7 Ways Latinx Families Celebrate Thanksgiving Differently
7 WAYS LATINX FAMILIES CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING DIFFERENTLY
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The kitchen is crammed with tias y primas. Music starts blasting at 11 a.m. and the grill fires up by mid-afternoon. La sala is filled with every family member imaginable, even la tia you didn't know wasn't actually blood-related (but was, in fact, just your mom's friend) until you were 13 years old is flexing their newest and freshest fashions. This might sound like just another fiesta, pero para los Latinos, el dia de San Giving is just another excuse be extra AF. If you've never had the privilege to celebrate a Thanksgiving Latinx-style, here's what you're missing out on:
You might just find pasteles instead of sweet potato at a Latinx Thanksgiving!
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We leave el turkey para los demas
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Traditional American Thanksgiving meals see a wide variety of sides, dips, and spreads but the main attraction is the turkey... unless you’re Latinx! For reasons we don’t dare question, we’ve replaced the traditional bird with a flavorful pig.
The preparation varies across families, from honey ham to pernil to lechon; regardless of its final state, pork is a staple in our Thanksgiving meal.
Sometimes we even compromise and present the pork as a central piece alongside a turkey, but make no mistake about who the real star of the table is.
The preparation varies across families, from honey ham, to pernil to lechon"
we take our time getting to the table
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By the time most families are comatose from all that tryptophan, Latinos are just getting started with their meal.
We’re munching throughout the day, picking at what’s sizzling on the grill or sneaking a few pasteles here and there, so by the time everyone else is saying grace, we’re happily grazing until around (or after) 9 pm.
Once you see the spread, you’ll know why! Mofongo, rice and beans (pues, ¡claro!), guiso, maduros, yuca frita - it’s all prepared and sat next to the gravy and mashed potatoes, ready for the taking.Â
WE KEEP IT BUFFET-STYLE
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Once dinner’s ready, we don’t usually sit around. We simply do not sit still in our seats and to pass around bowls of stuffing like a smooth, aromatic assembly line!
When it’s time to eat, we usually take it buffet style and present the main dish and sides on a separate table, and let everyone serve themselves.
Mira, when it’s a small table of 10, passing around dishes and sides makes sense. Pero, when its 20+ tipsy, happy, and hungry Latinxs, self-serve just makes sense!
When it's time to eat, we usually take it buffet style and present the main dish and sides on a separate table, and let everyone serve themselves."
WE STAY FOR LA PACHANGA
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As you might have guessed, Thanksgiving with Latinxs can consist of a pretty big party and let’s be real, there’s never a guest list - people just show up!
Once the feasting is over and the to-go plates are packed, the trays are put away for a whole week of leftovers and the real party begins!
Whether there’s music blasting, mariachi showing up at the door, or an uncle who always has his guitar on deck, the night will usually end with everyone dancing and refilling their cups until there’s nothing left but achey feet and embarrassing pictures.
COQUITO OVER EGGNOG
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We can totally appreciate the creative and festive Thanksgiving drinks that people come up with (who doesn’t love a good dessert shot?), but us Latinos know what we like, and if it ain’t broke, don’t add weird flavors to it!
This is why every year, you might notice Latinos going especially crazy for this creamy, rich drink: coquito.
This holiday season staple is a simple concoction of rum, cinnamon, condensed milk, and other goodies to warm you right up and keep you alert for when the prying questions about your love life start coming at you.
This holiday season staple is a simple concoction of rum, cinnamon, condensed milk and other goodies to warm you right up"
flan, not pie.
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Just as there’s nothing more American than pie, there’s nothing more Latino than flan… and boy do we love our flan!
The style of preparation and the flavors might change depending on who’s making it, but you better believe that flan is making its way onto that table.
How could it not? It’s crazy easy to make, it’s rich and smooth, but also so light that it melts in your mouth.
Some people use seasonal flavors to make a pumpkin flan, others keep it classic and make caramel flan but everyone knows that without flan, Thanksgiving didn’t happen.
it's a red carpet affair
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If you ask most people about their go-to Thanksgiving outfit, you’ll see a lot of “nice but casual.” This is great, but if you show up to a Thanksgiving with Latinxs looking like that, prepare for fuchi face.
Heels, sequins, dress shoes and looking snatched - yup, it’s a must. So what if we’re just going over to abuela’s house and seeing the same tio y primas we always see?
It’s a celebration! That’s all the reason we need to dress to the nines.
There’s no doubt that Thanksgiving is one of the most anticipated holidays. Blame it on the food, the excitement of the holiday season and the upcoming sales! Speaking of sales, Mia Del Mar is having it’s first Black Friday Sale!
If you loved your O.M.G. night cream samples, you’re gonna love this Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal!
BOGO 50% off y más!
Enjoy 2 Overnight Miracle Glow Night Creams, 1 Croqueta Tote Bag and a Holiday all wrapped up and ready to go!
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