Growing up in a small beach town in Kerala, India, Christmas was a time of immense joy and celebration for my family. The rich cultural heritage of Christianity in this region made the holiday season even more special, with traditions that were passed down through generations.
The preparations for Christmas would begin weeks in advance, with my mother and her team of helpers spending countless hours in the kitchen, preparing sweet treats and delicacies that would be shared with family and friends. The aroma of baked goods would fill our home, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that was synonymous with the holiday season.
As Christmas approached, the festivities would reach a crescendo, with my three brothers celebrating their birthdays in the same week. Our home would be adorned with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, and the sound of classic Christmas songs would fill the air. But the highlight of the celebrations was always the feast that followed midnight mass.
After returning from church in the early hours of Christmas morning, our family would gather at my grandmother’s house, where she had prepared a traditional beef curry that had been slow-cooking over a firewood stove. The aroma of the curry would tantalize our senses as we sat down to enjoy the meal, accompanied by freshly made appams and homemade wine.
The experience of savoring that beef curry with my family is a memory that I hold dear, even now that I live in America. Every Christmas, I make sure to recreate the dish for my own family, keeping the tradition alive for future generations. For my son, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Kerala beef curry and appams, just like it was for me growing up.
The flavors and aromas of that special Christmas meal continue to transport me back to my childhood, reminding me of the love, warmth, and joy that defined the holiday season in my hometown. It’s a tradition that I will always cherish and one that I hope to pass on to my children and grandchildren, keeping our cultural heritage alive for years to come.
