Christmas in India

The Holidays are a season that we all love, for the most part. Pretty lights, lots of sugar loaded hot drinks, cozy atmospheres and family gatherings. I have always loved the holidays, or just festivities in general. However, growing up as a third cultured kid the holidays also meant a lot of traveling. Being born in America to Indian parents automatically created am openly diverse environment for me, and I know there are many others who share a similar experience. After living in The Bay Area for many years my parents decided to move us to India. Post high school my sisters and I each moved back to the bay for college and have laid down our foundation here. As a result, we go back once a year during the holidays and try and meet over 15 family members who all live in different states within a span of 3 weeks if not less. Unfortunately, I have developed a love-hate relationship with this idea. Being someone who loves the festivities of the holidays I would be sad to miss out on Christmas in America every year no matter how happy I would be visiting family back in India. I felt the need to get all the celebration out of my system the moment Thanksgiving night was over until mid December. Play all the Christmas music I can, drink all the hot chocolate possible, visit every single Christmas market just fill up my days with Christmas.

It took me many years to come to terms with this back and forth dialogue in my head of wanting to stay in America for the holidays but also missing my family in India. But eventually, I decided to change the narrative. What are the holidays about truly? It doesn’t matter how much apple cider I pump into my veins or how many Christmas cookies I bake what really matters is that I get to reunite with my entire family in December. And as my cousin put it that’s what makes “December the best month of the year.”

I’m sure I’m not the only third culture kid that struggles with this, and who knows if you even have to be a third cultured kid to understand what I’m talking about. But what I do know is that I have now associated homemade Indian food, bonfires and wine, misty mornings and sunny afternoons with lots of chai with the holidays as well. And that feels good, it feels right. I can now calm down and enjoy all angles of the holidays!

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