Our Silly Holiday Tradition That Makes No Sense At All

When it comes to holiday traditions, I say the more the merrier. Any opportunity to celebrate the season with my family is a good enough reason for me. However, there is this one holiday tradition that makes me chuckle every year. Truly, it makes no sense at all.

Have you ever celebrated the holidays at a Latino family’s home, only to wonder why you didn’t get the cocktail attire memo? I’ve written about Cuban Christmas traditions before, but I’m not sure I made it clear: you got to dress your best for Noche Buena! No relaxed wear at this party. Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve? Absolutely not!

Year after year, crazy Cubans everywhere get all dolled up – with dress shoes and all – just to stand around the kitchen, cook and basically hang out all night at home (or go to church). Even the kids are expected to show up dressed to the nines, ready to impress the adults with their cuteness.

I’m not exactly the fanciest girl alive, but this silly holiday tradition is one that I love. And despite the fact that I don’t even allow my kids to wear shoes in the house, Noche Buena is one day that shoes and all are welcome in our home.

To be fair, the kids have been wearing their holiday outfits every chance they get. To school performances, grocery shopping or to walk the dog. The adorable holiday shoes from Payless actually double as additional school shoes, which is why they’re looking so worn after just a couple weeks! Sebastian calls his toddler boy dress shoes his “work shoes” because they look exactly like a pair Daddy D wears. For as much as the Latina mom in me cringes, watching my little boy stroll through the grocery store all decked out in dress shoes makes my heart happy. Hey, at least they’re getting used more than just on Noche Buena! And since Payless offers such great value, I feel better about the dress shoes being worn for other silly occasions other than the holidays.

For Alina, I went with a classic little-girl look that never goes out of style: the Mary Jane. This Becki Mary Jane with Smartfit in navy has great reviews on Payless.com, and for good reason. The design features a faux leather upper with an adjustable strap, which is great for my girl’s skinny ankles, and a padded insole for comfort.

Both pairs of holiday shoes are designed with Smartfit Tried and True Technology that ensures the shoe provides plenty of toe room for feet that seem to constantly growing. Knowing the shoes are made with Smartfit make me feel better about sending them to school with them on and, to be honest, I bought the Mary Janes knowing they worked perfectly with Alina’s school uniform, complete with knee high sock

It seems silly to dress up in your best shoes and clothes for an evening at home with the family, but doing so is a big part of our holiday traditions. I love that reverence is paid to the night, regardless of where it’s spent, and that my kids feel the impact of its importance.

Dressing up for Noche Buena is a holiday tradition that has been around for as long as I can remember, and I’m happy to continue it with my kids. I thought of ditching it and showing up to my grandmother’s on Noche Buena with two kids in pajamas, but decided against it. It’s silly, but its ours and that’s good enough for me.