Hallacas the key to Gleyber Torres’ Christmas
Eusebio Torres has fond memories of the 2008 Christmas night, 11 days after his son Gleyber turned two years old.
On that night, Gleyber received a plastic bat that would change his life forever, setting him on the eventual path that led the Venezuelan second baseman to Yankee Stadium.
“Gleyber wouldn’t stop running around the house with his bat, as if he were Bamm-Bamm from the Flintstones,” the Yankees second baseman’s father said.
The Torres family likes keeping the Venezuelan Christmas traditions alive. They love gathering at a house to prepare hallacas, which are Venezuela’s traditional Christmas meal.
Hallacas are similar to tamales filled with beef, chicken, pork, olives, raisins and capers and wrapped in plantain leaves.
“It’s a very special holiday, since several members of the family reunite after a long year,” Eusebio Torres said. “It is even more important when it comes to Venezuelan big leaguers because most of their relatives live in their country and this is the only chance they have to spend quality time with them, either preparing hallacas during the day or remembering old family memories on Christmas night.”
Gleyber’s dad used to sell plantain leaves in popular markets in Caracas on Christmas Eve to make extra income. Sometimes he took Gleyber with him so that the boy could learn the value of work.
A beloved tradition in the Torres family is the coming of Baby Jesus with presents for all the kids. Gleyber loved the bat.
As time went by, Gleyber got interested in other kind of toys that were popular among children raised during the first decade of the 21st century.
“I think that the present from Baby Jesus he liked the most was a Buzz Lightyear action figure,” Eusebio Torres said. “It was his favorite toy.”
Gleyber Torres, who was an American League All-Star and a finalist for the American League Rookie of the Year in 2018, has fond memories of his childhood.
A different Christmas
This year, a lot of things have changed in Gleyber Torres‘ life. He’s no longer just a top prospect expected to succeed in the future for the Yankees. He has already graduated to stardom in the Bronx.
He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Due to the major role he is expected to play in 2019, Gleyber decided to spend Christmas in the United States this year because has already started his offseason conditioning program.
“Gleyber is a guy who loves being at home and sleeping in his old bed when he comes to Venezuela,” Eusebio said. “His bedroom remains unchanged. However, this year, for the first time ever, we’ll break the family tradition and we will travel to Florida.
“Never before had Gleyber decided to spend these days in the U.S., so we will be there with him.”
What about the hallacas?
Eusebio makes clear that the Venezuelan tamale would be on the menu for their Christmas dinner once again along with pork roast, which is also an important traditional component of this feast in Venezuelan traditions.
This way, the essence of this holiday won’t be absent that night.
“The hallaca is one of Gleyber’s favorite dishes, as well as the scrambled eggs that his mom usually prepares for him,” Eusebio said. “But the most important thing for Gleyber and his family is to thank all the blessings they have gotten this year.”
Featured Image: Gleyber Torres Instagram