What's for dinner? Islanders from different backgrounds share their favourite holiday meals
CBC
The turkey may still be there. But with COVID-19 raging, family dinners are just not the same this holiday season.
With gathering restrictions tightening, Islanders will be forced to keep their celebrations limited mostly to their own households.
But for some newcomers, the holidays being different than what they used to be isn't anything new.
As COVID-19 once again changes how people celebrate, some are reflecting on what festivities looked like where they grew up.
And yes, they're thinking about the food, too.
Here's what their holiday dinners looked like back then, and how they look now in P.E.I.
Sherilyn Manantan moved to Canada from the Philippines over a decade ago. But she's making sure to keep connected to her roots.
"We usually talk to my family in the Philippines the morning of Dec. 25 because they're 12 hours ahead, right? So it's our morning and it's their ... Christmas night," she said.
Holiday celebrations in the Philippines start as soon as Sept. 1 hits. During Christmas week, there's gift exchanges and fireworks, but Manantan said everything revolves around being with family.
"We used to have, like, a singalong karaoke," she said. "My cousins, they have their own band. So we set up in our yard and then we sing until morning."
Of course, there's lots of food. The pièce de résistance is lechon, roasted pork that is served during all kinds of special occasions in the Philippines.
There's also pancit, a stir-fry noodle dish with seafood characterized by its orange hue.
"We believe it gives you a long life," she said.
As for dessert, her family made puto bumbong, purple-coloured rice cakes made from steamed glutinous rice and topped with coconut.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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