The holidays are sacrosanct in the United States of America.
Drive around town, and you’ll see lights on houses and evergreen trees on top of cars. Visit the store, and you’ll witness thousands of shoppers frantically filling their carts. Turn on the TV, and you’ll get bombarded with countless Christmas commercials.
It’s intense—especially if you recently moved to the U.S.
While you’re busy settling into your new home, these celebrations might seem a little strange (and even overwhelming).
If that’s the case, we’ll let you in on a little secret: everybody is overwhelmed during the holidays.
It’s certainly the “most wonderful time of the year,” but it’s also a season packed with pressure, anxiety, and nostalgia—the holidays inspire a universal longing for home. That’s true for all of us.
But wherever you go, you’ll always bring a bit of home with you. And in the U.S., you’ll never have to hide your home culture and traditions—instead, you can celebrate and share them however you like.
In this holiday guide, we want to encourage you to embrace the holidays while living in the U.S., and enjoy them to the fullest.
The (Global) Story Behind U.S. Holiday Traditions
In the United States, there are four major holidays celebrated in December: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.
Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday that honors African-American heritage and is celebrated from December 26 to January 1. Created in the 1960s, Kwanzaa celebrates seven fundamental principles: unity, self-determination, faith, purpose, collective work, responsibility, and creativity.
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish observance from December 18 to December 26. Those who observe the Festival of Lights commemorate the reclamation of Jerusalem at the hand of Judas Maccabeus, who ousted the occupying Seleucid army in 167 B.C.
Like Hanukkah, Christmas is also a sacred holiday, though it has also evolved into a secular phenomenon in the United States. On Christmas Day (December 25), Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who they believe is the Son of God. Historians estimate Jesus’s birth occurred between 6 and 2 B.C. in Israel.
Finally, New Year’s Eve (December 31) marks the passage of time from one year into the next.
The month of January was named after Janus, the two-faced Roman god of transitions who simultaneously looked at both the past and the future.
There are other notable holidays throughout December, including:
- Bodhi Day, which Buddhists observe on December 8.
- Feast Day of Our Lady Guadalupe, which Mexican-Americans celebrate on December 12.
- Yule, which neo-pagans celebrate on December 21—the winter solstice.
Indeed, America is a true melting pot of different cultures, and much of what we celebrate is an accumulation of traditions that overlap in fascinating ways.
For example, December 25 wasn’t always a Christian holiday. For centuries, the ancient Roman aristocracy worshiped Mithra (the god of the sun) on that same day.
From December 17 to the 24, Roman citizens also worshiped Saturn, the god of agriculture, in a raucous festival of endless feasting, ornate decorations, and gift-giving—much like our modern celebration of Christmas.
The modern conception of Santa Claus is a crossover between Norse mythology and the Greek St. Nicholas, Christmas trees (Tannenbaum) come from Germanic tribes, and mistletoe dates back to the Druids.
Everywhere you look, holiday traditions come from far corners of the globe.
For example, poinsettias are ubiquitous in the U.S. around Christmastime, but they actually grow in Mexico, home of the flor de la nochebuena (“Flowers of the Holy Night”).
As for that classic song, “White Christmas”? Its composer, Irving Berlin, was born in Russia.
What’s our point in mentioning all of this? No one has a monopoly on the holidays.
In other words, you and your traditions belong here as much as anyone else.
Celebrating In Your Own Way
So, how should you celebrate the holidays in the U.S.?
However you want!
After all, you’re the author of your immigrant experience, and you have the best of both worlds: the culture you grew up in back home, and the culture around you here in the United States.
All you have to do is decide which traditions to continue while weighing which celebrations you might embrace here. You can come up with your own, new tradition by blending them together.
If you recently arrived in the U.S., give yourself plenty of time to explore.
More importantly, if this is your first holiday season, soak it up to the fullest. Visit local restaurants, museums, theaters, art galleries, and community centers to see how people celebrate and enjoy the occasion.
If you live in a major metropolitan area, TimeOut can be useful to see what special events are happening near you. This resource can be especially useful during the holidays, as light shows, holiday markets, and Christmas concerts are quite common.
Also, if your religion is important to you, be sure to find a church, mosque, or synagogue in town. This can be a great way to grow in your faith, develop meaningful relationships, and feel spiritually rooted in your new home.
Or, if you’re looking for opportunities to serve others, you can find volunteer organizations and local charities online. Whether you join a food bank, a soup kitchen, Toys for Tots, or the Salvation Army, volunteering is especially important (and needed) around the holidays.
There are other practical ways to get established in your new community.
Whether you live in a city or a small suburb, you might consider hosting your neighbors for a holiday-themed potluck dinner. This is one of the fastest ways to feel at home in your new living situation.
People love generosity. As you show hospitality and embrace your neighbors, they will enthusiastically embrace you in return.
Ultimately, people in the U.S. come from all over the world. While you might learn new things this holiday season, your local community will have plenty to learn from you as well.
Staying Connected With Loved Ones
Sometimes, living in the U.S. can mean living apart from your family.
That can be emotionally difficult, especially around the holidays. While good food and exciting gifts are fun, nothing can replace quality time with loved ones.
Fortunately, modern technology has made it possible to see your family even when they live in a different time zone.
With Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, there are many great (and free!) ways to video chat with your friends and family.
While you can talk for hours, you could also mix it up by hosting a virtual dinner, an online “cookalong,” a game night, or even a simple happy hour. Plus, you can also use Teleparty to watch a movie or TV show together!
Of course, don’t forget the old school methods of keeping in touch: a handwritten letter or postcard can go a long way to showing your family how much you love and miss them.
One more thing: what about planning an in-person get together? Even hypothetical plans can help reduce the sting of separation and provide hope for an upcoming reunion.
Ultimately, the holidays only last for a few weeks, but your relationships last a lifetime. Try to stay connected with your loved ones in every way you can.
Financial Tips for the Holiday Season
If increasing expenses are a concern, there are several great ways to save money during the holidays. You can:
- Build a holiday budget (and stick to it).
- Allocate cash for holiday spending—when the money runs out, the shopping is over!
- Leverage Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to save big.
- Use price.com to compare products and maximize savings.
- Pay for travel with frequent flier miles and points.
- Apply credit card rewards to pay for gifts from major retailers.
If you’re not in a position to give fancy gifts this year, that’s more than okay. After all, little gestures can go a long way.
In fact, you could brighten someone’s day just by giving them baked cookies, writing a handwritten card, or simply shoveling their driveway.
Christmas has been commercialized, but gestures from the heart will always win the day.
That’s why uLink is dedicated to making gift-giving more affordable than ever. As we see it, we’re more than a remittance company—we’re a liaison between you and your loved ones.
We strive to provide great exchange rates and low fees, so you can easily send money to family back home during the holidays (and throughout the year).
Setting Goals for the New Year
The holidays provide a special opportunity to review the last twelve months and take stock of your personal, professional, and financial goals.
Like the two-faced Janus, you can look back on the past as you confidently prepare for the future. These reflective moments are few and far between, so it’s vital to grab them whenever you can.
Find some time to turn off your devices, grab a notepad and pen, and write down what worked for you during the year, what presented notable challenges, and how you’d like to evolve in the coming year.
There are no right or wrong answers—it’s the simple act of reflection that matters most.
Maybe you want to find a new job.
Maybe you want to start investing.
Maybe you want to spend more time volunteering.
Maybe you want to focus on your business.
Maybe you want to read more books.
Maybe you want to start a family.
Ultimately, you know your past experience and future expectations better than anyone.
This holiday season, seek clarity before you turn the page on the calendar.
Best Wishes and Support From uLink
Moving to the United States is a significant undertaking, and only the brave are willing to do it.
After all, the immigrant experience is marked by major change, upheaval, and uncertainty.
Though you have risked a lot to be here, we’re confident that you will soon reap the rewards of your courage and fortitude.
At uLink, we understand what you’re going through. In fact, many of our team members have been in your shoes, and they know the excitement and anxiety of immigrating to the U.S.
If you’re ever overwhelmed or filled with doubts, remember that millions of immigrants have come before you. They remember what it’s like to adjust to living in a foreign country, to make new friendships, and to spend their first Christmas away from home.
More importantly, however, they know what it’s like to succeed, to build successful businesses, and to transform their communities in exciting new ways.
At uLink, we’ll always be in your corner to help you support your loved ones back home.
We’re not just here to help you send holiday remittances. We’re here to give you the confidence that your family will always have what they need, whenever they need it.
We wish you a great holiday season, however you choose to spend it.
