjoy!

    Source:

    1. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/nycs-holiday-markets-have-official-opening-dates-083122

    2. https://ilovetheupperwestside.com/a-professional-foodies-guide-to-the-columbus-circle-holiday-market/

    3. https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/sports/ice-skating/

  • It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

    Although celebrating Thanksgiving with friends was fun, I am looking forward to celebrating Christmas with my family. Many families celebrate Christmas differently and again, because my family comes from Mexico, we tend to focus more on Christmas Eve. This is also due to religious reasons. My mom tends to decorate the house and makes it look like a Christmas workshop. It can be quite overwhelming but still very festive and beautiful. My favorite decoration is always the Christmas tree! She keeps it very traditional. It’s always green and has hints of red, gold, and white. She always makes sure to include any ornaments my brother and I have made.

    On Christmas Eve we tend to stay up past midnight. We start our night off by enacting the birth of Jesus. We carry a porcelain baby Jesus, pray, and lull it to “sleep” before finally placing it on a nativity scene. We then eat and pass around bags filled with holiday treats known to us as “aguinaldos navideños”,  to children and adults if there are any left over. The children usually light up party sparklers at the end of the night too. We usually stay up dancing and talking well into Christmas morning. The children usually make an attempt to stay up past midnight so that they have a chance to open their presents. My family and I have celebrated Christmas this way since I was a child, I wouldn’t change a thing about it but I would suggest adding a new tradition.

    New Traditions?

    I have always wanted my family and I to participate in a secret santa. I have always felt that there was pressure from each adult to get every single family member their own present. This can be costly and stressful during the holiday season. I think secret santa is a great way that everyone can end up with a present without the stress and over spending. After all, the holidays are about spending time with loved ones and creating valuable memories together.

  • Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and More!

    My family comes from Mexico and Thanksgiving is not a holiday we participate in. However, having been in the United States for many years, certain aspects of the holiday are adapted. We regularly like to have friends and family over for dinner and so we use Thanksgiving as another day to do so. There isn’t a specific dish that anyone prepares but my mom enjoys cooking a big ham that always comes out so decorative and delicious. This Thanksgiving was different for me.

    It has been two years since my parents have moved out of state and because I usually only get Thanksgiving day off, I’m unable to visit my family for the day. I instead find comfort in knowing that I have friends and family nearby who are more than willing  to have me over for this holiday. This year, I went to a friend’s house whose mom dedicated the entire day to preparing all sorts of dishes. They kept it very traditional with turkey, mashed potatoes, salad, Spanish rice, and sweet potatoes.  My favorite had to be the baked sweet potatoes, but I always enjoy sweet potatoes! Since it was warm enough, we had all gone to a nearby park to enjoy a late night walk.

    If I could have spent Thanksgiving at my family’s house I think I would have requested that we make penne alla vodka with shrimp, which happens to be my dads specialty. I would not be able to walk you through how he makes it because he has yet to pass his recipe on to me. Here’s a recipe for someone else’s shrimp penne alla vodka if you’re curious to try it! I would request this dish specifically because it is very nostalgic to me and my dad only makes it on special occasions. Remember to always share your gratitude for your loved ones, even when it isn’t a holiday!

  • The Chill Vibes of Eating Out: Why It’s a Must for 20-Somethings

    Okuur, let’s give it up about the best part of being a New Yorker and adulting – eating out. It’s not just about stuffing your face with good eats; it’s an escape from the always-on-the-move, NYC grind, and school craziness that keeps us sane, bellies full, and, honestly, happy.

    First off, dining out is like hitting the refresh button on life. Ya just gotta imagine this: you’re tired of staring at the same four walls at home, right? Boom, you hit up a restaurant. Whether you’re trying some fancy new dish or just devouring your go-to comfort food, it’s a taste bud party that breaks the dullness of life. And let’s not forget, that restaurants bring this awesome vibe that will make you forget your woes away every single time.

    And don’t get me started on the mental break it gives you. Work and school can be a real headache. Dining out is like a mini-vacay for your brain. It’s your chance to kick back, forget about those past homework deadlines, and soak in the good vibes. It’s not just about the food; it’s about basking in the atmosphere, appreciating the moment, and letting the stress slip away.

    But the real magic? The social scene. Grabbing a meal together isn’t just about all the delicious carbs; it’s about building connections. Whether you’re catching up with the squad, having a cozy date night, or doing a family hangout. The shared experience creates those awesome memories. Laughter, deep talks, and maybe a few embarrassing stories – all fueled by good eats.

    In a nutshell, eating out is like a secret weapon for everyone. It’s a break from the routine, a celebration of life’s simple joys, and a chance to build those connections that make this whole adulting thing way more fun. So, if you’re wondering why you should hit up a restaurant, just remember: good food, good vibes, and good company – it’s the triple threat that keeps us living our best lives.

  • Creating a Magical Christmas Experience

    The festive mood sets in with the approach of the Christmas season. This period is magical as it carries twinkling lights, festive decorations, and the feeling brought by shared moments that are altogether charming. It is not just the aesthetic aspect of Christmas that makes it beautiful, but also the feelings and customs of it.

    However, the ideal Christmas involves a mixture of old traditions and creativity, making each element exciting and beautiful (Storti, 2019). The main focus of this celebration is around the Christmas tree, which symbolizes the spirit of joy during the event. I will make the tree attractive by dressing it with silver and gold ornaments, bringing out the festive mood. These shimmering decorations would be balanced by hand-crafted pieces, giving personal charm and uniqueness. The tree would have elegant stars that shine at the top, with fairy lights wrapping around its branches, making it comfortable and inviting.

                                 However, the essence of Christmas is much broader than just the decorations. It is embedded in the joy of associating with people you love. (Kasser & Sheldon, 2002) It is a cozy gathering where all family members and close friends get together to tell jokes, laugh, and enjoy each other’s body heat. The winter air would have been fragrant with the aroma of gingerbread houses that were being built, the caroling sound, and the rustle of paper as perfectly picked gifts were being swapped around the warm crackling fireplace.

    A trip to a Local Christmas Market or Event is a fitting addition to this ideal celebration. These venues surely feel like Christmas, full of bustle stalls, glimmering lights, and the smell of mulled wine in the air. The sound of carols, laughter, and hand-crafted goods gives an impression of holiday cheer and community spirit, which is the essence of Christmas.

    Thus, Christmas is when one can appreciate it as a feast in all possible senses – the beauty of adornment and decorations or lighting, tradition and creativity or artistry, and above all, the beauty of being together with family members. It is a time of wonder; in every instant and tradition, each recalls the delight and glory of this holiday.

  • The Beauty and Joy of Thanksgiving

    The beauty of warmth, thanksgiving, and togetherness make Thanksgiving special (Cavoto, 2020). It is a unique day characterized by traditions, great meals, and memorable times with family members. In many homes, thanksgiving is like a cacophony of cooking, cheerfulness, and story after story, making the house comfortable and joyful.

    For me and many others, thanksgiving is found in the kitchen; that is where families and friends gather and where, for a moment, the scent of roasted turkey, savory side dishes, and sweet pies fills the air, making a lasting memory for the holidays.

    One of the personal highlights of my Thanksgiving is the preparation of a beloved dish: Maple Glazed Carrots. The ingredients in this recipe might be simple, but it contributes sweetness, which is quite unusual for a savory feast. For this process, carrots are peeled and sliced diagonally for that rustic fashion feeling. The olive oil-coated slices are then sprinkled with salt and pepper and roasted to achieve the desired tenderness. Lastly, a generous maple syrup and butter drizzle is added, followed by a final 5-minute roast, resulting in a lustrous, mouthwatering coat.

    However, Thanksgiving is not just about dinner but also about appreciating simple things in life (Cavoto, 2020). It has since become a tradition for many, including me, to stroll after indulging in the plentiful meal. Local Park Nature Trail is a peaceful place where I enjoy going the day after Thanksgiving when I need solace and beauty. This place’s serene pathways and spectacular scenes are ideal grounds for reappraising the joys and blessings of life. Strolling through dry leaves, experiencing the mild coolness, and seeing the sunshine through the leaves in late autumn are relaxing moments of calmness and appreciation.

    These walks are not only an excuse to burn off those Thanksgiving calories; they are an opportunity to spend time in nature, take it easy, and appreciate the beauty of the natural world (Thompson, 2023). However, the falling leaves, fresh air, and peaceful mood on the road contrast with that loud holiday showing us the harmony of life. Thanksgiving, therefore, becomes more than a feast on food and family, but the beauty that encompasses us in nature, in simple traditions, and moments of silent self-reflection. It is a good time to appreciate the earth’s bounties, home warmth, and friends’ companionship.