I don't consider myself a Christmas fanatic like some of my friends, but reflecting on all the rituals I follow, I think I am one after all. There is no Christmas in Vietnam, where I'm from, but the festive season has become so commercial and popular that you can feel Christmas in Saigon much earlier than in the States or Italy. I was surprised when I didn't see any Christmas decorations in Atlanta in late November during my vacation last month; I was told people decorate their houses gradually after Thanksgiving. In Italy, Christmas feels a bit earlier: around the third week of November you start seeing Santas, stars and Christmas trees in shop windows. In Saigon, you can see them as early as October! Hahaha!
I started our family Christmas rituals 14 years ago, when my daughter was born; I thought they would give her beautiful memories and excitement. So here is what we do each year, religiously — we have not missed a year yet.
- Last week of November: baking and preparing the Advent calendar for my little chipmunk. She loves helping me decorate the little biscuits and put them in the bags. asia advent calendar.jpg52.1 KB - First Saturday of December: we decorate the house and put up the Christmas tree with her nonni (grandparents), then have dinner together. For the past two years we haven't had our big tree because of the new feline family member, our kitten Zoey. We still have a small tree, and we’ve changed tactics: drawing and decorating the window and putting lights around the living room. - Second Saturday of December: baking and decorating biscuits for friends. She loves bringing cookies to her classmates and proudly saying, “I made them with my mommy.” - December 24: we make tortellini (the traditional Christmas ravioli) with her nonni; sometimes we also invite her best friend or her cousins when they have time. Then we have a light dinner together. - December 25: we have the big feast with the whole family (10 people total, not including three dogs and one cat).
Some might think rituals are not important, but I strongly disagree. Rituals create strong family bonds, unforgettable memories and moments to treasure. My daughter loves our rituals so much she always makes time for them. She has also learned to respect others’ family time: she rarely invites friends to our gatherings and doesn’t disturb friends who are spending time with their families.
my little girl, 4 years old, making her biscuits
Okay, we were late this year. I was so caught up with work that I didn't have time to bake biscuits on schedule. Wrapping was done on December 25 before heading to my in‑laws for lunch. So, despite the sustainable wrapping ideas, this post will be more useful next year.
The sustainable wrapping ideas didn't come to me spontaneously. Thanks to the Plastic Free Association, which sent an email encouraging people not to use plastic during the season, I did a little research and realized there are many sustainable ideas that can impress the gift recipient. I'm tired of separating plastic tape from paper, and sometimes glossy or glittery paper is not recyclable!
I hope you enjoy these ideas! It's not difficult, but you must set aside time and treat wrapping as a creative moment rather than merely covering presents. Look around for ingredients, favors and fragrances to include. I use pine, orange and kumquat. You can use other scents, such as cinnamon sticks or star anise. Small, cute candles can replace plastic ribbons, and I'm sure your friends will love using them after unwrapping the presents.
My biscuits this year are accompanied by 1 little doodled card. I grew a passion for doodling last year. It is like meditation! I feel so relaxed! For any of you who want to try, I highly recommend the Doodle series of the Japanese artist Kamo!
