Hamberites And Their Holiday Food Traditions
Traditional Chinese food for the Dongzhi Festival | Photo Credit: Kayla Tang
From intense baking competitions to spinning coin-filled bread, Hamberites partake in a huge variety of food-centered, seasonal traditions. With Winter Break fast approaching, students and staff are gearing up for another holiday season full of culture, cuisine, family and friends.
On Feb. 10, during the Chinese New Year, Natalie Palmer (9) and her family exchange red envelopes and go out for dim sum. “For as long as I can remember, we’ve eaten this for the exchange of letters,” she said. “We even order the same dishes every time!” She revealed that food, particularly dim sum, brings her family together. “We’ve spent so many gatherings eating this at least once or twice a month.”
Another Chinese tradition celebrated by students is the Dongzhi Festival on Dec. 22. “It’s a celebration for the coming of winter,” said Kayla Tang (11). “My family is very traditional, so we commit to honouring it every year!” She explained that they celebrate the Dongzhi Festival by playing mahjong and eating traditional Chinese meals like tang yuan, a type of sweet dumpling. “Coming together for this celebration is important to my family for cultural reasons,” she said, explaining that the Dongzhi Festival highlights family union.
Zachary Bichin (10) cooks tasty treats with his family during the celebration of Hanukkah, which is from Dec. 7 to 5. “I’m not super religious, so continuing to cook traditional meals with my family keeps me engaged with my culture,” he said. Bichin added that he loves making latkes the most, and that they symbolize perseverance and the magic of Hanukkah.
Sonja Prekovic (10) celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7. This Christian Orthodox custom includes a big lunch at which “the host makes a bread with a lucky coin inside,” she said. “Before eating the bread we spin it around, and the person who lands on the piece with the coin is named the lucky person of the year.” She explained that this Serbian tradition has become a big part of her family's identity, giving them hope for the new year. “We moved to Canada a few years ago and not many people celebrate this here, so it’s important for us to continue the tradition.”
Mr. J. Chan (Science) and his cousins hold an annual baking competition around Christmas. “All of the cousins bake something sweet based on a Christmas theme, which are judged by our aunts and uncles. The winner then receives an honourable empty mustard bottle painted in gold,” he said. He explained that this tradition has been put on hold since COVID-19, and hopes that this year he and his family can start it up again.