Laura of the Valley: traditions

December 8, 2014

Christmas Traditions: Candle Party!

One of my favourite Colombian traditions is lighting candles on December 7. It's originally supposed to celebrate the rise of Virgin Mary to Heaven––yes, we're a deeply Catholic country––but to me it was more like a fun excuse to play around with my friends, eat good traditional dishes, and spend time with my family.

Although this year I skipped the whole traditional dishes/family time this year, I did have the chance to light some candles and celebrate with one of my closest childhood friends, who happens to be visiting for a few days. We also tried to remember our childhood days when we used the candle wax to do huge balls and other figures, but apparently that's an ability that goes away as you grow up... We failed completely when trying to do out figures!

But we did have a lot of fun, and I'm glad I have her with me for a few days. It definitely makes me feel less far from home!

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio

December 25, 2013

Christmas Dinner

One of the things I love the most about Christmas is that it is almost a worldwide holiday. Even if different cultures celebrate it different ways, I'm pretty sure almost everyone around the world knows the magic of Christmas trees and fairy lights, and the sound of Santa's laugh.

One of my favourite traditions in Colombia is having dinner on Christmas Eve. Ever since I was a small child, I remember seeing my mum and my grandma baking a huge turkey for all of us to eat. I remember playing with my three cousins until Santa came with our presents. I remember being as happy as I could possibly be!

This year––and it has been similar for several years now––it was a quieter Christmas: just my mum and dad, my sister, and I. But we couldn't skip the turkey. It's definitely the best turkey on Earth and I would never miss it. This time, we had it with potato salad. My dad contributed with a special wine he had saved for a special occasion––a Santa Rita sauvignon blanc Reserve 2007––and I made some mushrooms for a starter, and the dessert was our favourite chocolate cake!

We had dinner at home: a place that I used to believe could compare to Santa's own place of living. My mum is the hugest Christmas addict I've ever seen, and she has always decorated the house with the best of Christmas. I remember my friends from school loved to count how many Christmas trees there were––and this number was never below 20! And this year it was as magical as always: full of lights and love!