Nicaragua: Back to December
December means winds strong enough to knock over the mango tree in my backyard and nights cool enough that I have to put on socks when 3am rolls around. It means obnoxious neighbor kids throwing firecrackers at all hours of the day and Christmas lights adorning everybody's humble abode. It means graduation celebrations on top of Virgin Mary celebrations on top of Christmas celebrations.
Lots of activity is happening around here, and a joyful spirit abounds as the year comes to a close.
The first two weeks of the month were filled with graduation ceremonies for pre-schoolers moving on to primary school, sixth graders moving on to secondary school, eleventh graders graduating from secondary school, and college students graduating from their programs. Each ceremony is pretty much the same: students wear caps and gowns or another determined outfit, process in, listen to some people speak, receive their diplomas, and process out. Then family members and friends are invited to the graduate's house for dinner.
December 8th was the big celebration of the Immaculate Conception. Here it's called "La Purisima." I like to think of the tradition as a mixture of the 4th of July and Halloween. Here's why: families that decide to host Purisima celebrations set up an altar to Mary in their homes, invite people over to pray and sing at a determined hour, give each guest a Tupperware gift filled with fruit, sweets, and a drink made from corn (but is somehow bright pink). Once the prayers and songs are over, firecrackers are launched outside (that's the 4th of July similarity). People can be seen roaming the streets this day with big bags filled with all of the Tupperware they collect throughout the day, which to me feels like trick-or-treating.
And now people are preparing for Navidad...Christmas. On the 24th, families will gather to eat special food such as stuffed chicken or shrimp cocktail, stay up late, perhaps go out to dance, and then stay home and relax all day on the 25th. Santa doesn't visit here and families don't sit around for hours watching each other open gifts. Cookies aren't a tradition either, but my sitemate and I baked some tasty Christmas cookies this past week to share with people here.
So there you have it. With so much December activity, it will come as no surprise when life slows down a whole bunch in January. As for now, all is merry and bright.
From Nicaragua, I wish you and yours the most happy of holidays, wherever you may be.
Lots of activity is happening around here, and a joyful spirit abounds as the year comes to a close.
The first two weeks of the month were filled with graduation ceremonies for pre-schoolers moving on to primary school, sixth graders moving on to secondary school, eleventh graders graduating from secondary school, and college students graduating from their programs. Each ceremony is pretty much the same: students wear caps and gowns or another determined outfit, process in, listen to some people speak, receive their diplomas, and process out. Then family members and friends are invited to the graduate's house for dinner.
December 8th was the big celebration of the Immaculate Conception. Here it's called "La Purisima." I like to think of the tradition as a mixture of the 4th of July and Halloween. Here's why: families that decide to host Purisima celebrations set up an altar to Mary in their homes, invite people over to pray and sing at a determined hour, give each guest a Tupperware gift filled with fruit, sweets, and a drink made from corn (but is somehow bright pink). Once the prayers and songs are over, firecrackers are launched outside (that's the 4th of July similarity). People can be seen roaming the streets this day with big bags filled with all of the Tupperware they collect throughout the day, which to me feels like trick-or-treating.
And now people are preparing for Navidad...Christmas. On the 24th, families will gather to eat special food such as stuffed chicken or shrimp cocktail, stay up late, perhaps go out to dance, and then stay home and relax all day on the 25th. Santa doesn't visit here and families don't sit around for hours watching each other open gifts. Cookies aren't a tradition either, but my sitemate and I baked some tasty Christmas cookies this past week to share with people here.
So there you have it. With so much December activity, it will come as no surprise when life slows down a whole bunch in January. As for now, all is merry and bright.
From Nicaragua, I wish you and yours the most happy of holidays, wherever you may be.
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