The holiday season means something different to everyone. For some, it’s a time filled with Christmas lights, presents, and cherished family traditions.
For others, it’s a quieter season, shaped by how they were raised or by the shifting perspective that comes with growing up. It’s also a time to reflect on the diversity of celebrations, as different cultures pass down traditions that bring families together and create lasting memories.
At its heart, the holidays remind people that the season is not just about gifts and decorations, but about celebrating the connections that bind families and loved ones.
This week, Pacer NYC sat down with Genesis Peralta, a senior, and Ms. Ellovich, a Spanish teacher to explore how their unique cultural backgrounds and personal experiences shape their views on the holidays.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday observed for eight nights and days. It’s late this year starting on the evening of Dec. 25 to Jan. 2, 2025. Hanukkah is actually a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, but families come together to light one new candle each night until all are lit together on the final festival night.
What unique family traditions do you have during the holidays?
Ms. Ellovich: I don’t think we have any, honestly. We had presents but nothing kooky.
What do you do during Hanukkah?
Ms. Ellovich: We would light the candles. We would also put our heads down and my parents would find a present and put it in front of us because they were too lazy to wrap the presents. My parents would put the present in front of us and then say, “Okay, ready?” Then we would open and go, “Oh my God! Look, socks!”
What kind of cultural food do you eat during the holidays?
Ms. Ellovich: I like potato pancakes. I like sour cream and applesauce [on top of mine], you’re supposed to only like one but I like both.
What do you think makes this season feel so festive?
Ms. Ellovich: I guess people decorate all over the place so that’s nice for them. I mean, it’s nice to look at. So, yeah, I think that’s part of it. Sometimes, when it ever snows, it’s very beautiful for the first hour before the cars and people mess it up. It can be quite pretty.
Christmas
What unique family traditions do you have for Christmas?
Peralta: Sometimes me and my mom would spontaneously get the urge at midnight to see the Rockefeller tree just because we enjoyed that it’s emptier. I’ve not done it consistently, but there were years where she’d sometimes randomly be like, “Let’s go.”
What kind of traditional food do you eat during Christmas?
Peralta: The traditional food that I personally enjoy a lot is something called humitas. I don’t know if you’ve seen tamales, [but] it’s something just like that except not like that. It comes from Ecuador and it’s corn [with] cheese inside.
What do you think makes this season feel so festive?
Peralta: For me personally, just becoming close again with all of my family members that we don’t get to see due to our routines, which are school, work, and distance. When we all come together, I feel that’s something that makes it feel like Christmas. [I] don’t get to see them as much, [but] when the holidays come, it’s all of us. Then you realize, “Wow!”, this is a really big family.
