Christmas music

I have this thing about Christmas music. I can't have enough of it. I love the traditional carols, and I love every single adaptation (or aberration) of those carols. I love countrified Christmas tunes, and rockin' Christmas tunes. I was at Big Lots last week and swept up six compilation cds. I have them on rotation at my desk all day long!

If I had to pick my all-time favorite Christmas song, it would have to be El Vez' "Oranges for Christmas" (I will find the lyrics and add them to this post later). It completely exemplifies my Mexican-American experience, the early Christmases I shared with all my extended family - - aunts, uncles, and cousins galore! My Aunt Gloria would make up these little brown bags for all the kids, and inside would be a handful of nuts (still in their shells), hard Christmas candy (that stuff that looks like ribbons), a candy cane, an apple, and an orange. And, we'd all get those little red-net stockings, too. Christmas Eve was a bustle of activity - - so many good things to eat/drink: tamales, capirotada, piles of empanadas, atole; opening presents at midnight, dancing (there was always music), and laughing. Always laughing. It never mattered how small the house was, everyone always fit, everyone was fed, and there was always room for more (another compadre/comadre, another friend who didn't have somewhere to be for Christmas).

I tried to bring a little more tradition to our holiday this year. We strung popcorn and cranberries for the tree. We decorated a gingerbread house. I can't recreate my childhood experiences because my kids don't have cousins like I did. They don't have an uncle who drinks too much and keeps everyone in stitches with his stories and jokes. But we have created our own traditions. I still make tamales, because that is a part of my heritage I don't want to die. This year, I am going to try my hand at capirotada (a type of bread pudding) and atole (a flavored porridge, you drink it hot and thick) - - even though I suspect my kids won't like them. And, I think I will e-mail my cousin Lorena and ask if she has her mom's pumpkin empanada recipe.

But most of all, I am going to remain calm and enjoy this time. I will remind myself that the spirit of the season has less to do with "stuff" than it does with being in the moment with those I love the most.

Peace be with you!