The Perfect Holidays

Filed in archive Latin Holidays , Latina Musings on November 25, 2006

What's your concept of "Perfect Holidays"? Do you struggle and burn yourself out every year, trying to make the perfect dinner, party, souffle, Decoration, gift? If so, let me ask you: WHY do you do that?

Do you remember when you were a child, what was the meaning of Holidays to you? Back then, the perfect holiday was the day you got the gift you wanted so bad. You only cared about eating delicious treats, seeing your favorite uncle, baking cookies with your mom. So much easier and less stressing, right?

How about enjoying this simple approach again? I bet you wish you could be as happy as then, instead of freaking out trying to be perfect. Well, you can! It's up to you, it's only a matter of how you choose to do what you have to do, and where you set your expectations.

Another way to look at this is the "Latino Way". Latinos don't care about perfect holidays. Traditionally, what matter to us in the Holiday Season is the company of our loved ones. It's all about having a family gathering, a big fiesta; a table full of home-made food, a lot of drinks, good music.

Everybody contributes with something; either with a yummy dish, a thoughtful toast, a funny story or treasured memory, helping with the cleaning, a song, a smile.

The important thing is to spend time with our family and friends; that's what I call a "Latin Holiday Season". Tons of love, fun and joy, and not worrying about perfection. In fact, I think that's what Holidays are really about. What do you think? What are you going to do, and how?