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How Our Family Fuses Holiday Traditions

Posted by Caryn Bailey 1 Comment

This is part of a sponsored campaign with P&G and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Decorating Rice Krispie House

The Holiday season begins as soon as we put away the Halloween costumes and say goodbye to the Jack O Lantern that sits on our front porch. Everything we do from that moment until Christmas morning is done with purpose and planning, with the greater goal of making this time incredibly special and memorable for the kids. Even at 4 and 7, my children have come to expect that we will put up the Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving, decorate a Gingerbread House and make Wish Lists.

 Bailey Family Christmas Photo

This season, I’m honored to announce my partnership with Orgullosa as a Holiday Ambassador for Swiffer! With 2 small children in the house and a fluffy, feisty little dog, I’m constantly cleaning up messes.  And while their products make tidying up my home practically effortless (who doesn’t have at least one duster on-hand ready to wipe down surfaces when an impromptu guests arrives?), it is their understanding of how important traditions are to the Latino family, particularly during the holidays, that really resonated with me.

As a second generation Puerto Rican woman, I experienced the fusion of traditions as a child, and very often this was most evident during the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner were always an eclectic mix of traditional and American foods.  To the outsider, Spanish rice and turkey might seem like a culinary paradox, but it wasn’t Thanksgiving morning unless I was awakened by the smell of my dad cooking his signature dish.

 Family Christmas Photo

Because family is so integral to our culture, we always spent the holidays with loved ones, even traveling great distances to connect. My children are being raised in a bicultural family which means we must be purposeful about ensuring that they are exposed to each of the cultures that make them who they are. Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with their grandparents in Tennessee in complete Southern fashion while Christmas retains its fusion of American and Puerto Rican customs.

Kids in the Kitchen

Last year for the very first time, we made pasteles with the kids and incorporated one more Puerto Rican tradition into our holiday celebrations. They loved the communal nature of preparing this involved recipe, and I shared my own personal stories of celebrating Christmas with pasteles, arroz con dulce, and coquito. The following morning we opened presents, and while they played with their new toys, I made my traditional cinnamon rolls. Perhaps what makes our celebrations so special is this fusion…weaving in culture and customs with sprinkles of new and exciting memories reserved for our own immediate family.

Swiffer Mi Cultura Mi Fusion

A unique fusion cannot be imitated! While you represent two cultures in every celebration, one place represents you.  I can’t wait to share how we manage to keep our home holiday ready, in the midst of the busyness of raising two kids and a dog thanks to Swiffer! I invite you to visit Orgullosa.com on Facebook (#MiCulturaMiFusion) for solutions to help you during this very special time of the year.

Images: Rockin’ Mama unless noted. 

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Caryn Bailey
Caryn Bailey
Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.
Caryn Bailey
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One Response to How Our Family Fuses Holiday Traditions

  1. Kate - Catching Up With Kate says

    December 3, 2014 at 6:33 am

    You look great! I am sure this is going to be a magical and blessed Christmas season for your family!

    Reply

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What started out as a way to chronicle my son’s first year of life has evolved into Rockin’ Mama. I am a babywearing, breastfeeding mama, a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night.

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