Las Christmas: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Holiday Memories

Loved these simple writings about special memories of the Christmas of different Latinamerican authors. Simple enough to share with our children during Christmas season so they can have a bite to our typical celebrations and learn more about our roots. Christmas is a season of devotion, parties, and just special realities that mix together bringing about our unique typical lives. Recipes, songs, poems our typical way. It is plainly: typical. Excellent.

Brought tears to my eyes as I remembered when I, as a child, would get up before the first rays of tropical light to participate as an altar boy in all the early morning services, and then go have breakfast at someone's house and quickly head back home to put on my school uniform before starting the day. Thanks for rekindling those long lost memories.

Every year, around mid November, I begin searching for stories, poems, and comments relating to the holidays. I usually look for something that amuses me, like "A Christmas Carol," "Navidad en las Montañas" and Capote's "A Christmas Morning;" I look for something that makes me review my present and my past. I must admit that I found very little material referring to those of us who live in the United States. In the fall, 1998, señora Santiago came to Chicago and mentioned the publication "Las Christmas" during a radio interview with Luisa Torres. Then, one December morning my son (Pablito) and I went to B & N and bought it. I read it during my vacation, in Valhalla, a town near White Plains, where my in-laws live. I am glad señora Santiago decided to publish these great experiences. Some of them are very funny. Others are sad, but I was inpressed by how much first, second and third generations of Hispanics born in the United States retain. At times, these bicultural experiences seem more authentic than those we had in our countries. They are, I would say, multicultural. There is no morality or religiosity in them. Each page reveals a surprise. Since this is the first book that reflects the Hispanic traditions during the holidays, I sure more people will read it in the years to come. I will certainly will reread it with "mucho gusto."I understand that you had space limitations, but if you decide to reprint it with additional texts, I would like to see Mr. Hijuelos' included. Also, I would like to see more vegetarian recipies and more poetry.I hope you had very pleasant holidays. I wish you the best in 1999.Con afecto, Enrique Murillo

I bought this book for my daughter and before I wrapped it,I started browsing thru it. The different memories of Christmas past bought tears to my eyes when I recalled my 1st Christmas in Puerto Rico. It was so exciting going door to door and greeting our neighbors with "Parandas". The recipes included are an excellent way of passing our LATIN TRADITIONS down from generation to generation. What a great gift for anyone who is interested in how different cultures enjoy Christmas or for anyone who would like to learn to cook traditional holiday food. Recipes are very "reader friendly".

Las Christmas is a collection of stories celebrating Latino families and the celebrations around Christ's birth. Although many of the stories are full of warmth and happiness, (and recipes), there are a few with sadness and the poignant remembrances of poverty. This book is a must for Spanish teachers, like me, who want to try to capture the true "flavor" of La Navidad.