New Christmas traditions and Ghostly visitations

Melinda Palacio

I later added photos to the cards.

Caroling at Jackson Square

Last Sunday, I participated in the annual Christmas caroling at Jackson Square in New Orleans, a tradition that’s been going on since 1946. I’ve learned most of the Christmas songs in church or at school. However, caroling or singing Christmas songs was never part of my family’s traditions. We went to posadas at church or the midnight mass on Christmas Eve and then woke to open presents and eat tamales, ojarascas, and buñuelos.

Although I miss many of my childhood Christmas traditions, and especially the women who made all possible, my mother and grandmother, I appreciate some of the new traditions I’ve incorporated in my adult life. One of my new hobbies is singing, and I especially love Christmas songs because they are fun and easy to remember and I only song them around Christmas.

In New Orleans, strangers become fast friends as they gather and keep each other’s candles lit and sing a dozen carols. The caroling begins right after the evening mass and folks who have gone to church get the best spots inside Jackson Square.

On Christmas Eve, when I gathered with friends for dinner, I made sure we did some caroling before the evening ended. After singing I was going to put my guitar away, but something made me ask if anyone had any requests, and here’s where things got a little spooky.


Earlier in the day, I had strung up Christmas cards and I added a picture of me and my mom to the left side. When I asked for any song requests, everyone noticed that the side of the string with her picture on it, moved up and down.it was as if someone were tugging on a wire to make a bus or street car stop. Everyone present thought the same thing: my mother was there in the living room with us and she wanted me to keep singing.

In my mind, that my mother was sending me a signal of approval from beyond this earth seemed perfectly logical, plus she was never one to miss a good party, and she loved to sing, especially Christmas carols. I played a few more for her. My favorite Christmas gift  was knowing she was present and having had half a dozen witnesses to this event. It was a nice reminder that she is always with me.