What traditions do you look forward to during the Christmas season? It is always a delight for me to learn how people from different cultures celebrate. It is extra special when someone shares their familial traditions with me.
Christmas 2021 was unlike any other as we had just moved a few days prior to Christmas Eve and still had most of our belongings in boxes. Nevertheless, we celebrated Christmas Day with our annual seafood paella lunch. It may seem rather unconventional to some, but it is something we look forward to all year.
However, on the night of Christmas Eve, my husband encouraged me to open a gift from a dear Mexican friend. He said, “I think you may want to have this tomorrow morning.” He certainly was right as she blessed me with a molinillo and drinking chocolate from Mexico! A few days later she shared that it has been a special part of her family’s celebration during the holidays. This old tradition made for a new and wonderful way to start our Christmas Day celebration. Even my stepdad reminisced and shared how his grandmother used to make hot chocolate using a molinillo for special days like Christmas.
David Greenwood-Haigh recently released a booklet entitled, “Deeper Into Chocolate, The inspiration behind the world’s favourite drink.” The release of this publication was absolutely timely, for who doesn’t like the idea of a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day? It chronicles the history of this beloved drink, walks you through the process of having a “mindful hot chocolate experience,” and finishes with recipes so you can, “Make The Best Hot Chocolate At Home.”
If for some reason drinking chocolate is not part of your tradition, you may find recipes in this booklet that will convince you to integrate it into your celebrations. Thus, it would behoove you to obtain a copy so you can put it to good use!
It is quite a joy to bring to life old traditions and integrate them into our current traditions. And who doesn’t like celebrating with chocolate, right? Happy 2022 to you!
Comments