The holiday season is here, and for the Black digital nomad, holiday festivities are taking on a whole new meaning.
What is a Digital Nomad?
A Black digital nomad is a new breed of modern day professional, who chooses to live and work remotely. Whether working from the comfort of their home, or from somewhere exotic such as Thailand or Bali, digital nomads have embraced the freedom that comes with working on their own terms. But what exactly does being a digital nomad involve?
For starters, you don’t need an office job. Digital nomads often work as freelancers in fields such as web design, graphic design, programming and more – anything where they can use technology to do their work remotely. This means having the freedom to set your own schedule and pick up jobs wherever you please.
Another advantage of being a digital nomad is that you can explore the world while you work. With the right planning, digital nomads are able to move from place to place, taking in different cultures and experiences as they go. They don’t need a permanent base, so they can travel for as long or short a period of time as they like.
How To Celebrate the Holidays Abroad
From the lavish celebrations in Australia to the cozy festivities in Norway, Black digital nomads are celebrating the many different holiday traditions from around the world.
Take Christmas, for example. In Germany, the Christmas holiday begins on December 24th with a festive candlelit dinner and ends with an exchange of gifts under the tree. Meanwhile in Sweden, St. Lucia’s Day is celebrated on December 13th with sweet buns and coffee served by children wearing white gowns and crowns of candles.
No matter where you are in the world, traveling abroad for the holiday season is sure to be a real treat. From festive feasts and firework displays to exchanging gifts and singing carols, culture around the world have different traditions when it comes to celebrating their favorite seasonal festivities. Here are five ways to celebrate the holidays as a Black digital nomad:
1. Martinique
Searching for an epic Caribbean getaway filled with stunning visuals? The French Caribbean island of Martinique is the place for you. With its spectacular beaches, lush rainforest, and fiery volcanoes, this island paradise will give you a vacation of a lifetime. The best part is that you can experience all that and more during the holiday season. And by more, we mean la ribote.
La Ribote is a historic tradition where loved ones visit their neighbors during Advent and on New Year’s Day. Part of the visit includes exchanging holiday foods such as boudin créole, yams, pork stew, and pâtés salés.
But not only do they exchange holiday foods, they also sing Christmas carols into the wee hours of the morning, adding their own personal spins to traditional lyrics.
2. Barbados
Foodies, rejoice! Barbados is the place to be if you want to experience an abundance of authentic Caribbean food for the holidays.
For the holidays, there are three dishes that you are sure to find on every Bajan dinner table: great cake, Jug Jug, and baked ham.
Great cake is a cake made with dried fruits such as cherries, raisins, currants, and prunes. Also included are spices, and quite a bit of liquor. You can enjoy the cake iced or eat it as is.
Jug Jug is kind of like a modern interpretation of the Scottish dish haggis. But the Bajan version is made using green peas, guinea corn flour, and salted meat.
And of course, the baked ham. This involves spicing the cured ham with cloves, then basting it with a pineapple or sorrel glaze. Bonus points if you can get your hands on the crunchy, flavorful part of the ham that the locals call crackling.
3. Brazil
Christmas in Brazil is a time of great celebration and joy. From feasting on traditional dishes to taking part in lively parades, Christmas is one of the most festive times of year for Brazilians.
Unlike most American households, Brazilian families kick off the festivities on Christmas Eve with a special feast on Christmas Eve known as Ceia de Natal. This often includes a Chester or large chicken, marinated pork leg, or turkey.
Accompaniments include flavored rice, beans, potato salad, chicken, salad, farofa, and an array of seasonal fruits. But the star of the show is without a doubt the desserts! Brazilian Christmas would not be complete without Pavê de Natal (Christmas Trifle), Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast), and traditional cookies like Bolachas de Natal (Painted Christmas Cookies.)
And at midnight, loved ones show their appreciation for each other by exchanging gifts and kind words. They also play festive games such as Amigo Secreto, similar to Secret Santa.
And for Catholic travelers, Midnight mass or Missa Do Galo is a great opportunity to catch up with friends and family, wishing them all the best for the holiday season. The service is often followed by an incredible firework display in the town square – definitely not something to be missed!
4. South Africa
When it comes to diversity, South Africa is a melting pot on steroids, from traditional African cultures to the Indian and Afrikaans influences. If you’re looking for a way to explore a new culture, you can find it here — especially for the holidays.
Even though holiday traditions differ depending what part of South Africa you visit, a large percentage of South African families come together for a cookout called braaing. Its menu includes a main course, which typically consists of marinated steaks and boerewors sausages. This is then followed by a traditional dessert of malva pudding served with custard.
And when it comes to Christmas decor, many would argue that South Africans do it best! They decorate Christmas fir trees using an assortment of festive baubles, including colorful beaded African ornaments.
5. Egypt
Instead of celebrating Christmas once, Egypt celebrates the holiday twice.
Many Egyptians households celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day. This includes feasting and sharing festive gifts with loved ones. They even celebrate Baba Noël, an Egyptian version of Father Christmas, who climbs through the window to leave gifts for good children in exchange for Egyptian sweet biscuits called Kahk el Eid.
Coptic Christians, on the otherhand, celebrate the holidays differently. On Christmas Eve (January 6), Coptic Christians gift their younger relatives with money.
And on Christmas Day, they often start their morning with a cup of tea and a plate of sweet biscuits. Family members and friends also join in their homes to share even more sweets and holiday cheer.
