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The Holidays: Up From Commercialism
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15432 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
12 / 1989 |
2,076 Words |
| Author
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Mindy Leaf
Mindy Leaf, a free-lance writer based in North Palm Beach,
Florida, frequently reports on Israel. |
Caught between commercialism and empty Christmas cheer, many Americans long for a more meaningful way to celebrate the holiday season. A solution for some is to return to the customs and traditions of their homelands. Even second-generation Americans often find their elders' old-fashioned traditions more meaningful and ultimately more satisfying than today's frantic quest for the fanciest gifts and greeting cards.
Here is a look at how American immigrants from three very different nationalities continue to celebrate traditional Christmases in their adopted country. If any of these practices happen to strike your fancy, please don't hesitate to add them to your own holiday activity list. The mediums may seem a bit strange at first, to be sure, but the universal messages of peaces and goodwill cannot be denied.
In Catholic Colombia, people get into the spirit of Christmas early in the season. From the onset of Novena (from nuevo, meaning "new") on December 16, homes are made festive and are opened to constant streams of guests. The first thing visitors see when they enter is an elaborately decorated, homemade model of the nativity scene, often complete with electric moving parts and lights. Occupying a place of honor in every living room or parlor, the fancy crèche takes the place of our Christmas tree. And though crèches in Colombian-American homes tend to be smaller and are often store-bought, they still serve as the focal point of the season's festivities.
Aleyda Romanoff, who owns restaurant in North Palm Beach, Florida, and her brother (who lives in nearby Wellington) continue to celebrate the nine days of Novena in much the same way
... (1999 of 12806 Characters)
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