Christmas in Michigan!

Christmas morning

Just three days after arriving in the United States, Saulo, Milo and Neueli were celebrating Christmas with my family! 98 percent of Samoa is of Christian belief, so the holiday is nothing new to the three boys. However, Christmas in Samoa is much less commercialized and very few families in the rural villages exchange gifts. Santa Claus is a word known by most children, but since gifts aren’t traditionally given, most children have not had Santa visit their houses. Although all families celebrate the day in different ways, most seem to just attend church and then spend time with the family over a traditional Samoan meal, perhaps a simplicity to the holiday that many of us Americans long for.

I had been looking forward to sharing my family’s Christmas traditions with the boys since the trip was set in place. Christmas in Michigan usually means cold and snow, warm comfort foods, bright outdoor lights and festive Christmas music.

They started the holiday with sampling some eggnog, although they found it as hard to like as I do. We spent Christmas Eve singing Christmas carols while my Grandma accompanied on the organ as she has for years. Most Samoans know all the traditional Christmas songs so the boys felt right at home in singing several of the hymns. We demonstrated part of their culture by doing a traditional Samoan dance where Neueli played the “drum,” a wooden box with two spoons, and Saulo, Milo and I performed the dance, called the sasa.

Christmas morning began with the opening of presents! The boys all received Notre Dame apparel and warm shirts from our friend Katy, and Texas t-shirts from my sister Jenny, a proud Texan! Mom got them gift cards and disposable cameras while Dad gave them journals with pens and pencils. They had been asking me for a football for the first two days after their arrival so that was an obvious choice for one of my gifts to them. I also gave them some of my old childhood books which they’ve been good about reading in the last week!

They were impressed by the amount of food for Christmas dinner and especially enjoyed the ham. My aunt normally says grace before our family meals, but she was very happy to let Saulo say the prayer for this year’s Christmas. He did a great job and made us all proud! When it came time for desert, I think they were in shock that my family still had room for more food!

Every Christmas has special memories, but this year had a few more because of the presence of these three young men. I was so blessed to have them here for Christmas and will remember the day in the years to come. I’m guessing they will also recall their Christmas in Michigan for years to come and remember our traditions and perhaps share them with their own families and children in the future.

Dad, the boys and I on Christmas Eve

Notre Dame shirts are being worn daily in the lead-up to Monday's National Championship Game and the boys can hum the words to the entire ND Victory March!

Thanks to Katy for the warm clothes!

Those smiles are as wide as the plates!