>>> MY FAVORITE DISH WOULD BE A NON-TRADITIONAL DISH WOULD HAVE TO BE HAD.

BUT AS FOR LOCAL, I DON´T HAVE A FAVORITE LOCAL FISH.

>> I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE HAM AND EVERYTHING.

>> I DON´T NEED IT.

>> I´M GOING TO GO BACK TO MY SHELLFISH.

SHELLFISH AND JOHNNY CAKE.

THAT´S PROBABLY THE BEST.

THE CREME DE LA CREME.

>> I THINK I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MAYBE CALIBU.

I THINK MY GRANDMOTHER MAKES THE BEST CALIBU.

>> AS FAR AS COOKING TRADITION EVERY CHRISTMAS, THEY´RE COOKING UP ALL THE FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS.

WHAT OTHER THINGS DO YOU HEAR?

WHAT OTHER TRADITIONS DOES YOUR FAMILY CARRY ON FOR CHRISTMAS?

WHAT´S YOURS?

>> SO I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT SIBLEY.

YOU USED TO COME OUT SINGING.

♫♫ >> OKAY.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.

BY THE WAY, THAT´S ME IMPERSONATING MYSELF AS A TEN-YEAR-OLD, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.

AND I, TO ME, LIKE GETTING INTO THOSE LOCAL CHRISTMAS SONGS, I LOVE THEM.

SO YEAH.

>> I THINK FOR MY HOUSE, WE USUALLY ON CHRISTMAS EVE, WE WOULD DRESS UP.

BUT NOT DRESS UP, BUT WE HAVE MATCHING PAJAMAS IN MY HOUSE.

AND THEN ON THE 23rd IT IS USUALLY A FAMILY GATHERING.

WE USUALLY DO THAT AND HAVE SOME FOOD.

>> YEAH.

SO I WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE, SINCE LIKE THE FESTIVAL, YOU GUYS, THAT´S PART OF YOUR TRADITION.

HOW IS THAT LIKE AFFECTING YOU GUYS?

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS?

>> IT´S DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A YEAR THAT GOES BY IN LIKE MY WHOLE YEARS OF GROWING UP WHERE WE DON´T GO TO THE VILLAGE OR WE DON´T GO TO THE PARADE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO FOR ME IT IS DEFINITELY WEIRD, DEFINITELY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH THE COVID-19 VIRUS AND ALL THAT.

SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO ADAPT TO, BUT IT´S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT.

I´M GOING TO MISS IT THIS YEAR.

>> IT´S SAD, BUT IT´S UNDERSTANDABLE.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DO MISS IT.

IT´S KIND OF WEIRD BEING THAT NEXT WEEK THEY´RE HAVING A SERENADE, BUT THE PUBLIC ISN´T ALLOWED TO DRIVE BEHIND IN THE CARS OR JOIN THEM IN THE ROAD.

YEAH.

BASICALLY THAT´S ABOUT IT.

>> WHAT SPECIFICALLY DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU WOULD MISS?

>> I WOULD DEFINITELY MISS THE VILLAGE.

THAT WAS MY TIME.

SO I GO WITH FRIENDS EVERY NIGHT.

I WOULD GO AND I WOULD STAY OUT AS LATE AS I COULD, BUT THAT WAS MAINLY MY FAVORITE THING.

LIKE THE PARADE WAS THERE, BUT VILLAGE, ESPECIALLY KNOWING WHO WAS PLAYING EVERY NIGHT OR WHO WOULD BE THERE.

YOU KNOW HOW YOU WOULD GET THE SCHEDULES BEFORE LIKE THE VILLAGE TIME AND THEY WOULD BE LIKE, OH, THIS PERSON IS PLAYING THAT NIGHT SO YOU KNOW YOU WOULD BE GOING LIKE ON THE 26th OR YOU WOULD BE GOING ON THE 29th.

SO THAT´S MAYBE WHAT I MISS, THE VILLAGE, THE FOOD, THE RIDES.

>> FOR ME, I MISS HANGING OUT WITH MY FRIENDS.

I MISS EVERYBODY.

THE PEOPLE I SEE NOW, YOUR PARENTS ARE MORE LENIENT.

THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD MISS WOULD BE THE PARADE, SEEING THE LIGHTING OF THE STARS.

I MISS DECORATING IT AND I MISS THE TROLLY.

>> SO LIKE I KNOW LIKE WE´VE BEEN GOING AROUND THE TRADITION AND STUFF LIKE WE HAVE OUR SAINT THOMAS WE USUALLY GO UP AND DO THE LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE THE MIRACLE ON MAIN STREET, BUT, LIKE, HOW DO YOU THINK THE OLDER GENERATION, LIKE TALKING LET´S SAY 50 PLUS, IS REACTING TO LIKE THIS WHOLE BEING VIRTUAL, AS YOU MENTIONED, FOR LIKE THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL AND ALL THESE VARIOUS EVENTS?

>> PERSONALLY I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD FOR THEM.

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY´RE OLDER.

THEY DON´T KNOW HOW TO WORK TECHNOLOGY THAT WELL.

SOME OF US EVEN HAVE TO TEACH THEM.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IT´S NOT THE SAME FOR THEM.

OKAY.

IF ONE OF THESE PEOPLE WERE LIKE -- WHO ARE THOSE THAT ACTUALLY GO OUT AND FOLLOW THE TENT BEHIND THEM AND FEEL THE CHIP, CHIP, CHIP ON THE ROAD, I FEEL LIKE IT´S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR THEM.

IT´S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME.

YOU CAN HAVE A DRINK IN FRONT OF THE ROAD, BUT IT´S NOT THE SAME AS WALKING ON THE ROAD AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING.

>> PEOPLE IN THE OLDER GENERATION, THEY´RE USED TO HAVING THINGS UPFRONT AND IN PERSON.

PEOPLE LIKE MY GRANDPARENTS.

MY GRANDFATHER WOULD RATHER TALK TO ME IN PERSON THAN HAVE A PHONE CALL WITH ME.

THEY LIKE TO TOUCH THINGS.

THEY LIKE THE FEEL OF THINGS.

THAT´S HOW YOU GET A CHANCE TO PUT ON IT.

THAT´S HOW THEY GREW UP, SO THEY WANT TO STICK WITH IT.

>> YEAH.

I AGREE.

PLUS, IT´S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT LIKE TO HELP THEM GET THERE TO WATCH IT.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP SHOWING THEM.

AND THEN AT SOME POINT, IT´S A HEADACHE.

AND I UNDERSTAND.

IT IS JUST LIKE A HASSLE.

BUT I THINK IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM AND SHOW THEM.

THAT WAY THEY CAN AT LEAST ENJOY CARNIVAL, TOO.

>> I DO THINK THAT -- >> I THINK SO BECAUSE -- I´M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

>> I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE A TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO LIKE SHOW SOME TYPE OF GUIDANCE FOR THE OLDER GENERATION BECAUSE, I MEAN, LIKE MY MOM SOMETIMES SHE KIND OF KILLS ME WITH THE LIKE EVEN JUST CONNECTING TO THE INTERNET AND FOR SOMEONE PROBABLY IN LIKE THEIR 70s OR 80s THAT MIGHT BE A DIFFICULT THING TRYING TO GET ON TO ZOOM AND WORKING ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO, YEAH, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.

>> I MEAN, IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THEM TO LEARN ON THEIR OWN.

I FEEL LIKE WE DO INTERNET.

I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TEACH THEM AND HELP THEM.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU.

I FEEL LIKE IT WILL JUST BE HARDER OVERALL BECAUSE THERE IS ISSUES SUCH AS INTERNET CONNECTION AND HAVING THE RIGHT LINK AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVEN´T GROWN UP WITH TECHNOLOGY LIKE WE HAVE.

WE HAVE HAD TECHNOLOGY OR MOST OF US HAVE HAD TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR WHOLE LIVES.

NOW YOU ARE INTRODUCING THIS TECHNOLOGY, A NEW TYPE OF STUFF TO THESE OLDER PEOPLE.

IT WILL BE HARDER FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY DIDN´T GROW UP WITH IT LIKE WE DID.

>> I DO AGREE WITH THAT.

>> DO YOU, LIKE, THINK THAT LIKE WITH THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP WHAT´S YOUR -- NOT YOUR RELIGIOUS TAKE ON IT, BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE DIFFERENT -- WHAT IS THE WORD?

YEAH.

WHAT´S YOUR TAKE ON DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ABOUT HAVING PUBLIC FIGURES, PUBLIC DISPLAYS IN PUBLIC AREAS?

>> I MEAN, IT ALL DEPENDS BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN TYPE OF RELIGION OR EVERYTHING THAT THEY FOLLOW.

FOR ME PERSONALLY IT IS MY PARENTS.

LIKE THEY BELIEVE IN GOD AND THEY READ THE BIBLE HERE AND THERE.

IT IS NOT LIKE WE GO TO CHURCH EVERY SINGLE WEEK, BUT WE BELIEVE IN GOD AND WE DO FOLLOW IT.

IT IS NOT LIKE WE CLAIM TO BE IMPORTANT ASPECTS INTO THE WHOLE HOLIDAY SEASON AND RELIGIOUS TYPE OF STUFF.

>> I THINK THAT SHOWS LIKE THE MASCOTS OF THE RELIGION IS OKAY.

I DON´T FEEL -- WELL, SOMETIMES I CAN GET -- FOR ME PERSONALLY I´M NOT RELIGIOUS.

I BELIEVE IN THE HIGHER POWER, BUT I DON´T PRACTICE RELIGIOUSLY LIKE THAT.

SO FOR ME, IT´S FINE, BUT IF YOU GO AND YOU HAVE -- THIS IS THE SCENARIO.

YOU HAVE THE RUSSIAN JEW.

YOU HAVE YOUR INDIAN FRIEND AND THEN YOU HAVE THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN, THE CHRISTIAN.

AND THEY WALK IN AND THEY SEE SANTA CLAUS, I MEAN, SURE, THEY MIGHT BE OKAY WITH IT.

BUT, I MEAN, IT´S -- IT KIND OF -- I DON´T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS BUT LIKE IT -- IT HURTS -- NOT HURTS BUT IT -- >> IT BOTHERS SOMEBODY ELSE BECAUSE THEY DON´T FOLLOW THAT?

>> EXACTLY.

IT MIGHT BOTHER THEM.

BUT THEY MIGHT BE OKAY WITH IT.

>> YEAH.

I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY LACK OF REPRESENTATION FOR LIKE OTHER RELIGIONS ON WHAT THEY DO ON THE HOLIDAYS.

YOU NORMALLY HAVE PEOPLE SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS, INSTEAD OF SAYING AT LEAST HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> SO MERRY CHRISTMAS AND SEASONINGS GREETINGS, WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

I PREFER MERRY CHRISTMAS.

SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU SAID.

>> FOR ME, IT DEPENDS ON WHO I´M AROUND.

IF I´M AROUND MY INTERMEDIATE FAMILY I WOULD SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS BECAUSE I KNOW I´M GOING TO SEE THEM THE DAY AFTER.

IF IT IS NOT SOMEBODY I´M GOING TO SEE UNTIL EIGHT WEEKS I WOULD SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

>> YEAH.

TO ME I PREFER THE HAPPY HOLIDAYS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A FEW HOLIDAYS ESPECIALLY LIKE HANUKKAH AND KWANZA LIKE CHRISTMAS.

SO IT ENCOMPASSES ALL THE HOLIDAYS.

FOR PEOPLE THAT DON´T PRACTICE IT´S A HOLIDAY.

THEY GET THE WEEK OFF OR HOWEVER LONG THE BREAK IS.

SO TO ME HAPPY HOLIDAYS IS PRETTY GOOD.

>> YEAH.

I´D HAVE TO AGREE.

I´D USUALLY SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

IT DEPENDS ON WHERE I AM AND HOW I´M DOING.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

SEASONS GREETINGS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE HOLIDAYS IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN COMMERCIALIZED SOLELY ABOUT MONEY OR LIKE IS IT TRUE INDIVIDUALIZED?

DO YOU THINK THIS IS TRULY IT?

>> YES.

I DO BELIEVE THAT COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE HOLIDAYS IS A BIG THING.

I MEAN, EVEN THE ONLINE GAMES.

YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT SALES THAT ARE GOING ON.

IT IS JUST A BIG COMMERCIAL TIME FOR SELLING THINGS.

I MEAN, EVERY TIME YOU TURN ON THE TV NOW, YOU CAN SEE THE SPECIAL KAY JEWELERS JEWELRY STORE SELLING THEIR DIAMONDS.

♫♫ EVERY KISS BEGINS WITH KAY.

>> THANKS.

SO IT´S DEFINITELY COMMERCIALIZED.

>> I DEFINITELY AGREE.

I FEEL LIKE, THOUGH, THAT THESE -- OKAY.

PEOPLE WHO SELL STUFF ON COMPANIES AND STUFF, THEY DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND SO THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT TO GET THEIR MONEY.

BUT, I MEAN, OVER THE YEARS PEOPLE HAVE COMMERCIALIZED IT.

I CAN´T REALLY BLAME THEM.

THEY´RE TAKING ADVANTAGE AND THAT´S HOW THEY´RE GOING TO GET THEIR MONEY.

>> I DEFINITELY HAVE TO AGREE.

I THINK WITH EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS, IT IS LIKE IF YOU DON´T A HUNDRED LIKES, IT IS LIKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE.

IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO BUY MORE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

EVEN WITH BUYING MORE THINGS, IT´S LIKE 20% OFF.

IT´S NOT 20%.

THAT´S THE ORIGINAL PRICE.

THEY JUST PUT A LABEL ON IT.

I THINK THAT´S HOW THEY MAKE ALL THEIR MONEY FOR CHRISTMAS.

>> I TOTALLY AGREE.

DO YOU GUYS THINK -- THERE IS A BIT OF A CONTROVERSIAL ABOUT THE SONG "BABY, IT´S COLD OUTSIDE."

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THAT?

HAVE YOU EVER READ THE LYRICS?

>> YEAH.

I´VE HEARD THOSE LYRICS.

>> ACTUALLY, I HAVE NOT.

SORRY.

>> GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

>> I´LL SAY I HAVE NOT.

I DIDN´T EVEN KNOW IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL THING LAST YEAR.

I HEARD -- IT WAS VERY SHORT FOR ME.

I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BUT IT DISAPPEARED.

I DIDN´T PAY ATTENTION TO IT AND I DIDN´T REALIZE IT, BUT I DON´T REALLY HEAR THE LYRICS LIKE THAT.

>> YEAH.

I HAVE TO AGREE WITH BRIANNA.

I DIDN´T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THE SONG.

BUT THEN AGAIN I WASN´T -- I´M NOT LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS SONGS THAT INTENSELY.

I JUST HEAR IT LIKE, OH, THAT´S A NICE SONG.

THAT´S A GOOD BOP.

BUT YEAH.

>> YEAH.

I HAVE HEARD THE LYRICS.

I LIKE CHRISTMAS SONGS.

I WILL LISTEN TO IT FROM LIKE NOVEMBER.

BUT I THINK THE ORIGINAL VERSION, I THINK THE CONTROVERSY WAS LIKE, OH, HE HAS A CRUSH ON HER.

OTHERS SAY, NO, SHE´S TRYING TO BE LADY LIKE.

THE UPDATED VERSION ISN´T AS BAD.

IT IS MORE LIKE CHRISTMAS, HAPPY TIMES, SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS.

IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU´RE INTO.

>> THE ONLY ONE I GUESS YOU COULD SAY WAS SHE WAS TELLING HIM I CAN´T SAY.

HE SAYS, IT´S COME BACK INSIDE.

HE´S TRYING TO GET HER TO STAY.

SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW HER MOTHER AND FATHER WILL BE MAD THAT SHE´S WITH A BOY.

>> I DON´T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SONG WAS ABOUT.

SO SHE HAD TO LEAVE AND THE GUY WAS TRYING TO HOLD HER BACK.

IS THAT WHY IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL OR THERE WAS OTHER STUFF IN THE SONG ITSELF?

>> I GUESS BASICALLY IF YOU -- I DIDN´T LISTEN TO THE SONG BECAUSE SHE IS LITERALLY TRYING TO GO.

AND HE´S SAYING, COME BACK.

IT INSINUATES THAT SHE WANTS TO LEAVE BUT HE´S PULLING HER BACK.

IT´S LIKE BEING IN SOMEBODY ELSE´S HOUSE LATE AT NIGHT WHEN SHE SHOULD BE HOME.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT´S WHERE THE CONTROVERSY COMES IN.

HOW I HEARD THE SONG, IT WAS MORE OF HER TRYING TO DO THE LADY LIKE THING AND SAY, HEY, NO, I DON´T WANT TO STAY.

THE ENTIRE TIME HE´S LIKE, NO, IT´S COLD OUTSIDE.

STAY WITH ME.

SPEND THE NIGHT.

LET´S HAVE SOME FUN.

AND I THINK IN THE ENTIRE SONG SHE´S JUST TRYING TO FIND A NICE WAY OF SAYING, NO, I DON´T WANT TO STAY WITH YOU.

LET ME BE.

IT MAY BE COLD OUTSIDE.

I DON´T CARE.

>> OKAY.

SO NOW I KNOW TO LISTEN TO THE SONG TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE CONTROVERSY WAS ABOUT.

>> YOU KNOW IT´S CHRISTMASTIME WHEN YOU HEAR A MARIAH CAREY SONG OR ANY CHRISTMAS SONG IN GENERAL?

>> WELL, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE MY MOMMA MAKE A JOHNNY CAKE, YOU KNOW?

MY DAD WAS JUST LISTENING TO ME SINGING IN THE -- OH, GOD.

THIS KID IS SINGING THIS SONG AGAIN.

YEP.

YEAH, THAT´S GOT TO BE MY FAVORITE SONG.

>> I THINK MY FAVORITE SONG WOULD HAVE TO BE -- IT´S NOT A LOCAL SONG.

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE ONE FROM ARIANA GRANDE.

SANTA BABY.

I THINK THAT WAS MY ANTHEM -- IF I HEARD OTHER SONGS, I WOULD WOULD HEAR IT, BUT THAT WAS MY SONG.

>> I DON´T THINK I HAVE A FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG.

I JUST HAVE A PLAY LIST OF DIFFERENT SONGS.

MARIAH CAREY OF COURSE, SHE DEFROSTS IN NOVEMBER WHEN CHRISTMAS STARTS.

AND THEN MAYBE SOME ARIANA GRANDE SANTA TELL ME AND MAYBE SOME OTHER TRADITIONAL SONGS.

IT HAS TO GO TOGETHER.

>> FOR ME IT WOULD BE SANTA BABY FROM ARIANA GRANDE.

THE THING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA IS HOW YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SPENDS TIME DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS DEFINITELY A BIG DRIVER IN HOW WE SPEND TIME TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY LIKE SENDING THE CARDS TO DIFFERENT FAMILY MEMBERS.

SO, YEAH, SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BIG THING.

>> I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BIG THING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT BASICALLY ENCOURAGES A LOT OF PEOPLE.

LIKE, OH, IT´S A TIME TO SPEND WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND EAT LOTS OF FOOD.

SO I FEEL LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BIG IMPACT FOR THE HOLIDAYS EVEN.

>> YEAH, DEFINITELY.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE PICTURES.

LIKE FOR ME IN MY PAJAMAS WITH TREES AND DECORATIONS AND ALL OF THAT.

>> WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HOLIDAYS, WE´VE GOT MORE CONTROVERSIAL TYPE OF THINGS.

HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET A PEEK INTO THE WAY WE SEE THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

WE´D LIKE TO WISH YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY TO YOU AND YOURS FROM "GRAFFITI STREET."

♫♫