Melting Pot Of Cultures Is What Makes The Holidays In South Florida So Special

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Home for the holidays means South Florida for people from all over the world.

Take a stroll down Lincoln Road and you'll hear people of all cultures speaking various languages.

As CBS4's Frances Wang discovered, that's what makes the holidays in South Florida so special.

Dominoes, the Cupid Shuffle and lots of food, including the infamous roasted pig in La Caja China.

"It takes about three, three to four hours," explained Daniel Arca. "Season it overnight… put in all the good ingredients, the garlic the salt the oranges."

It's all part of the Arca family's multicultural Noche Buena in Cooper City.

"It's a special tradition for Cubans, also mixing in Jamaican and American culture," said Fara Arca. "This is a very South Florida get together gathering – we have Americans, Colombians, Jamaicans, Guyanese."

Over in Miami Beach, a nativity scene, a giant Christmas tree and a unique Hanukkah tradition – lighting up the seashell menorah for the 19th year.

"This is my life – to go and be very universal as far as everyone coming together," said Roger Abramson, creator of the seashell menorah and dreidel. "Christmas tree, nativity scene – wonderful diversity of Miami."

And it's not just natives adding to that diversity.

Wang met people from Africa and Italy and Argentina and even Finland.

For some, just being here is the tradition. For the couple from Finland, they're looking for new traditions.

"Actually, the first time away from there because it's the home of the Santa Claus and home of the Christmas and everything," said Ville Tuominen. "That's why we try to escape that everything, snow and cold."