This is Kikita here to wish you all a Merry Christmas! As I'm sure most of you know by now, every year I cut together a family Christmas video. This year marked the 10 year anniversary of this tradition so I knew I had to really step things up. When looking back on all the things that happened in our family over the past year the re-occurring theme ...
Cuban Christmas
Enjoy these Cuban Christmas traditions, Cuban recipes, and stories from my family to yours. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Cuban Christmas!
We say “Merry Christmas”
Merry Christmas! We like to say Merry Christmas. And so we say it. Often. In stores, and to passersby. "Merry Christmas!" I exclaim. They look a little shocked most times. And shyly offer it back (while surreptitiously looking over their shoulder): "Merry Christmas." In Spanish, of course, it's Feliz Navidad. And we ...
Let the Noche Buena Preparations Begin!
It's time to get ready for Noche Buena at the Darbys! I wish you could all come. It's going to be such a fabulous event! We've been up to our eyeballs in party preparations and I'm totally excited. This year we are hosting my big, fat, Cuban family. And our house is small. Freakishly small when I think of the logistics ...
Making believe.
{Oops! TypePad techno mix-up.. Here's the original Believe post....} Isn't it gorgeous? I sit and stare at it up on my hutch and I feel both peaceful and inspired. And I remember that I BELIEVE. I believe in Santa Claus and I believe in Christmas miracles. I do. I was once a struggling, working single parent with two small children and ...
Making it up as I go…
When I was about Jonathan's age (soon to be 14) the place to see movies was at the dome. The Cinerama Dome. It was an amazing architectural feat. The screen swept across a geodesic dome and you'd have to turn your head to see the action on the gigantic screen on the other side. It was THE theater to go to for The Ultimate Movie-Watching ...
Making Christmas
"Making Christmas" is usually the mom's job. At least it's always that way at my house (I'm guessing it's that way in most homes). I do a lot of stuff anyway, but in December I kick it up to Warp Nine. =D This year I was especially busy because I took the time to make some special homemade gifts: 1) ...
“Open me first!”
Back in the day, Kodak had a genius ad campaign for their sweetly priced Instamatic cameras. From around the early 60's and into the 70's their pre-Christmas ads would say something about marking the wrapped camera with a tag that said "Open me first!" Serious genius. So, you're probably thinking that this ...
Pickles and Madness – an enduring Christmas tradition
I'm Cuban.I grew up celebrating Noche Buena. On December 24th we would rise early to decorate the house and put up the Christmas tree while the pig slowly cooked in its garlicky goodness all day long until we kids were driven mad from hunger and completely ravenous by the traditionally late dinner hour, but that's not important right ...
The Christmas Video
One of the gifts we give our family for Christmas each year is a movie. My daughter, Amy Kikita studied film for years and is brilliant when it comes to movie-making and film-editing. The process is neither quick nor easy. We spend hours, days, and weeks listening to music and looking at pictures and watching video footage of old home ...
Andrew Lloyd Weber enters the Cucufate Olympics
Kikita here. A few years ago Mami started a new tradition with Lucy and me. Every December we would go to the theater. We've seen "White Christmas", and the musical version of "It's a Wonderful Life" just to name a few. So this year Mami asked me if I'd be interested in seeing "Jesus Christ Superstar." I ...
