Cuánta nostalgia me trae que menciones a la hallaca. Antes no había mesa venezolana - por humilde que fuera - que no tuviera ese plato en Navidad, sentir su olor era decir "Huele a Navidad" y no faltaba el intercambio porque en cada casa se hacían las hallacas propias y las de obsequio para llevar a los vecinos cercanos, a los compadres m,hasta se mandaban a los familiares que vieran lejos. Ahora es imposible para la generalidad degustar de este plato característico. Así estamos de empobrecidos y nada ha cambiado para nuestro bien. 🙁

Mentioning the hallaca brings back such a wave of nostalgia for me. In the past, no Venezuelan table—however humble—was without that dish at Christmas; catching its aroma was synonymous with the very scent of the holiday season. There was always an exchange involved, too, since every household made their own hallacas not just for themselves but also as gifts for close neighbors and compadres, or even to send to relatives living far away. Nowadays, for the vast majority of people, enjoying this signature dish has become impossible. That is the extent of our impoverishment, and nothing has changed for the better. 🙁