Friendsmas: How to enjoy Christmas away from home! By: Dez A La mocha
As a foreigner, spending the holidays with your Family can be challenging at times.
Last year I was away from home for the holidays so one of my besties and I decided to do FRIENDSMAS and celebrate it together.
We are both Latinas with West-Indian backgrounds and decided to do everything based on our culture.
It was such a hit last year that we decided to do it every year that we’re both available.
Noche buena (Christmas Eve)
We start our festivities on the 24th listening to “Mi burrito Sabanero”, Old school salsa and it quickly escalates to reggaeton.
We both prep almost everything from night before and make coquito (Puerto Rican drink- made by my friend.)
This is the night that we play games (drinking might be involved), catch up and talk about memories from back home and drink Coquito all night.
We also do one craft for the night. Last year we decorated Christmas stockings and this year we are doing a “Latin Gingerhouse.”
Christmas Day
On Christmas morning we wake up to the sound of Oscar De León and all traditional salsa songs we can think of, dance all day in our Christmas onesies and PJs and drink more Coquito.
After dancing to the rhythm of salsa, dancehall and reggaeton we finally exchange our gifts and FaceTime all our loved ones back home including Panama and Puerto Rico.
We finally have our Christmas meal that includes: pavo, patacones rellenos, arroz con guandú y coco, empanadas, endalada verde.
To drink: coquito (I am trying to do add Saril this year.)
We end our FRIENDSMAS by playing games (that might involve more drinking or not), invite any friends that would like to experience a Latin- Caribbean Christmas, maybe watch a movie and of course drink more coquito LOL!!!
With Christmas being such a special date, it can be easy to get caught up in the festivities and forget what really matters. Incorporating small but meaningful things to your day, creating new memories and traditions with new friends and ALWAYS including a splash of your CULTURE to the holidays can make a big difference.
Therefore, instead of getting extremely homesick because I am not spending the holidays with my family back in Panama, I make sure I am busy, distracted and always try different ways to brighten it up.
I hope this inspires anyone that’s spending their first holiday away from home.
Happy Holidays!!!
Besos,
Dez A La Mocha
