felices fiestas
Christmas for me this year. Do pardon my moribund 2003 Kodak Easy Shot:
The pre-party
Every year my host mom's family (large, very close and very proud) meets up on the 22nd of December to celebrate Grandpa Ismael's birthday. The story goes that several years before the Abuelo died he had a heart attack and his doctor advised him to live in the country, keeping the stress of the city at a distance. Abuela Simona left the city every Thursday to spend weekends with him, but Abuelo only came into the city once a year on his birthday to spend Christmas. On this date, the whole family would reunite and Abuelo would bring pine trees, special cheeses, and Christmas goodies in general for everyone.
Now that both abuelos have passed away, the La Fuente family uses this date to remember Ismael and Simona with mass, a visit to the cemetery and a several-course, all-day feast. The highlight was the end of the day when someone pulled out the "contract" signed the year before by all the family members who committed to bring certain things to the party. After cheering those who fulfilled their commitment and thoroughly humiliating those who didn't , there was a long process of deciding who will bring what in 2007 (my host brother Pablo, above, acting as emcee). Complete with some rowdy wrapping up and chanting for each participant (based on the music played at weddings to announce the padrinos who sponsor the cake, photography, etc.)
My host mom's sister and husband (right) pass the cloth to my host parents, who will host the party next year and cook lunch.
Olivia gets wrapped up after committing to be the madrina of flowers in 2007.
Christmas Eve
Catholic Christmas festivities here take place on Christmas Eve, with the whole family decorating and cooking all day in preparation for midnight, when incense is lit, everyone prays, gifts are exchanged, and at long last, the feasting commences.
The tree is decorated with the manger, flowers and candles, not gifts, below. My host mom got up at 6:00 in the morning to go to the market to buy the moss upon which she placed little animals and the nativity figures -- at midnight, incense is lit and baby Jesus is added to the scene, which is called a "pesebre".
The tablecloth painted by my host mom, which I watched all evening and all night until 1:00 am, when we finally ate.
Carlitos, equally desperate beside a pile of unopened gifts, but pretending to play it cool.
Magui, Juanca and Esperanza, and Lili below, in a whirlwind of gift opening. My amigos secretos were Pablo, who gave me silver earrings straight from Potosi and Magui, who I gave goodies for her new bed.
Festivities ended at 4:00 a.m., which was much earlier than I was warned. And I'm now on vacation.
The pre-party
Every year my host mom's family (large, very close and very proud) meets up on the 22nd of December to celebrate Grandpa Ismael's birthday. The story goes that several years before the Abuelo died he had a heart attack and his doctor advised him to live in the country, keeping the stress of the city at a distance. Abuela Simona left the city every Thursday to spend weekends with him, but Abuelo only came into the city once a year on his birthday to spend Christmas. On this date, the whole family would reunite and Abuelo would bring pine trees, special cheeses, and Christmas goodies in general for everyone.
Now that both abuelos have passed away, the La Fuente family uses this date to remember Ismael and Simona with mass, a visit to the cemetery and a several-course, all-day feast. The highlight was the end of the day when someone pulled out the "contract" signed the year before by all the family members who committed to bring certain things to the party. After cheering those who fulfilled their commitment and thoroughly humiliating those who didn't , there was a long process of deciding who will bring what in 2007 (my host brother Pablo, above, acting as emcee). Complete with some rowdy wrapping up and chanting for each participant (based on the music played at weddings to announce the padrinos who sponsor the cake, photography, etc.)
My host mom's sister and husband (right) pass the cloth to my host parents, who will host the party next year and cook lunch.
Olivia gets wrapped up after committing to be the madrina of flowers in 2007.
Christmas Eve
Catholic Christmas festivities here take place on Christmas Eve, with the whole family decorating and cooking all day in preparation for midnight, when incense is lit, everyone prays, gifts are exchanged, and at long last, the feasting commences.
The tree is decorated with the manger, flowers and candles, not gifts, below. My host mom got up at 6:00 in the morning to go to the market to buy the moss upon which she placed little animals and the nativity figures -- at midnight, incense is lit and baby Jesus is added to the scene, which is called a "pesebre".
The tablecloth painted by my host mom, which I watched all evening and all night until 1:00 am, when we finally ate.
Carlitos, equally desperate beside a pile of unopened gifts, but pretending to play it cool.
Magui, Juanca and Esperanza, and Lili below, in a whirlwind of gift opening. My amigos secretos were Pablo, who gave me silver earrings straight from Potosi and Magui, who I gave goodies for her new bed.
Festivities ended at 4:00 a.m., which was much earlier than I was warned. And I'm now on vacation.
posted by Kristin at 12:59 PM
1 Comments:
Que Bueno!
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