The holidays have always held a special place in my heart, and over the years I’ve found that it’s the simple rituals that make this season feel so meaningful. I’m sharing a few fun ways to celebrate, the small traditions that bring warmth, connection, and a sense of home. And because the Mohawk Valley is full of incredible stories, I asked members of our community to tell me about the traditions they look forward to each year. Their memories and moments are truly what make this season special.
- Decorate the Tree: Turn on some music, pour cocoa, and make it a family tradition.
- Bake Cookies: Fill the house with the scent of fresh-baked holiday favorites.
- Write to Santa: Have the kids write their letters to Santa and leave cookies and carrots out on Christmas Eve.
- See the Lights: Take an evening drive to enjoy festive displays across the Valley.
- Build a Gingerbread House: Create something sweet together.
- Sing Christmas Carols: Share the joy of the season through song.
- Exchange Gifts: Find something meaningful for those you love.
- Wear an Ugly Sweater: Add laughter and spirit to holiday gatherings.
- Watch Christmas Movies: Get cozy with timeless classics.
- Be with Loved Ones: The best gift of all is time together.
Christmas Traditions in the Mohawk Valley
Juleen Qandah
Every Christmas Eve, my five younger siblings and I would bundle into our grandparents’ home, where dinner and dessert were served with love. Together we watched The Sound of Music, always leaving at the wedding scene with hearts full and spirits lifted. Those nights carried us home in a glow of anticipation, ready to wake to Santa’s magic the next morning.
Marie Selvarajah
As my family gathers to decorate the Christmas tree, we sip hot chocolate, eat cookies, hang ornaments that hold years of memories, and play our favorite Christmas music in the background. On Christmas Eve, we dress up and go to Mass together. When we return home, it’s time for one of our favorite moments — exchanging our Secret Santa gifts. Then comes Christmas Day — the heart of it all. The whole family gathers, sharing a Christmas lunch with Sri Lankan rice and curries as Santa makes his grand entrance.
Joanne Fanelli Babiarz
Some of my fondest childhood memories are from Christmas Eve, when our Italian traditions filled the house with warmth, laughter, and incredible smells from the kitchen. I can still picture the console record player spinning The Singing Nuns’ “Dominique” as my mom worked tirelessly preparing the Feast of the Seven Fishes. After the feast came the array of Italian cookies my mom had baked the week before, each one a tradition in itself. Later, we’d bundle up and walk through the baseball field in North Utica to Christmas Eve Mass. When we got home, the night ended with one small thrill – we could open one gift before bed.
Alyce Short
Growing up, we annually celebrated the infamous “Leone Family” Christmas party. With over 200 of us, we rented out a venue, had our very own Santa Claus who brought gifts for the children, sung Christmas carols, and reminisced on our Italian heritage. Due to COVID, we had temporarily discontinued… however as of 2024, the Leone Christmas Party is back with great success. It’s a very special tradition that holds a special place in my heart and I’m thrilled to share it with my daughter and the newest generation of cousins for years to come.
JoAnn and Jennifer Musch
Our Christmas traditions start with a special Christmas Eve mass. The church is beautiful, and seeing our extended family and friends all together makes it extra special. After mass, we celebrate with the feast of the seven fishes. The best part of Christmas Eve is when our close family gathers around the tree and opens presents. The night is spent with those closest to us as we carry on old traditions while making new memories.
Maria Maier
Growing up, our family tradition was decorating the Christmas tree together and finding a bag of clementines and candies under it every year. Now, my family and four children, blend eastern and western cultures and celebrate Christmas twice, following both Catholic and Orthodox calendars. In December, we make reindeer magic food, and the children rush outside to sprinkle oats and glitter in the backyard, so Santa’s sleigh won’t miss our house. In early January, for Orthodox Christmas, we enjoy a special family dinner and attend a late-night church service that lasts until 1 or 2 a.m.
Dawn Gentile
Every Christmas Eve, the scent of cake baking fills our home, a sweet reminder of the celebration to come. It’s not just any cake, but a birthday cake for Jesus, lovingly prepared to honor the true spirit of the season. On Christmas morning, my husband, our three children (now 17, 20, and 24) and I gather to sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus, a tradition centered in faith and joy. Years ago, my husband and I began another tradition: placing a small Christmas tree in each child’s room carefully choosing an ornament that symbolized something special about their year. These small rituals, baking a cake, singing a song, and hanging an ornament, weave our story together year after year.
Tonia Abruzzo Hill
Some of our Christmas traditions include going to mass together on Christmas Eve, going out to dinner and then coming home to get into our matching Christmas pajamas. Christmas morning, we cuddle up to watch the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.
Donna Mutolo
Our Thanksgiving Giving tradition is now with 3 close friends which now have become family not only among us adults but with our children. We celebrate our annual Friendsgiving on the Saturday after Thanksgiving around 5:00 pm at The Mutolo’s. We order food from The Willow’s which is delicious, and we don’t do any thanksgiving food we figure we just did that. It’s been so memorable every year and everyone especially the young adults look forward to it. Lots of homemade desserts.
Bunny Gottuso
Our Christmas Eve was always a grand event. With my mom’s family of 9 brothers and sisters, and the many cousins to follow, the gifts were piled so high, we couldn’t wait to unwrap them. Our Christmas dinner consisted of the 7 fishes as the Italian tradition carried on. It was always mass confusion but always the best time ever to share with our family.
Denise Flihan
Christmas Eve has always held a special place in my heart. It was my grandmother’s holiday, the one she made perfect every year. The house filled with the smell of cookies baking and her famous cheesecake and pusties cooling on the counter. My job was to set the table just right, wanting everything to be as beautiful as she made it. Now I follow the same traditions with my children, baking for days from her handwritten recipes, and setting that perfect table together. The smells, the family, and the feeling of togetherness bring her back, keeping her love alive in our hearts each Christmas Eve.
