1. That setting up the nativity scene was as important as having a Christmas tree:
2. And, of course, you also need a separate Niño Dios figure, which would usually have his own special spot somewhere in the house:
3. Knowing that this pot would be in heavy use making tamales or pozole (and that your mom, grandma, and aunts would be gossiping and arguing while using it):
4. Not only having Santa and Jesus be a big part of the holidays, but also the Reyes Magos:
5. And while all your non-Latinx friends usually only celebrated Christmas Day, you had Christmas festivities over three separate days:
#GrowingUpLatino you have 3 christmas... #ChristmasEve #ChristmasDay and #3kingsday ...
6. With Noche Buena being the one you looked forward to the most:
7. Getting a sugar rush from drinking so much ponche:
8. Literally watching the clock starting at 11:30 p.m. and counting down to midnight so that you could immediately start opening your presents:
9. Eventually falling asleep during the Noche Buena party 'cause it would go all night:
Expectation: “We’ll get there at 3pm, and leave at 12:30am” Reality: we got there at 8:30pm and left at 4:30am 😂 #LatinoChristmas
10. Waking up on Christmas morning and looking forward to not only more presents, but also a mug of champurrado:
11. As well as the pan dulces and buñuelos — to dip into your champurrado:
12. Filling up on leftovers — but also realizing you're going to eat those leftovers for the next several days:
13. Watching (usually not by choice) one of these religious movies on TV at some point throughout December:
Did anybody else’s mom make them watch these Jesus movies on Univision? #HispanicChristmasMovies #GrowingUpHispanic #Christmas #Hispanic #LatinoChristmasMovies #Latinos
14. Getting excited when it was time to cut the Rosca on Día de Los Reyes:
15. But never really wanting to get the baby Jesus figure inside, 'cause you didn't want to be ~responsible~ for hosting next year's Día de los Reyes party:
16. Listening to Yuri's "Campana Sobre Campana"...
View this video on YouTube
17. ...and, of course, "Mi Burrito Sabanero." Because it really isn't the Christmas season unless you've heard "Mi Burrito Sabanero" at least 1,500 times:
View this video on YouTube
18. Double counting your 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to make sure you had the exact right amount in order to make your wishes at midnight:
19. And finally, hearing Tony Camargo's "El Año Viejo" played at least 10 times during your family's New Year's Eve party and having his voice really grate you each time:
