Holidays equal joy, mirth, copious amounts of food.... and family time. And family time = lots of traveling. What an exhausting Christmas break!
My in-laws live close to my husband and I. However, my parents live over an hour from us. Our Christmas holiday (all two days of it) were spent driving everywhere. Married life is exhausting during the holidays!
Our Christmas break started with a big family khi tes party. A khi tes party consists of giving your blessings and well wishes to the guests of honor. The actual ritual involves strings of yarn that are blessed by families and friends and then tied onto the guest-of-honor's wrists as bracelets.
Husband and I spent most of Christmas Eve cooking and prepping for the khi tes with my husband's extended family, which was...
My in-laws live close to my husband and I. However, my parents live over an hour from us. Our Christmas holiday (all two days of it) were spent driving everywhere. Married life is exhausting during the holidays!
Our Christmas break started with a big family khi tes party. A khi tes party consists of giving your blessings and well wishes to the guests of honor. The actual ritual involves strings of yarn that are blessed by families and friends and then tied onto the guest-of-honor's wrists as bracelets.
Husband and I spent most of Christmas Eve cooking and prepping for the khi tes with my husband's extended family, which was...
exhausting, but great! I loved being able to reunite with my husband's family-- I think the last time everyone got together like that was at our wedding. Several relatives drove in from several states away.
After the khi tes, Husband and I rushed off to see my parents. We got to my parents at 7pm, where we had an unconventional Christmas dinner and opened presents with the rest of my siblings. On Christmas morning, after doing house chores and farm work, Husband and I went back to the in-laws! As soon as we got to the in-laws, we were shipped off to our Niam Tais's (aunt) house to take pictures and make pho, which took up the rest of the day.
And about 12 hours later, Husband and I had to go back to work. What a whirlwind! Husband and I are plotting a scheme to take a vacation next year. Haha.
Who knew holidays would be so exhausting as a Hmong nyab? Did you have any surprises as a new Hmong nyab? And if you aren't a new nyab, how have things changed over the years?
After the khi tes, Husband and I rushed off to see my parents. We got to my parents at 7pm, where we had an unconventional Christmas dinner and opened presents with the rest of my siblings. On Christmas morning, after doing house chores and farm work, Husband and I went back to the in-laws! As soon as we got to the in-laws, we were shipped off to our Niam Tais's (aunt) house to take pictures and make pho, which took up the rest of the day.
And about 12 hours later, Husband and I had to go back to work. What a whirlwind! Husband and I are plotting a scheme to take a vacation next year. Haha.
Who knew holidays would be so exhausting as a Hmong nyab? Did you have any surprises as a new Hmong nyab? And if you aren't a new nyab, how have things changed over the years?