OFFICIAL BLOG

Fieldnotes

December 18, 2014

The Winter Break--How and Why We Do It

Published by Wednesday Martin

During the winter holidays, my tribe celebrates childhood, a uniquely Western phenomenon, and children, our most precious and cherished possessions. In a state of ecological release, we are able to invest heavily in each and every child. Worldwide, children are net contributors to their households by age seven. That is not the case here, where we serve our kids and childhood is a time not for work but schooling and play

Among the tribe I study, interfaith marriages are not uncommon. Neither is household staff. Here is a telling vignette of artifacts and objects. A housekeeper's Christmas tip is in an envelope written in Spanish, propped on a Menorah. Cultural hybridity is deep part of New York City.

Where are you going? Many Manhattanites travel to the Caribbean or a ski destination over the winter break. Packing is an activity that can create anxiety as mothers pack for their children as well as themselves, and choices about what you take with you reflect not just what you are bringing, but who you are. Don't forget the sunblock.

You may need a quick doctor's visit before you go away. My dermatologist Dr. Dana Stern wears a patent leather mini skirt and studded boots with her lab jacket. THAT'S WHY I LIVE HERE!

Winter holidays allow us to be affiliative and pro-social--anthropology's words for connected and friendly. Here's how the tribe I study in Manhattan does it--and why.