The holidays are a special time for our people. There's nothing like it, from the abundance of sweet potato pie to the songs that fill our homes. Here are five holiday traditions that we should never stop doing.
#1 Holiday Meals
No celebration would be complete without a feast. We make our food with love, and holiday meals are essential during a time that’s all about community. Bountiful plates of yams, greens, okra, cornbread, various types of meat, cakes, and pies have been lining tables and filling bellies for generations.
#2 Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin who? One thing about us, we love some sweet potato pie. Pumpkin who? Historically, sweet potatoes were more accessible to grow in the South. Come November, Black families all over the U.S. will be indulging in the dessert, and honestly, wintertime without them wouldn’t be the same.
#3 Black Holiday Songs
When it comes to Christmas carols, we have our renditions of the “classics.” The Temptations, Boyz II Men, Destiny’s Child, The Jackson Five, Mariah Carey, and more are playing while we’re exchanging presents.
#4 Black-Eyed Peas NYE
Long a tradition of ours, eating black-eyed peas helps us usher in the New Year. Widely known as Hoppin’ John, this beans, rice, and cornbread favorite is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the upcoming year.
#5 Watch Night Service
We’ve always been spiritual people. And since the early days, our people have gathered at church on New Year’s Eve. At the end of enslavement, watch nights became the favored yearly reinforcement of our collective perseverance.