FEATURE · FAMILY IS WHOMEVER YOU CHOOSE
FAMILY IS WHOMEVER
YOU CHOOSE
STORY BY
KELSEY BROWN
Why some people spend the holiday season with the people who make them feel loved, not just those with whom they share blood.
RIGHT: Jessica Katz and Rachel Katz share a last name and spend the holidays together, despite not being blood-related.
Jessica Katz and Rachel Katz share a last name, but no DNA. They have known each other their whole lives. They were both supposed to be twins, but weren’t. As kids, they both were given the same stuffed bear. Oddly enough, Rachel has the same name as Jessica’s mom. “Even though we’re not blood-related, I treat her like she’s my sister,” Jessica said. Jessica, a freshman at California State University, Long Beach, explained that Rachel’s family has had such a constant presence in her life that they feel like her family. For Jessica, family isn’t just who you’re related to, but the people in life who are consistently there for you. Because Jessica’s father doesn’t have a great relationship with his family and her mother’s family is in Australia and New Zealand, Jessica doesn’t spend holidays with her extended family. “A lot of people don’t have the best relationship with their family, including me,” Jessica said. “I honestly have a better relationship with close friends.”
Instead, on holidays, Jessica gathers with friends and family friends she’s known her whole life. Half of Jessica’s family celebrates Hanukkah and the other half celebrates Christmas. She usually spends time with both family and friends. But Jessica appreciates the lightness that her friendships bring, compared to the familial baggage she’s accustomed to. Jessica explained that people shouldn’t feel obligated to be around their families during the holidays just because they’re blood-related. If someone’s family relations
“ With family, it can kind of feel like you’re forced in a way, where it’s like friends [are] a choice.” JESSICA KATZ
26
DIG_Winter21_for printer.indd 26
11/9/2021 2:55:04 PM
