Howdy and happy holidays! The Hoya Blog Team is here to share our experiences during the holiday break, what a day during break has looked like for us in the past and what you might expect if you’re traveling to one of their locations of celebratory expertise. Come join us on a little trip around the country and the world!
Emily Austin
Being a former military kid means I’ve spent more holidays outside of the United States than actually in the country I call home. Although that’s a slightly
disheartening fact, it means I’ve had a taste of what the holiday season looks like in the United States, Japan and Portugal. Starting off with Japan, a unique but obscure tradition for the Japanese locals is to have a KFC family meal for Christmas. This tradition originated in the 1970s, when the first KFC opened in the country and sought to cater to foreigners who missed having turkey around Christmas. Thus, a new tradition was born and has since become a staple in
many Japanese households. Although my family never participated when we lived in Japan, it was still so fun to see all the KFC Christmas sales.
Christmas in Portugal, characterized by a very rainy and cold climate, was usually centered around food. My family embraced a Portuguese tradition of buying a “bolo-rei,” which translates to “king’s cake” in English. The cake is circular shaped, baked with candied fruit and nuts and topped in powdered sugar. A trinket would be hidden in the cake, and its finder would have luck for the rest of the year.
Finally, my own holiday traditions are a mixture of American, Hispanic and Caribbean influences, where we open presents on the 24th and usually have a Christmas meal of pot roast or turkey on the 25th!
Shira Oz
Growing up in New York City and in Tel Aviv, Israel, I have seen two very different versions of December. The first is a snowy winter wonderland with magical Christmas lights (though the snow turns more of a gray color with little spots of yellow dog pee, for authenticity, of course). The second, Tel Aviv, is quite the opposite with the population being so deprived of winter and the Christmas spirit (since it is around 65° on a really cold day and predominantly Jewish). People actually travel to Nazareth (an hour out of Tel Aviv) to see the one Christmas tree, and to Jerusalem (also an hour out of Tel Aviv) to see the 5 centimeters of snowfall.
But in Tel Aviv itself, it is all about Hanukkah, and more importantly, the food. Traditionally, we eat fried food to commemorate the miracle of the oil during the holiday. The city streets become filled with the smell of sufganiyot, or jelly-filled donuts. Every function you go to, every family gathering, every work event, your seven-year-old cousin’s birthday party – you name it – freshly baked jelly donuts will be served. Roladin, a popular bakery, has Westernized the sufganiya and created what I think is the real Hanukkah miracle. As pictured below, you may now understand why Israel is considered a start-up nation (because what even is high-tech, anyways?).
Aaliyah Gala
Being from Bombay, India, where winter basically means the weather finally calms down enough to be outside without melting or getting caught in a sudden
downpour, the season has always been one of my favorites. December at home is bright in every way: sunny mornings, cool evenings and neighborhoods that transform into real-life Christmas inactions. There’s nothing like being on a drive at midnight, music echoing, family packed in the car, watching the million lights light up your city that never seems to sleep and your dog sticking his head out the window in his little elf costume.
Winter break feels even more special now that I’m across the world. And not just because I’m thrilled to escape the freezing cold and the five-layer uniform I’ve been wearing here since November. It’s comforting to go back to a place you don’t realize means so much to you, only until you leave. In India, Christmas is celebrated in a very universal way, not necessarily tied to religion as much as it is tied to community, friends and neighbors. From secret Santa with friends to setting up the horribly decorated Christmas tree with my brother, it’s the small habits that make the holidays feel like home.
Bombay, a city that usually operates at full speed, suddenly feels softer but still all the more alive. The lights stay on long after midnight, and everything feels festive without losing that familiar chaos the city is known for. And then there’s the food. We don’t get the cold, cozy “hot chocolate weather,” but we have our own winter comforts. Growing up, we’d take road trips to nearby towns where it actually gets chilly, picking strawberries in Mahabaleshwar and stopping for the famous chocolate fudge in Lonavala. Those flavors are locked away in memories, the kind you don’t even think about until you’re back and suddenly nothing else tastes quite right. The flavors of home carry this warmth that has nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with being home.
Warmth from family, warmth from friends, warmth from the feeling of home itself — that’s the winter break that pushes me through finals and the 24-hour journey home every time.
Seta Sahagian
Growing up just outside New York City (NYC) means the holidays feel like stepping into every classic movie montage at once. When family visits over the holidays, we usually take them through the “typical tourist holiday checklist.” Seeing the infamous Rockefeller Center tree is always on the list, paired with intensely people-watching as groups wipe out on the rink right in front of the great tree (honestly, this could be a whole-day affair). Then usually we wander over to the Saks Fifth Avenue light show, through Central Park with something warm to drink, or even try to squeeze in a Broadway show if we can. In my opinion, and in efforts to avoid the crowds that make the cold New York air feel somewhat warm, I recommend heading to Chelsea Market, Bryant Park Winter Village, the Union Square Holiday Market or the High Line for some beautiful city views. Yes, still busy spots, but isn’t all of the city during the holiday season?
Back home in North Jersey, which in my very unbiased opinion is the best part of the state, the holidays have a different kind of comfort. While Central and South Jersey may argue that they are better than the north, our holidays involve trips to Garden State Plaza or the American Dream Mall (the second largest mall in America) for last-minute gifts, entertainment and amazing eats. If you want a feel of the NYC winter villages but in a more hometown feel, you can visit the Van Saun County Park Winter Wonderland. As a retired figure skater, I love taking on the role of instructor whenever friends or cousins want to skate, helping them stay upright while they cling to their little penguin walkers. So, with the close proximity to New York City, the holiday season always ends up being the perfect mix of city rush and Jersey coziness.
Arielle Biran
The holiday season in Philadelphia is no different than any other season in the City of Brotherly Love — lively, colorful and marked by a smattering of “Go
Birds” every few blocks (though likely more falteringly this year). Growing up, my visible reminder that fall had long gone and winter was here to stay was the construction of Christmas Village by City Hall. Setting up shop right before Thanksgiving and staying until right around New Years, Philly’s Christmas Village is a collection of vendors selling everything from sandwiches to intricately woven stockings or delicately carved bird houses. While there is nothing I take more pride in than my Jewish identity, the holiday season can be isolating and jealousy-inducing — anyone who says that Hanukkah is as fun or festive as Christmas is lying to themselves. But the opportunity to hop from reindeer to polar bear on the Christmas carousel or sit gleefully on Santa’s lap let me feel like any other kid: completely enamored and enveloped by the Christmas spirit. If you’re feeling a little more Scrooge-like this holiday season, be sure to head to an Eagle’s tailgate. The crowds will be decked out in Christmas colors (green jerseys, red in the face), and there will almost surely be a drunken fat man calling himself Santa!
Fallon Wolfley
If you find yourself in Northern California for the holidays, make sure to head over to San Francisco for the best festivities. While I am not from the Bay Area and am by no means a local, I live about a couple of hours away and have gone over the holidays numerous times. One incredible thing to do is watch the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” which I remember watching when I was nine years old and absolutely loving. If you’re a history nerd like me, there is also the Charles Dickens Fair hosted in the Cow Palace, which is sort of like a Renaissance fair, but for Victorian England. I have been itching to go there in my adulthood, since this time I won’t be petrified of the actor dressed as the “Ghost of Christmas Past” that roams through the fake streets.
But best of all, and what I recommend most, is going ice skating in Union Square. This is where I actually first learned to ice skate, which, honestly, was an insane choice on my part, but I lived! I recommend going at night because then you can see all of the lights of the city (cue the Journey song), and there tend to be fewer people at that time. Make sure to bundle up, though!
Cynthia Chen
Seoul, South Korea, goes all out on the Christmas spirit, with decorations and trees in every cafe, restaurant, department store and city square. One of my must visits every holiday season is the Lotte Town Christmas Market outside the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil. It’s the biggest Christmas market in the city, decorated in the style of European markets. It is filled with little shops, food stalls, coffee shops and photo opportunities. I had one of the best (and most Instagram famous in Korea) roasted chicken legs at the market, and it’s a dish I still think about today. The market is decorated to the max, and one of the must-dos in the city during the holiday season. I can’t wait to go back this December.
Malia Odegaard
Growing up in Seattle, when my family wasn’t travelling, I knew I could expect a wet Christmas. Around the holidays, my family and I had numerous traditions. My dad and I loved to go to the Fairmount Olympic Hotel and walk around while looking at all the beautifully unique Christmas trees. My mom and I would spend the afternoons walking by the water, setting up lanterns with the community and making homemade hot chocolate to watch the Christmas ships (cruises with carolers) go by. With my dad being Christian and my mom being Jewish, the holidays were always exciting because I got to celebrate twice the normal amount. One of my favorite memories is going over to a family friend’s house to decorate the Christmas tree and decorate gingerbread houses, before returning home to light the menorahs. In recent years, I have adopted some essential holiday traditions, whether that be doing the polar plunge on New Year’s Day, going to the opera or “The Nutcracker” with my parents, going night skiing at Stevens Pass or going on drives along the boulevard listening to Christmas music.
If you ever make your way down to Seattle, there are so many exciting quirks that fit everyone’s needs. If you are into touristy things, head over to Leavenworth to see the Bavarian Village decorated for the holidays! If you love dinner with a view, (try) to book Canlis, with a wonderful view of Lake Union! Or if you enjoy lowkey things, go on a snowhike or even just take a walk by the water! Most importantly, don’t forget to pack your Patagonia fleece inside your North Face duffel, and of course wear your Salomon shoes 🙂
