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Along with Holy Week, Christmas is one of the most important celebrations for the migrant community in New Bedford. They typically attend Mass and then exchange gifts and enjoy traditional dishes from their home countries with their families.
Others, who live away from family, take the opportunity to connect with their loved ones. Technology becomes an indispensable bridge to shorten the distance with those who stayed behind.
In many families, gifts are opened on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning, following a custom deeply rooted in the Catholic faith and the cultural traditions of their countries.
Diversity is also evident at the dinner table. In households where different nationalities live together, such as Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, or Nicaraguan families, the food becomes a mosaic of flavors: pupusas, tacos, tamales, and other typical dishes are served in abundance and shared buffet-style.
For drinks, the most traditional is ponche, a hot beverage prepared with different types of fruit and cinnamon. Along with tortillas, this drink is a staple at Central American tables, especially during celebrations like Christmas.
Email Gerardo Beltrán Salinas at gerardo@newbedfordlight.org
