At no other time of year are traditions more at play in our gatherings than during the winter holiday season. They affect how we celebrate, whom we celebrate with, when presents are opened, what we eat, who carves the turkey — right down to who gets to break the wishbone. Would Christmas Eve be the same without Aunt Nellie’s tamales? Would Hanukkah be complete without Cousin Alyssa’s kugel? Here in Santa Fe, the week around Christmas is often the busiest time for restaurants and hotels. The City Different is transformed into a winter wonderland, with snow-covered mountains and luminaria-lined buildings delighting both visitors and locals. It’s a festive time to visit whether you come to ski or just to shop and sit by a roaring fire with a hot toddy. Walking Canyon Road on Christmas Eve — when COVID permits — is a must, as is a visit to one of the town’s numerous Santas to ensure that all your holiday wishes come true. Planning personal celebrations can be especially challenging for chefs, restaurant staff and hotel staff. Anyone connected to our thriving hospitality industry will likely find themselves at work, helping others find the spirit of the season, rather than celebrating with their own family and friends. I sent a short questionnaire to some of my favorite culinarians and received some lovely responses. Two chefs sent back notes admitting that they don’t celebrate the holidays — one because he left his religion decades ago and the other because he has worked Christmas Day for the past 20 years. I appreciate their candor. Chef Martín Rios and his wife and business partner, Jennifer, were quick to reply. Jennifer shared that as an interfaith couple, they enjoy both Christian and Jewish celebrations. Both work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at their popular Restaurant Martín but do find time to share some family festivities. The lighting of the menorah and special Hanukkah dinners — complete with potato latkes — are planned, while Martín follows his family tradition of opening both his presents and a bottle of Champagne after they return home on Christmas Eve. Traditional Mexican goodies — including both sweet and savory tamales — are enjoyed throughout the season, a salute to Martín’s heritage. Last year the family had time for a full holiday at home because of the COVID shutdown, Jennifer says. “We got to have Christmas at home with our two daughters and our one daughter’s boyfriend. Spending the day in pajamas and having a Christmas tree for the first time ever really made for a special occasion. For families that always work on the holidays, COVID brought a Christmas silver lining.” The Rioses’ holiday wish for all is simple: “Health, happiness, the end of COVID worries.”

Cristian Pontiggia, the chef at Sassella, celebrates both Christmas and his Italian ancestors’ tradition of la Befana — an old woman who delivers gifts to children on Epiphany Eve (Jan. 5) rather than on Christmas Eve. The good

news is that either way, the kiddies get their presents. Cristian opens presents on Christmas morning with his wife and son. After Christmas lunch, they assemble their annual Lego village. The day ends with a holiday movie. The Pontiggia holiday table may be vastly different from yours and mine. It includes such delicacies as tortellini en brodo, lasagna Bolognese, salmon ravioli, braised beef, panettone and pandoro — a sweet bread stuffed with gelato. (I’m trying to get an invite!) Cristian’s favorite Christmas memory is “being in the kitchen with all the women the day before Christmas and everybody giving me a taste of something for the next day.

The smiles, the laughs, all the smells of the food, the sun coming through the window touching the fresh pasta — now that’s Italian!” The chef ’s holiday wish for the hospitality industry is to find enough staff. “After working many double shifts and many hours,” he says, “I wish for every customer to be patient and understanding about the situation in New Mexico. And I wish for everybody to defeat COVID.” Anna Farrier, executive director of the wonderful Cooking with Kids program in many of our public schools, described November and December festivities.

“During these chilly winter months,” she writes, “we celebrate food traditions with our students in Española and Santa Fe Public Schools. Kids ‘travel the world’ of winter celebrations, learning about tamales and Las Posadas in Mexico, dumplings and Dongzhi [the winter solstice festival] in China, plus Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and more!” She continues, “This year we’ll be making vegetable tamales (COVID-safe!), and fingers crossed that parents will soon be able to volunteer in schools. In Northern New Mexico, we have so many tamale-making experts. It’s fun to bring all that history and experience and joy to our kids.” Anna and the other program staff share a common holiday wish: “Our New Year’s wish is that kids and families can connect over healthy food — to show gratitude for one another, to nurture each other, and to share as a community. So from our Cooking with Kids kitchens to yours, we wish you a safe, happy and healthy 2022!” For Albuquerque-born chef Sean Sinclair of The Castañeda in Las Vegas and the Legal Tender Saloon & Eating House in Lamy, this holiday will be extra special because he and wife Katey welcomed daughter River Roux earlier this year.

“We are so excited to celebrate our daughter’s first Christmas this year,” he writes, “and start some traditions as a family of three. For our holiday table we will have my grandmother’s homemade posole and tortillas with lots of red chile. Katey and I have lived in so many wonderful places, but there is nothing quite like spending the holiday season at home in New Mexico. It’s such a magical place, especially during the holidays. It has been such a trying two years for everyone. We really just wish health and happiness for our guests in this upcoming year!” For business and life partners Kathleen Crook and Kristina Goode of Market Steer Steakhouse, downtime is very important during the hectic restaurant season.

Chef Crook shares, “First thing Christmas morning Kristina lights a fire, turns on Christmas music and opens a bottle of Champagne for us to enjoy fireside. That’s when presents are opened. Our holiday table includes some sort of tamale, steak, crab legs, baklava (a family tradition for Kristina), and lots of wine. Our tamales might be traditional red chile pork or something I created with lobster and tarragon.” The couple echoes the holiday wishes of others: “We wish for everyone to find peace and have a bit more understanding. Our lives changed because of COVID — not just our industry but people in general. It’s up to us to have a bit more patience, understanding, and to show compassion for all.”

John Vollertsen, aka chef Johnny Vee, has been the director of the Las Cosas Cooking School for 23 years. He is also a food writer and regular contributor to “The Santa Fe New Mexican.” And he still believes in Santa Claus!