For many expats, the end of the year means celebrations with family and/or friends. Many take this opportunity to return home and enjoy the traditions they grew up in. Others choose to stay in their host country or are compelled to do so, and also take advantage of these festivities to spend time with their new friends or family. In all cases, the end of the year is mainly a time for celebration, joy and good food! Here's what expats have planned for this year.
Expats returning home for the holidays
Laura, a Spanish expat in the Netherlands, is returning to Madrid, her home city, with her family for the holidays. "I'm going to enjoy some great food and spend some nice time relaxing with my family. In Spain, we celebrate Christmas Eve on the 24th with a unique, hearty family meal. The next day, we eat the leftovers and spend time with family members", she says. Madrid has a very special tradition for New Year's Eve: a few seconds before midnight, people eat 12 grapes, one for each stroke. "A huge clock is set up for the occasion on the Puerta del Sol (one of the city's most emblematic squares), and all the TV channels broadcast the moment so that everyone can enjoy it from home. As the last 12 seconds of the year tick by, everyone eats their grapes, and when midnight strikes, we wish each other a Happy New Year with our mouths full of grapes. This is a very old tradition, dating back to the time when Spain produced a lot of grapes but didn't know what to do with them because there were too many. So they invented this tradition to avoid wasting them. It's great fun!", says Laura.
Camille and Federico, French and Italian expats in France, are traveling to Italy for the holidays. "Last year we remained in France, so this year it's the Italian family's turn, as we alternate every year." The couple plans to spend a lot of time with their family on the days before, during and after Christmas. "We'll also be meeting our childhood friends and, above all, eating a lot! In the Emilia-Romagna region, there is a lot of food during the festivities. On the evening of the 24th, we'll be in a small group with our elders, and we will follow the tradition of eating only white fish with vegetables. On the 25th, the whole family usually gathers for lunch, which is the big feast. The menu includes cold meats and cheeses, Cotechino (an Italian sausage), guinea fowl, vegetables and Piadina (a local pancake). We usually eat the leftovers in the evening after this meal. Of course, whether it's the 24th or the 25th, there's always Cappelletti in brodo! (these are small ravioli in broth)." Camille and Federico are also going to join some friends at their place near Milan to celebrate New Year's Eve. "It will be a small meal with friends, nothing too fancy, just to mark the occasion and spend some time together."
Oli, a Dominican expat in the Netherlands, is also traveling back to her homeland, the Dominican Republic, for the holidays. "I'm really excited to spend this month of the year there, because it's the happiest time of the year in my country, we really look forward to it. Christmas is very important, but it's not just about the holidays. We really enjoy being together and cooking together throughout the whole month of December! Everyone's very happy, the government gives everyone a bonus so people are also very happy with the extra money. Almost every day, we plan something, like parties with friends, mini Christmas dinners with old classmates, for example, etc." According to her, Christmas Day is even more important as it's an old tradition. "The streets are closed to traffic, people place their tables outside in the street, and we all share our food and drink and play music. We do pretty much the same thing on December 31, New Year's Eve, but it's also a time to say goodbye to the previous year, share good wishes, hug each other, and spend the whole night and the following day together. I love these celebrations." This year, however, Oli will be away from her husband for the celebrations. "But we will talk on the phone as much as possible to share these moments together, even if we're far away".
Estelle, a French expat in Italy, is also going home to spend time with her family for a week. "This is very important for me. So I have a very busy schedule to meet all my family and friends, wish them all a happy festive season, bring them goodies from Italy, and spend time together." However, Estelle has decided to celebrate New Year's Eve in Rome, her expat city. "I haven't exactly planned my evening yet, but it will be with a few friends who are also staying in Rome. Usually, there are lots of organized parties, restaurants offer special evenings, and then there's the 'Concertone di Capodanno' on the Circo Massimo site in the heart of the historic center. This is a huge concert featuring famous Italian artists. There's singing and dancing until midnight, followed by a big fireworks display from the Roman Forums and the Colosseum. Fantastic show."
Expat staying in their host country for the holidays
Elisabeth, a French expat in Montréal, considers herself lucky to have family in Montreal, just a few minutes' drive from her home. "So this will be the third Christmas in a row that we've celebrated together. One of my sisters and her 9-year-old daughter are also coming from France, and this will be my niece's first Christmas in Quebec. So, I hope she'll have some memorable moments during her stay."
According to Elisabeth, it won't be anything too fancy for 24 and 25 December, just a few meals, games, gifts and quality time spent together. "For New Year's Eve, it will no doubt be in the same spirit. It's a privilege for me to have family around for the festive season and to be able to spend some quality time with them. We'll all be on holiday during this period, so we'll be making the most of it by going on trips and engaging in activities. It will be an added bonus if there's snow!"
Farah and Will, expats from Iran and the US, respectively, will also be staying in Italy for the holidays. Will is American, and although the holidays are very important in his family, this year, he decided to stay with his partner. "For Christmas, we've decided to go to the Valle d'Aosta, in the north of Italy, to meet up with some friends who live near Turin. We're hoping to see snow in the mountains! We're going to make the most of our time together, having a meal on the evening of the 24th in the apartment which the 4 of us have rented. We haven't finalized a menu yet, but it's sure to be intercultural, a mix of American and Oriental", says Farah. On the other hand, the couple will be spending New Year's Eve in the heart of Rome. "We have no particular plans yet, but there will undoubtedly be delicious food and champagne among friends at midnight!"
