Cinnamon and pine scents, glowing lights, ornaments everywhere. Trees rise in living rooms, and Nativity scenes tell ancient stories. How do you welcome it: with open arms or a touch of Grinch-like resistance?
Coming from a Latin tradition and accustomed to celebrating holidays throughout the year, I have grown to especially cherish the winter season. It is a time when we slow down and set aside the hustle and bustle of the year. This season is also deeply shaped by religious traditions—primarily Christian—which have led people to honor and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
One of the most meaningful traditions comes from Saint Francis of Assisi, the renowned friar known for his deep sense of brotherhood and love for animals. He believed that compassion extended to all living beings, famously declaring that “he considered himself no friend of Christ if he did not cherish those for whom Christ died.” There is much to learn from his lifestyle and spiritual perspective, and his legacy lives on through one of the most widely recognized Christmas traditions across cultures.
This tradition centers on the celebration of Christ’s birth and takes place during midwinter, when many families bring into their homes small figures representing Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus—the Nativity scene. Often, these scenes include animals and other important figures such as the Three Kings, or Magi. The rural setting of the Nativity reflects Saint Francis of Assisi’s reverence for nature and animals. As a 12th-century figure and later recognized as the patron saint of animals, his vision helped shape this humble and symbolic representation.
Over time, the Nativity scene became a common way to celebrate Christmas around the world, with each culture adapting it to its own beliefs and lifestyle. In parts of Europe, particularly among Germanic and Celtic traditions, the celebration of midwinter also took shape through the Christmas tree—an evergreen symbol honoring the cycles of nature, agriculture, and seasonal renewal. This shift was further influenced by the separation between Catholic and Protestant traditions, with Protestant communities embracing the Christmas tree as a central symbol. Today, these traditions often coexist, and many homes display both a Nativity scene and a Christmas tree.
As these traditions transformed and traveled across cultures, they gathered new meanings and symbols. In the Western world, one of the most enduring figures associated with Christmas is Santa Claus. Rooted in Nordic traditions and inspired by Saint Nicholas—originally a protector of sailors and a giver of gifts to children—this figure evolved over centuries.1 When Dutch settlers brought their customs to America, writers of the 19th century reimagined these tales, shaping the Santa Claus we recognize today: a warm, white-bearded figure who embodies generosity, joy, and imagination.
With the convergence of cultures and lifestyles, Europe’s many Christmas traditions found a shared home in the Americas—a place where histories intertwine and symbols adapt. Here, inherited rituals are reshaped, blending memory, belief, and everyday life into something both collective and deeply personal.
Personally, I cherish the Christmas tree as a symbol of family and unity—a presence that brings us home and fills children’s days with wonder at the end of the year. One of my earliest and most vivid memories of this tradition is the first time my mother took my sister and me to a Christmas store. It felt as though she had gifted us a direct ticket to the North Pole. We stepped into a fantasy world filled with toy soldiers, elves, and countless Santas—Papás Noël—each one inviting us to believe a little more.
I remember our joy choosing the tree and the ornaments, already imagining how they would transform our space. Later, we carried that magic into the bakery we owned at the time, decorating it with colorful lights and figures. In that moment, Christmas became more than a date on the calendar—it became a shared feeling, an intentional act of love and imagination that wrapped our family in warmth and belonging.
One of my closest friends once told me that, as adults, we begin to value what once felt trivial or even artificial. In our early twenties, holidays can seem frivolous or disconnected from reality. But as we build our own paths and families, those same traditions grow with us. They become moments of pause, spirituality, and connection—gentle reminders of goodness, happiness, and care in a world that often moves too fast.
- Some historical context and interpretations referenced in this article are inspired by the work and lectures of historian Diana Uribe, as well as the book Christmas: A Very Peculiar History by Fiona Macdonald. These sources have informed my understanding of Christmas traditions and their cultural evolution. ↩︎