Being a second-gen'ner and an engineer (and therefore having mostly male* and/or Asian friends), I have been surrounded by North American culture but have experienced very little of it.  

A couple just invited us to their toddler's birthday party.  It is also going to be a costume party for adults and kids alike with "pumpkin decorating and baking of Halloween cookies".  I have never been invited to such a thing before, and it sounds amazing and exciting!  I cannot wait for this Sunday!  I better come up with a costume quick! 

Last year, a friend invited me to her White Elephant Christmas Party.  This was also super exciting to attend.  A holiday celebration that combines sweaters (or other costumes), cookies, and silly rituals cannot be beat.

Evan's family also kindly invites not only Evan and I but my parents and brother and his wife to their traditions - Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas supper.  Thanksgiving is sweet and simple - lots of food and expressions of gratitude.

My in-laws also host Christmas-Eve festivities, which are really fun!   The festivities involve sitting in front of a beautifully decorated tree, with intricate ornaments.  My mother-in-law told me the stories behind some of the ornaments - many of them had sentimental value.  We also sometimes went to a service at their Church.  Many North Americans are really good at decorating things.  Their church is filled with white candles, flowers, and different colored ribbons. Part of the service involved everyone lighting a small wax candle.  It looked very pretty indeed.  And Christmas hymns are beautiful to listen to. 

Of all decorations, Halloween and Valentine's ones are my favorites.  I feel so happy when surrounded by orange and black things, or by red and pink things.  Some expert in psychology must have come up with these color schemes. 

* For whatever reason, women seem ten times more interested in these kinds of festivities and traditions than men.  Or perhaps they are just more expressive of their interest than men.  Or perhaps I am imagining this difference.  

There you go - generalizations and stereotypes aplenty!  :-P