Interviewing Mr. Koroshec
What was different compared to other holidays?
This was the first holiday season where we didn’t spend time with our families in person. Typically, we’ll spend a few days with both sides of our family. This year we had awkward Zooms on Christmas instead.
Did you try different ways to spend the holidays with family?
We typically don’t watch too many movies with our kids, so now that our kids are a little older, we decided it’s time to catch up on some 80’s classics. Over break, our kid’s favorite was The Breakfast Club.
What traditions were you able to continue doing?
Food! We had our typical tamale and pozole Christmas dinner, a tradition we started when we moved to Santa Barbara. We also kept one food tradition alive from my childhood by starting the day off with monkey bread, which is a gooey, sugary pull-apart bread.
What was your favorite memory this holiday?
When quarantine began last March, I decided to do a major remodel/restoration of our living room, and I promised my kids that I would have it done by Christmas. I spent many of the early days of break desperately sanding and painting, but I finished just in time. We were able to open presents in our beautiful living room, sitting in front of our newly installed fireplace.
Do you plan on continuing some new traditions? (if you started any this year)
I put Christmas lights on our house in an attempt to compensate for other losses, but witnessing my daughter’s joy when we finished hanging the lights convinced me that Christmas lights are a new Koroshec tradition.
Did you and your family make any cookies, cupcakes etc. ?
On the Sunday before Christmas, I spent an hour or so decorating cookies with RFASST and local foster/adopt families over Zoom. That was another highlight of my break. My students made me so proud, and my kids had a blast.
Did you have a productive break or decided to take a break and spend quality time with family?
Both. I put my kids to work in helping me finish the living room. Am I allowed to say we bonded over chores?
