For many of us, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the treats that reminded us of our parents and grandparents.

While Schenectady and Albany can’t compete with big cities like New York or Chicago when it comes to ethnic eats, we’ve got our share of goodies from the Old Country.

The Gazette uncovered baked goods from seven different nationalities or geographic areas — Italian, Polish, Dutch, Puerto Rican, Russian, Middle Eastern and Swedish — and our story is just a slice of the ethnic cookies, breads, cakes and candy that can be found year-round at local bakeries, delis and farmers’ markets.