Christmastime is here

On December 1, the boys had their school Christmas Concert!   They had been preparing for weeks in their music class and were singing the songs as they played at home.

Christmas Concert

Lukas' Kindergarten Class with Miss Alli

Mackenzie was a shepherd and while it was a challenge to find him a costume, it turned out great!  (Thanks to a friend for lending us her robe! and the use of pillow cases!)

Mackenzie

The boys’ favorite song was Holly Jolly Christmas!  Here’s a link to the video on YouTube:  Holly Jolly Christmas

The sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas can be found here in Caracas.   It is different to associate some of the things I always associated with the shorter, colder days and snow.

Lights are up and the ever popular inflatable lawn decorations are sold on the hot concrete – including one with snow blowing in a snow globe.   There are snowmen and santas everywhere.    Christmas carols are played in all the malls and stores – some in spanish and some in english.

snow globe

There are Christmas bazar type shops (we call them ferias) set up on almost every corner some with elaborate tents filled to the brim and others with a simple tarp set up all selling “Canadian Pine Trees” and other random decorations.   There is one set up in the parking lot that our church shares with another business and the smell of those pine trees is distracting – it’s amazing how smells can transport you to another time and place.

Christmas Bazaar with Canadian Trees for Sale

another one set up along the highway

We bought a fake tree but only brought 2 ornaments for each person in our family with us from Canada so we have been making ornaments to decorate our tree as we talk through the story of Christmas for advent.   The boys are really into it and while we have been very creative in what we have come up with, we have been having a lot of fun!   The other night we were talking about the story of Zechariah and Mackenzie got so excited and said “I get it, I really get it!”  and proceeded to share what he learned from Zechariah – that we can believe and trust what God says is true.

We are anticipating trying traditional Venezuela Christmas food called Hallacas,which are similar to tamales; however, we have been told they are distinctly Venezuelan! We have already had some Pan de Jamón, a long bread filled with cooked ham and Dulce de Lechoza, a typical dessert served on Christmas.   Dulce de Lechoza is made of green papaya and brown sugar which is slowly cooked for hours and is served cold.

While I miss family and tradition and, yes, even snow.  I think this has been my favorite year for anticipating, enjoying, and truly meditating on Christmas.   Change has been a good catalyst for digging deep and the boys are at such good ages for fun and good chats about what really matters.

I’m curious, for people who have spent time away from your “home culture” during the Christmas season, what part of your traditions did you keep and what part of your new culture and experience did you embrace?