"The Truth Of Traditions..."

Holiday traditions are the stitching that bind family and friends together and no holiday features more traditions than Christmas...

Two of my three sons are married to women of Mexican heritage and so my three grandchildren (so far) get to know the joys of traditions shared from their diverse heritages. From my two daughter-in-laws Latinx heritage comes the Christmas celebration of "Nochebuena" which translates to "The Good Night" referring to Christmas Eve.  USA Today featured a very good brief explanation of Nochebuena this morning:

Many Hispanic, Latinx and Filipino families will celebrate Nochebuena

For many in the Latinx, Hispanic and Filipino community, Christmas celebrations take place on Dec. 24 in the form of Nochebuena. It is an annual holiday in which certain communities celebrate the holiday on the night of Dec. 24 rather than Dec. 25. While the traditions of the night can vary based on culture and region, a common theme persists: it's about being together.  "There's only two or three times a year where you'll get the entire extended family together," said Alexandro Gradilla, associate professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University. "It really is not only a holiday of love, but it's also truly a holiday of peace."