Traditions, especially in the realm of family, are essential because family is the most miniature society we are born into. It’s the first community we feel we belong to and have that sense of being protected. And when the time comes for us to move away from this family community due to jobs or other circumstances of life, we deeply know that wherever we are, this tiny community exists where we can return. Family is the port of safety. Even if there are disputes and misunderstandings between family members, we still feel that unbreakable bond; well, blood is thicker than water. At this point, it’s not only the blood that keeps us genetically related but also the family traditions.

My family’s traditions are very classical. We gather during big holidays like Christmas and Easter. And what’s better than being together and having a big feast meal? It’s all about food. Food keeps us alive, and sharing food on these special days with family is a tradition that keeps us bonded.

And somehow, in the last years, it has developed the tradition of me making for Christmas and Eastern Brioche Bread, or as we Greeks call it, Tsoureki.