by Emily, age 9 from Miami, Florida, asks Santa about Christmas palm trees, Biscayne Bay, and the Cuban American Noche Buena tradition.
Dear Santa, my name is Emily, and I am nine years old. I live in Miami, Florida, where my abuela puts up a palm tree covered in lights instead of a pine tree every single December.
Dear Emily, a palm tree wrapped in lights is one of my favorite Florida traditions, festive and perfectly suited to a place that never sees snow.
Santa, I have three questions.
What is a Christmas palm tree? My abuela calls the little palm in our yard a Christmas palm but I thought only pine trees counted.
A Christmas palm is actually a real type of palm tree, Emily, sometimes called Adonidia, known for its bright red seed clusters that show up right around the holiday season, almost like nature’s own decorations. Your abuela is not just being clever, that is its actual name.
My teacher says Miami sits right on a big bay called Biscayne Bay. Is that true?
It is true, Emily, Biscayne Bay stretches along Miami’s coastline, warm and sparkling even in December. I always enjoy that easy, breezy landing after colder stops further north.
My abuela says a lot of Cuban American families in Miami celebrate Noche Buena with a big family dinner on Christmas Eve. Is that true?
It is true, Emily, Noche Buena is a cherished Cuban American tradition, a large Christmas Eve feast surrounded by family, often including roasted pork and rich, warm conversation late into the night. That kind of gathering, sharing food and stories with the people you love, is really the heart of the whole season, wherever it happens.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Emily Fernandez
Miami, Florida
P.S. Can our Christmas palm have red seed clusters just like the real ones?
I will see what the elves can arrange, Emily, nature usually handles that part better than we do.
