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CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

KATHY WATERS/HIGHLANDS TODAY

From left: Jeanne Derespina shows her grandson Ryan, 8, how to make dough balls while making traditional Italian sweets for Christmas at their home in Sebring. "My mother made these when I was your age," Jeanne told her grandson.

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By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: December 23, 2007

SEBRING — With Christmas approaching, relatives are traveling to be with one another, cooks are breaking out family recipes, church-goers are preparing for services and procrastinators are finishing last-minute shopping.

Some residents are even incorporating international traditions and pieces of their heritage into their holiday celebrations.

Pasta And Pastries

For Italians, Christmas is all about food – pasta to be exact.

"I can remember always waking up on Christmas morning and smelling spaghetti sauce cooking," said Jeanne Derespina, whose parents were born in Italy.

The Italian families fast during the day of Christmas Eve and then enjoy the feast of seven fishes, which symbolize the seven sacraments of the Catholic church.

Derespina said each of her family members is responsible for bringing a different type of fish to the meal. After the feast, they go to midnight Mass and then typically have a big party afterward.

"We may be up until 2 a.m. celebrating and eating," Derespina said. "Again, everything revolves around food."

Christmas Day is no different, and pasta is typically the cuisine of choice. The menu usually includes antipasti, macaroni and cheese and lasagna. Derespina said she and her mom would always make homemade pastries for dessert, a tradition she is passing on to her grandsons Robbie, 9, and Ryan, 8, this season.

A large part of the holiday revolves around spending time with family.

"Everyone has to be together for Christmas no matter how far you have to drive," Derespina said. "We wouldn't even have enough seats for everyone; we would sit on the floor or wherever we could. We just wanted to be with family, and that's something that's definitely still important to me."

After enjoying the meal and opening presents, the family would celebrate with a birthday cake for baby Jesus.

"It's important for us not to forget what this holiday is really all about," Derespina said.

Steel Drums And Fruit Drinks

In Trinidad, the Christmas celebration spans more than two months with "fun and frolicking," said John Alleyne, a native Trinidadian.

Much of the merriment comes from music.

The Spanish Trinidadians travel between homes playing banjos and guitars and singing songs, much like carolers, and families often invite them inside for some refreshments.

"It's common to have a lot of food at your house during November and December," Alleyne said. "If people come by, they're going to expect something to eat."

Celebrations often incorporate a steel drum, which originated in Trinidad.

"Caribbean people are very fun loving," Alleyne said. "Even on Christmas, you will find someone beating the steel drum. We have a good time."

Trinidadians enjoy a traditional Christmas drink called sorrel, which is made from fresh fruit and a flower from the hibiscus family, also called a sorrel.

"The drink is a beautiful shade of red," said Alleyne, who will be enjoying the drink this year in his new Highlands County home.

Pigeon peas are one of the novelty items that are popular during Christmastime because the plants are cultivated in December. The legume is often prepared with beef.

Black cake is another traditional dish, made from fruit cake and preserved in rum, and Alleyne said families will often share the dessert with visitors.

A typical Christmas day meal includes pigeon peas, rice, ham, black cake and sorrel.

"And we always have homemade bread as well," Alleyne said. "You can't have Christmas without homemade bread."

Snowmen And Pudding

The stores in Great Britain are packed with shoppers about now, crammed in shoulder to shoulder.

"In England, we spend a lot more money on Christmas," said Steve Vanderzee, who was born near the border of England and Scotland. "The malls get millions of shoppers, and this time of year, you would have a hard time moving between shops."

The English focus on decorating the inside of their homes with trees, lights, garland and paper chains. They usually have very little décor on the outside of the house.

Sending Christmas cards is also a big part of the tradition, and Vanderzee still handwrites cards to mail "across the pond."

The big meal is usually served about 2 p.m. Christmas Day, and Vanderzee said the best part is the Christmas pudding, which is similar to a fruitcake.

"Just thinking about it makes my mouth water," Vanderzee said as he described the dessert as a steamed pudding, heavy with dried fruit and nuts.

"I think you put on about 20 pounds after you eat it," he quipped.

After the meal, Vanderzee said most people take long naps. The leisurely pace usually continues into Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, when the English eat their leftovers.

"We have a pattern of eating and sleeping, and it basically continues for two days," Vanderzee said.

The biggest difference he notices between holidays in Florida and England is the weather.

"You can almost always build a snowman on Christmas Day in England," Vanderzee said. "I thought I missed that type of weather until I went back and experienced it again. The wind about knocked me over, and I decided sunshine on Christmas is just fine."

Shell Wreathes And Fireworks

Wreaths made of white shells often deck the doors of homes throughout the Philippines, and Francis Pisa, a native Filipino, said his sister still hangs one on the door of her Florida home every year.

"It's made from shells that you would find in the Philippines," Pisa said, showing off pictures on his digital camera.

The celebration of Christmas and New Year's is already underway for the Pisa family; as with most Filipino families, they start the festivities in November.

"That's why the dream is always to go back to our country because we have such a great celebration," Pisa said. "Now that I am here, I have work, so it's difficult to find enough time to go back, but I hope to someday."

Firecrackers are also heard frequently during the two-month celebration in the Philippines, particularly on New Year's Eve but also on Christmas Eve at midnight.

"It's a little scary walking around outside because people are throwing firecrackers everywhere," Pisa said. "It's very neat to watch."

The traditional Christmas dinner in Philippines will likely consist of rice, crabs, chicken and fruits.

"We gather a lot of fruits and then we create a display with them," Pisa said.

Early Festivities But No Turkey

In Nicaragua, Christmas comes early — children open their presents at midnight Christmas Eve.

"We don't celebrate Christmas Day; we celebrate Christmas Eve," said Ramon Gavarrete, who was born in Nicaragua.

The big meal is eaten on Christmas Eve, and the main course is typically chicken or ham -

Nicaraguans don't eat turkey. The celebrations last throughout the day on Dec. 24 and usually into the early hours of Christmas morning.

"My dad used to force me to take a nap in the afternoon on Christmas Eve so that I could stay up until midnight," Gavarrete said. "But with all the excitement, I never did it."

The whole family gathers for the event, and this year is no different for the Gavarrette family, who will meet with their extended family for the holiday — in-laws included.

"Our family of four turns into a family of 35 that evening," Gavarrete said. "Christmas Eve is a time for fellowship, sharing and laughter. We all take care of each other and have a great time."

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