I will be posting very little the remainder of the month as I will be on vacation and will have no access to the Internet. I will continue to give my Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you well because that's what I do. I'm Christmasy like that and I try to enjoy the whole month, I usually get in the Christmans mood right after Thanksgiving weekend, so I hope my posts don't get old.
Once apon a time in Mexico our Christmas didn't have gifts but instead we celebrated from December 16 through the 24th by having a posada each night. First many of us got together and then we were divided into two groups. Group 1 would represent Mary and Joseph and group 2 were the Inn owners. Then we started chanting going from door to door asking for "posada" and it wasn't until the last door that we were all invited inside. Posadas are fun and get the whole neighborhood involved.
After the posada we would go to a pre-chosen location to break pinatas and to get candy, after that fire crackers were lit and fired all night long. On the 24th we have the last posada and then some of us were taken to church for midnight mass.
Santa Clauss was only for the rich and I grew up in a poor neighborhood, us poor people would have to waint until January the 6th when "The Three Wisemen" would distribute toys to all the kids in the world... or so we tought. We were asked to write a letter to the wisemen the night before asking them for toys we wanted and then place it outside the door inside one of our shoes, however as wise as the three wise men were they didn't know how to read because they never brought us the toys we requested and always substituted with toys we didn't request. But year after year we still had hope and to this day we still love them.
Most families in Mexico have a nativity set and setting up your display was always a family affair as well, to this day this is still a tradition that is very much alive, again Christmas trees were more common amongst the rich or even the middle class people, that's why we had so much pride in setting the prettiest nativity scene for everyone to see and enjoy.
Sharing the joy with others, eating tamales and good food, going to mass, and learning about "El Nino Dios" (Baby Jesus) is what it was all about, a far cry from what we do now. Times change and beliefs vary but in my world Christmas is still Christmas and to me it is still the best and most festive time of the year.
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Hummm I wanted to add you to my google reader and it say you have no feed. Darn it all to heck.
Have a great time my friend - and be safe.
Boz...I get him on Bloglines...is Google different?
What a cool story! Have a WONDERFUL vacation.
*hugs* to you, Michelle, and all of your family!
We'll miss you when you're gone!!
Feliz Navidad my friend - can't wait to you get back, have a great time!
Good! you also get all Christmasy! Our regular reggaeton and so on music is replaced with Christmas carols! jajaja. Tio my tia Jaqueline( my abuelitas sister) told us that now Mexico is adopting our holidays Like Thanksgiving and things like that. i didnt know. I soo live in a small world! luv ya!
I remember writing my letter and putting it in our shoes:)
But I thought that the reason we didn't get what we asked for was because our shoes were "stinky" and The Three Wise Men were wise enough to run as quickly as possible!
I love our traditions, it is too bad we don't participate in them and pass them on to our kids here in the United States. I do remember having a Posada or two back when Raul and Ade lived in La Puente.
I was so young that to be honest, on Christmas I remember going to Church and giving a hug to all at Midnight. I didn't even know that Santa Clause existed until we moved here. But I must admit that come January 6th, I was eagerly waiting for Los Santos Reyes (Three Wise Men) to arrive. It was a torture going to sleep because until we did, we were told, they would not come.
So I hope that everyone spends a Nice Christmas Season and may Santa Clause or The Three Wise Men, bring you Joy, Peace and Love.
We got bumped brother...but we are on the Hall of Fame for now!
Guess we'll have to show a body part to stay longer!
Enjoy your vacation! That was a wonderful story; I wasn't aware of the three wise men gifts tradition before (as in kids asking for them on Jan. 6th) Thanks for enlightening me. Take your time, enjoy the holiday, and I'll be around when you get back.
Hmm...I swear I commeneted on this already. Weird. Anyways, enjoy your vacation senor!
Have a great vacation. I have a very close friend who grew up in Mexico. She told me the same thing many years ago. It was neat hearing it again.
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
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