SAN FRANCISCO – While snowy landscapes of cities like New York and New England evoke the spirit of Christmas in many classic movies and songs, countless Americans enjoy different festive customs due to their warmer climates.

In San Francisco, it’s fresh crab—rather than snow—that signals the arrival of the holiday season.

In sunny Florida, December is the height of citrus harvesting, while in New Mexico, you’ll see vibrant strings of dried red chiles brightening up the holidays.

In Texas, beautiful paper lanterns known as luminarias start to appear, and in Louisiana, bonfires are lit to guide Santa Claus. Meanwhile, in Hawaii, December often calls for a kalua pig feast.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the distinct seasonal harvests celebrated during the holiday season in these milder climates across America.

Crab Christmas in San Francisco

In San Francisco, residents don’t need winter gear during the holiday season, as late December temperatures usually hover around 55 degrees or above.

This doesn’t dampen the holiday spirit. A favorite festive dish in the Bay Area features steamed Dungeness crab served with butter, a glass of crisp white wine, and plenty of sourdough bread for soaking up the rich juices.

The crab season in California traditionally kicks off on November 15 for the southern and central coasts, and December 1 for the north, making it a delightful treat for both Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings.

Crab is not a substitute for turkey or ham but is often part of a separate family occasion, sometimes celebrated on New Year’s Eve or whenever loved ones can gather.

Dungeness crabs are significantly larger than crabs found in the East, such as the blue crabs from Maryland. They typically weigh between two to three pounds and start as a deep reddish-purple hue, turning bright red and pink once cooked.

Despite some recent restrictions on the commercial crab season due to safety concerns for the crab meat and the protection of migrating whales, the tradition remains strong. In 2024, this delay happened because of the increased presence of humpback and blue whales along the coast.

During winter, these whales migrate, posing a risk of entanglement in fishing gear. This year, the start of commercial Dungeness crabbing was postponed south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line due to a high number of entangled whales, as reported by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Both the rise in harmful algae and the overlap of migratory pathways with crab fishing activities have been linked to climate change.

Citrus Abundance in Florida

Florida enjoys some of the warmest winters in the United States, typically seeing temperatures between 60 and 77 degrees.

Come Christmas time, it coincides with peak citrus picking season, as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and mandarins are being harvested. This has connected the holiday season with oranges for over a century.

Oranges are famously tucked into stockings, reminiscent of the tale of Saint Nicholas, who supposedly tossed golden balls into a poor man’s stocking to ensure his daughters would have dowries — an event known as The Miracle of the Dowries.

The association of oranges with Florida grew stronger as refrigerated railcars began transporting fruit in the mid-1800s, making fresh winter oranges more accessible and affordable.

This connection to oranges was so strong that when Ridgewood Groves, one of Florida’s first planned retirement communities, was established, residents were promised “five producing citrus trees with every home,” and each of the five home styles was named after a different orange variety: the Mandarin, Seville, Tangelo, Valencia, and Duncan, as highlighted in a thesis at the University of South Florida.

During WWII, orange juice played a vital role for soldiers requiring vitamin C to maintain their health and avert scurvy. Following the war, the introduction of frozen orange juice concentrate revolutionized distribution, making it widely available for returning GIs to enjoy at home.

As early as the 1930s, marketing campaigns began associating orange juice with health benefits and the Christmas season, promoting festive gift boxes of citrus fruits meant for sharing with loved ones. These campaigns intensified during the 1950s.

This year’s expected citrus yield in Florida is projected to decline by 16% compared to the previous year, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, partly due to the impact of a particularly intense hurricane season in the region.

Chilies in New Mexico

In New Mexico, December sees temperatures occasionally drop to the low 50s, and snow can be spotted in mountainous and northern areas of the state, all against a backdrop of clear skies and sunny yet crisp days.

The festive season starts to show with the appearance of bright red chili strings known as ristras (meaning “strings” in Spanish), which emerge in late fall as the state’s bountiful chile pepper harvest comes in.

Primarily cultivated in Hatch Valley, New Mexico’s distinctive variety of chile peppers is substantial. They can be harvested while still green, which is common, but those allowed to ripen on the plant turn a deep red and are subsequently dried for preservation.

The traditional drying method for these peppers involves either slicing them open and laying them flat or tying them into long strings to air dry. According to April Beauchemin, a program specialist at the New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute, this can be quite challenging.

“The peppers must be picked at the right stage of ripeness, and their stems need to be flexible for easy manipulation. However, if they are too fresh, the strings can loosen as the peppers lose moisture, causing chilies to drop off,” she explained.

Ristras have become emblematic of New Mexico and are recognized as seasonal decorations. “They are quite popular in the Southwest as door hangings, with many opting for them over the traditional green pine wreath,” Beauchemin noted. “Some people prefer to adorn their doors with ristras instead.”

Although these vibrant wreaths and ristras aren’t specifically tied to Christmas, the flavorful chile sauce derived from them incorporates many elements of the holiday season.

“In New Mexico, it’s a common practice to drench everything on your plate, from turkey to stuffing, with red chile sauce,” Beauchemin added.

The true essence of the holiday spirit really shines through when someone asks the quintessential state question: “Red or Green?” This phrase pertains to the type of chile sauce you’d like with your dish. Remarkably, the state officially recognized this question in 1996.

“As a proud New Mexican, I typically reply with ‘Christmas!’ which signifies that I want both red and green sauce on my enchiladas,” shared Beauchemin.