I think people living outside their native home countries either adapt to their new country by assimilating up to the point that they almost forget their roots, or overzealously cultivate their native traditions. In fact, it is difficult to find an immigrant community living “in between”.

Observing the different neighborhoods of New York City, one may notice that the second group becomes almost a caricature of their native society back home. That is, the Italians become more Italian than in Italy. The Poles, more Polish than in Poland, the same with the Chinese, and the Greeks.

Strolling through the Polish part of Greenpoint one feels like being transported to Poland in the 90’s. Time has seemed to stop here. Greenpoint resembles the part of Poland that has never become part of the European Union. Despite increasing globalization and being located in the most cosmopolitan city in the world, this little “part of Poland” retains its cultural uniqueness.

While the preservation of traditions is very important, it often, lets say, becomes too enthusiastic.

So it also happened to the old Italian part of Brooklyn – Dyker Heights. Its inhabitants, the Catholic Italians, are known for decorating their homes for the Christmas holidays. Some of the houses often look like small Italian Renaissance palaces.

 This Christmas tradition, more specifically, its splendor, has made Dyker Heights a tourist attraction. New Yorkers refers to it as Dyker Lights,

Anyway, see it yourself: