Chestnuts remind me so much of my Papa. When I was a little girl no Christmas or New Year’s eve feasts were complete without them. I grew up loving this treat that is why they remind me so much of my childhood and my father, too. It is also the reason why I made it a point to get some of these for our New Year’s eve feast. We may not have cooked up a storm, but if we have a bunch of hotdogs {for the little man} and a bowl of still-hot chestnut then I am such a happy camper.

Special occasions like the Christmas holidays always brings me to that time in my childhood when I do not have a care in the world, except to figure out how to eat all the delicious dishes my Mama made especially for the occasion! We’d have arroz valenciana, which was also one of my Papa’s fave, fruits salad, macaroni salad {which is my fave}, and a hot dish, which could be sotanghon soup or arroz caldo, depending on what the brood of 5 requested.

Our Christmas holidays were also characterized by the lovely Christmas tunes that my Papa used to play on his radio. We may not have an audio-technica ath-m50 at guitar center or similar music gear, but the air around the household was thick with the holiday spirit thanks to the Christmas carol blaring from my father’s radio.

I really have fond memories of Christmas as a child that is why I would love for my little man to have the same. Now it may take a while before I could finally convince him to give one of these chestnuts a try, but I am sure we will get there one day.

What’s your favorite holiday treat?