Wordless Wednesday

You tell me. Is this the product of....
A creative decorator?

Or a lazy butt who didn't feel like going to Target to get extra storage for the last bit of garland?

I know it seems early for Valentine's Day but I just can't do snow decorations in GA.

A Letter from the Zookeeper

**This is actually two letters to different people but they're short so I'll put them together.**

Dear Small Exhibits,

I love you! I love that we had a wonderful two weeks of holiday celebrations. You did a wonderful job helping to decorate the Christmas tree and I was incredibly proud of your behavior at the Christmas Eve party. I was even more impressed with your desire to share on the big day itself. A million thank you's for being so well behaved while your Auntie B and Uncle N were here too. There is a chance now that you may eventually, one day in the distant future acquire some cousins. After Auntie B's last visit I was a bit worried.

That being said? It's time for Orangutan to go back to school....YESTERDAY!! I'm glad you enjoyed your time together but if I have to break up one more inter exhibit kicking, screaming, whining, scratching, hair pulling, knock down, drag out, war to end all wars - I will shut this Zoo down until you are all over the age of 25. I will not hang around to feed you, clean up after you or do your laundry so unless you have a undiscovered dream of being skinny, hungry, dirty, smelly and altogether disgusting, I suggest you take extra care to make sure that O gets up on time for school on Tuesday.

All my love, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Your Zookeeper.
********************************************************************

Dear Mrs. Claus,

I sincerely appreciate the attention you gave my list. You truly are your family's saint! The Ipod is being loaded as I write; the new bed set is incredibly beautiful as well as super snuggly; the new boots are incredibly stylish and the turtle neck is wonderfully versatile. The bonus pots and pans you threw in were perfect and the surprise gardening encyclopedia will be a great help in the spring when it's time to plant. You really are quite the miracle worker.

Now I know in all the hustle and bustle, you were bound to miss a few things so I thought I would let you know what was going on so you could address the problem with the problem departments before next year.

To your art department - NON washable markers and paints should be reserved for families in which ALL the children have stopped eating said art supplies. Or at least they should write the letter to the toddler Sunday School teacher explaining why her favorite student's beautiful dress was accompanied by teal teeth.

To your makeup department - all fingernail polish, makeup, lipstick and other facial acoutrements should also be reserved for familes with children in their teens. Or at least given to children who DO NOT think that the male dog would look good with purple toe nails - on the day I have cleaned the carpets.

To the Matchbox department - when giving a race track to a young boy please be sure to wrap up a box of patience for the father of said boy to be opened while they are trying to figure the blasted, too many parts, gotta have the precision timing of a NASCAR driver thing out.

Otherwise my dear, I would say you did a stellar job this year! Kudos and here's a glass of (heavily spiked) eggnog to you!

With my upmost respect,
The Zookeeper

Well you saw it in Summer...

That is if you watched the Olympics you did. So let's go visit China for Christmas shall we?

Because Chrisitanity is not a wide spread faith, Christmas is not a very large celebration. Christians decorate their homes with trees and decorate with a lot of paper decorations such as paper chains, lanterns, and paper flowers. I've seen some complex origami from a co worker once upon a time and if it is any indication I think I know how I would love to decorate our tree next year!

In some of the metro areas of China Christmas is developing a larger presence but only from a marketing and retail perspective.

The more prominent winter celebration is New Years which falls at the end of January and into early February. This celebration is dedicated to the memory and honoring of the ancestors. It is also called the Spring Festival.

Maybe we'll come back and visit again a little closer to New Year's this year! Until then...Pass the fortune cookies!

One More Day in the South!

I know you have missed me and you thought the trip ended abruptly with no warning, right? Not a chance! I got tied up in a lot of last minute Christmas preparation and parties but I'm back. So we are going to take this week between Christmas and New Years and visit a few more countries before we call it a day.

My beloved college roommate Peanut, who you will hear from again, spent a summer in Africa on a mission trip and came home with an incredible love of all things international! She has (in her gracious and loving way) agreed to share with us the traditions of South Africa.

December 25th is right in the middle of the summer for those in South Africa. Needless to say the beach, rivers and shady moutain tops often entice many on Christmas Day! :-) Schools are out and many people love to spend the Holiday camping. They may not have a "white Christmas" but they will have a Christmas filled with beautiful wile flowers in all their glory!

It is very common to see people out Caroling on Christmas Eve. In some of the larger cities the Christmas Carolers will be done by candle light with a screen and floor show. They wake up to head to church on Christmas morning for special services.

Their decorations are more natural than ours are. They will decorate their home with pine branches and a Christmas Fir tree decorated in the corner. They will surround the tree with presents for children just like we do. On Christmas Eve the children will take out their stockings to leave them for Father Christmas to fill with goodies.

Christmas dinner is usually one of two things. Many will go out to the open-air for lunch. Others will have the traditional turkey, roast-beef, minced pie, or even suckling pig. They have yellow rice with raisins, vegetables, and plum pudding, crackers, paper hats, and all to go along with it. After Christmas dinner, many families spend their Christmas in the country side playing games and soaking up the sunshine. They then spend the cool evening at home with their family.

They aren't done yet. Boxing Day (December 26) is a National Holiday as well. They spend the day outside resting in the beautiful weather. It must be nice to get a vacation from all the hustle and bustle of Christmas Day! :-)

And that my friends is with love from my roommate and "sister." You can find more of her adventures at Peanut's Place. If you enjoyed her take on things make sure you come back later this afternoon for Christmas in Isreal. Oh, no! It's not Nut writing again- it's my wonderful 9 year old "niece" Misa's turn!

Let's Visit the Captain in Afghanistan!

Ladies and gentlemen would you please stand a salute our guest poster for today! A ton of thank you's to Chris of MomDot fame for agreeing to host our visit to Afghanistan today. Chris spent a tour in Afghanistan and has expeienced the culture and faith there first hand. Welcome him and share the comment love please!

Eid and Ramadan

Every religion has major holidays to celebrate a major event in its history. Christianity has Christmas, Judaism has Chanukah, and Islam has Eid ul-Fitr (Eid) which concludes Ramadan, etc. This blog will cover Eid and Ramadan. I am not a Muslim so I do not claim to be an expert by any means on the subject. However I was asked to write about it as I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2005 at that time that Eid took place.



First, be it known that Muslims observe five formal prayers each day. The timings of these prayers are spaced fairly evenly throughout the day, so that one is constantly reminded of God and given opportunities to seek His (‘Allah’) guidance and forgiveness. Like many Christians not everyone follows this rule to a “T”. Some Muslims are very devout while others are like your every day Sunday church goers but don’t practice much during the week, while others fall more to the not much involved side of the house. Now, a little on what Eid and Ramadan are.


From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Fitr) –because it is a good explanation and I liked the Arabic writing that was included (which by the way is read right to left).


Ramaḍān (Arabic: رمضان‎) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting (lunar calendar), in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from true dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility. Ramaḍān is a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramaḍān, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.


Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr‎), often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "to break the fast" (and can also mean "nature", from the word "fitrah"); and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.


Eid ul-Fitr is a three day celebration and is sometimes also known as the "Smaller Eid" (Arabic: العيد الصغير al-‘īdu ṣ-ṣaghīr‎) as compared to the Eid ul-Adha that lasts four days and is called the "Greater Eid" (Arabic: العيد الكبير al-‘īdu l-kabīr‎).


Muslims are commanded by the Qur'an to complete their fast on the last day of Ramadan and then recite the Takbir all throughout the period of Eid[Qur'an 2:185 (Translated by Shakir)].


From About.com (http://islam.about.com/od/ramadan/f/ramadanintro.htm)


Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast. During the blessed month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. As a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice, Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking.


Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits -- essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for "fasting" (sawm) literally means "to refrain" - and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.


During Ramadan, every part of the body must be restrained. The tongue must be restrained from backbiting and gossip. The eyes must restrain themselves from looking at unlawful things. The hand must not touch or take anything that does not belong to it. The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or obscene words. The feet must refrain from going to sinful places. In such a way, every part of the body observes the fast.


Therefore, fasting is not merely physical, but is rather the total commitment of the person's body and soul to the spirit of the fast. Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint; a time to cleanse the body and soul from impurities and re-focus one's self on the worship of God.



Now that you have a basic understanding let me explain my experience in Afghanistan. The annual fast of Ramadan is considered one of the five "pillars" of Islam. Muslims who are physically able are required to fast each day of the entire month, from sunrise to sunset. The evenings are spent enjoying family and community meals, engaging in prayer and spiritual reflection, and reading from the Qur’an. I can’t think of anything in Christianity to that compares to this month long dedication except for maybe when you ask for forgiveness and turn you heart over to Jesus for the first time. The difference is that Muslims do this every year. I guess this could be compared to confession for Catholics as well, only there is an intense amount of focus and discipline in not repeating one’s sins.


I would compare the celebration portion of Ramadan, Eid to Christmas in a sense that the majority of the country celebrates it and it truly is much like the holiday season in the states. Decorations are hung, people tend to be in a good mood and it is pretty much all anyone talks about at that time (probably because they are hungry). They are so dedicated to the holiday that they built and entire temple/palace to celebrate in. When I say temple I mean 200,000+ square feet of banquet space. This place is so big that three pictures taken 200 yards back glued together still won’t get the whole thing in the picture. It must have been 300- 400 yards across and I have no idea how deep. It was amazing in every detail of tile, ornamentation and color all the way down to the pavers in the “square” ( I use that term lightly—more like football fields) in front of the building. To top it off they only use the temple during Eid. For the record the famous stadium in Kabul known for the public executions by the Taliban is directly across the street (yes I have seen it). They play soccer there now.



I had the pleasure of working with some Afghans who fasted during this time. I will admit I did not understand the rules of fasting during Ramadan. I thought that they didn’t eat for the entire month which made me wonder how they survived. I am lucky if I can make it from breakfast to lunch without a snack. After a small lesson from our Afghan warehouse manager we learned that they can indeed eat when it is dark.


Don’t be fooled though, going all day with no food is not easy, especially when you are working manual labor. The Afghans were some of the toughest SOB’s I have ever met. I thought basic training was tough. These folks walk around in the snow wearing a robe and some sandals (if they are lucky). We had these guys climbing up lockers stacked three high on top of each other while pulling up another row to go on top of those. I am not talking five or ten. I am talking 100-150 at time all while it is 30 degrees outside and no heat in the warehouse. This is tough enough to do when you have had something to eat, let alone when you haven’t eaten all day and you will probably only eat one meal before tomorrow.


For us as American’s the hardest thing was trying not to eat in front of them. At first we had no idea that they weren’t allowed to eat, so we offered them snacks and drinks. Eventually we caught on (after a huge hint from the warehouse manager). My point to this is that the dedication involved in eating only one meal per day for a month as well as the efforts that they put into celebrate for 3 days straight at the end is up there in my book. For Christians, we complain about the bills that we have to pay after opening presents (which really isn’t the point of Christmas). Instead maybe we should turn our focus back on what the holiday is about and think about the sacrifices we should make for our family.


Chris

Thank you to Trisha for letting me borrow Chris today. Make sure you pop over to MomDot and check out all the really awesome posts and contributors. If your blog roll is running low you're sure to find some fabulous folks to follow and read while you're there!


I hope you all took notes because we are touring down through the Middle East into Africa for the rest of this week. I have a feeling we will be coming across Ramadan and Eid again in our travels.

No Meatballs Here!

Sorry Ikea fans. On this trip to Sweden there are no meatballs or furniture with funny names. Man I love Ikea! No, this time it's just your traditional Swedish Christmas. But prepare yourself because I am pretty sure you are about to encounter some traditions that very few of you have ever heard of much less experienced!

Christmas in Sweden begins with the lighting of the first Advent candle. The first widely held celebration though is on December 13th for the celebration of Santa Lucia. Lucia was a Christian martyr who legend tells took food to persecuted Christians in Rome. She wore a wreath with candles on her head so that she would be hands free to deliver and serve. In her honor the eldest daughter of the home will dress in a white gown with a red sash, wear an evergreen wreath complete with lit tall tapered candles, and will serve her parents a breakfast of coffee and Lucia buns. She is accompanied by the other children of the house who also dress in white; the girls with glitter and the boys with pointed starry hats. {Side note - when I pictured the Orangutan in said outfit I had a moment but that's just me!}

The Christmas tree is not brought into the home until the two days before Christmas. It is decorated with candles, apples, Swedish flags, and small gnome figures. many of the decorations may be made of straw. The decorations made of straw are meant to serve as a reminder of the birthplace of Jesus in the manger. The homes are decorated with red tulips and the smell of gingerbread biscuits called Pepparkakor lingers through the home.

You are familiar with the term smorgasbord right? Well welcome to its origin. The buffet with is served on Christmas Eve is complete with fish dishes such as lutfisk (dried, lye soaked codfish) herrings and salmon dishes, turkey, Christmas ham, pickled pigs feet, and many other meat dishes. The finisher to the meal is the Risgryngrot - a special holiday rice pudding that contains one whole almond. It is told that the person who finds the almond in their pudding will marry in the coming year.

After the meal there is a visit from Tomte - a gnome that lives under the floorboards of the home or the barn and cares for the family and livestock throughout the year. Some legends tell that if one takes very good care of the livestock during the year Tomte appreciates the help and provides a gift accordingly! (I think I just heard mothers around the blogosphere suddenly adopting Tomte!)

Christmas Day begins with a service at church and is followed by a day of family and rest. But the holiday season does not end until January 14th or Knut's Day. On Knut's Day the children may dress up as Knut and play practical jokes while they snack on the edible ornaments from the tree. Then the trees are returned to nature to rejoin their fellows.

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I had to close my mouth as I read about these traditions. Maybe I am revealing my closed mindedness but I had no idea just how many very different versions of Christmas there really were. There is one thread that I have found in all of the traditions and customs that we have come across. There is always a time set aside for rememberance and family.

I know we have crossed over into the dreaded ten day countdown to Christmas and I know that there are probably some stress levels climbing even as I say that. But please take this moment and this reminder to look at who and what is around you. Remember the Reason for the Season and make sure to take time today, tomorrow and every day to show those you are fussing over and for what they mean to you. The paper will be gone in two weeks. The presents will be mixed in before the month is out. Take time for family!

God Jul! (Good Yule!)

Is that a Guest Tour Guide I See?

**My bloggy pal Tina of Adventures of a Working Mom was a delight to help me out with Christmas Around the World. She has first had knowledge and experience with Christmas in Germany so she has graciously agreed to be our guide on this leg of the trip! Make sure you leave some love for her!!**

Frohe Weihnachten!

Germany is rich in tradition and culture when it comes to Christmas. I come from a German family and when my parents moved to the U.S. when I was younger, thankfully they continued to keep the German culture alive in our house.

St. Nikolaus Day
One such tradition is St. Nikolaus Day. This is celebrated on December 6th. On this day children place their boots outside their home and hope that St. Nikolaus will fill them with apples, oranges/tangerines, lebkuchen, cookies, or fruit bread. Traditionally these items were reserved for special occasions and children did not get such sweets on a regular basis. If the children had been good and polite during the year, they received treats; if they were not good, they had a switch placed in their boot.

Christmas Eve
The German Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve. Parents decorate the Christmas tree and place the presents underneath without the children around. The Christmas tree also serves as a present since no one has seen it until the Christkindl brings the presents. The Christkindl means "Christ Child." In Germany the Christkindl is the bringer of gifts for children. A young girl with a golden crown and wings usually portrays the Christkindl. On Christmas Eve, traditional food is goose, fish, or deer. In my family, we always have deer on Christmas Eve and have goose on Christmas Day.

Christmas Day
December 25 is known as the "1st Christmas Day". On this day, families visit the other set of grandparents (usually the father’s parents). There is no traditional food eaten on this day, it is more like a traditional Sunday dinner in the U.S.
December 26 is known as the "2nd Christmas Day". On this day, families visit relatives who live out of town. Again, the traditional food is more of a Sunday dinner.

Germany has many rich traditions during the Christmas season, from celebrations to foods. I am fortunate to have been raised in these deep cultural traditions during my childhood and now have the opportunity to pass these traditions to my daughter while also teaching my husband about my cultural traditions.

Tina!

Adventures of a Working Mom

**If you are interested in guest hosting a visit for Christmas Around the World, drop me a line at ineedthezoo(at)yahoo(dot)com. I'll be happy to have you and of course you'll get linky love!**

Joyeux Noel! (And I had to copy that because I don't speak French!!)

Can you smell the bread? Did you bring your corkscrew? How about some cheese? That's right CAW fans! We have finally made it to France. And what an education I have received! Christmas in France is so different from what we are used to but enough babble! Let's get started.

Christmas begins on December 6th with St. Nicholas Day. In some regions of France the children receive their gifts for St. Nicholas Day and Christmas Day is reserved for religious observances. In other regions, Pere Noel brings the gifts on Christmas Eve. But guess what? Pere Noel doesn't come alone. Pere Fouttard comes with Noel to remind him of the children's bad behavior during the year and he may even hand out some spankings if he deems it necessary. Kind of brings to mind the good angel - bad angel on your shoulder doesn't it?

Decorating in France is also very different. Christmas trees never really seemed to catch on like they have here in the States and around the world. Instead there is a large focus on the Nativity or Creche. Artisans sell the different pieces for the nativity from year to year in the markets. The molds for these have been passed from generation to generation. Once a family has their established Nativity, the artisans add other saints from history or from the local legends and patrons.

Here's a little trivia for your next Christmas party. In France (the country known for romance?) the mistletoe is hung over the doorway to symbolize good luck. How many embarrassing moments could you have avoided?

Christmas Eve families attend a midnight mass and then return home for le reveillon - a traditional large family feast. The dishes served depend on the region of France where one is celebrating. Some dishes you may see in your travels include goose, buckwheat pancakes, turkey, or oysters. Dessert will include the Yule Log - and no that's not the one that you've been burning. It is a delightful blend of chocolate and chestnuts formed into a log shaped cake.

One Twelfth Night (January 5th) the children go out to meet the three kings and provide food for them, their pages, and their camels. In return the Kings give gifts once again. The celebration for Epiphany includes a Cake of the King (tune in Mardis Gras friends!) which is a decorated cake that includes a trinket or bean buried somewhere inside. The person who finds the trinket in their piece is king or queen for the following year.

Off to the Emerald Isle!

Ahhh, Ireland! The one place I would love to visit for a year! I'm a European mutt so you may get more information about the European countries that you every wish to know but I promise I'll try not to bore you. (Did I mention that I should have a guest post for Germany? Stay Tuned!!)

Now a little poll for you? How many of you put candles in your windows? Did you know that that is an invitation for strangers to enter in Ireland? Ok, maybe not "invitation" but it is traditionally an indication that strangers are welcome - perhaps a nod to the inkeeper in the Nativity story.

Much of the decorations put up during the season are natural. True pine wreaths, holly branches and sprigs, pine cones, ivy and definitely a real Christmas tree are all among the decor for the season. This may account for my love of wreaths and garland in my decorating (althought mine are all fake - oops). And if you have a Nativity may I suggest that you consider adding an Irish tradition this year? When did Jesus truly arrive on the scene? On Christmas Eve, correct? In Ireland they wait until Christmas Eve or even Christmas morning to put Jesus in the manger.

The day after Christmas is called St. Stephen's Day in honor of St. Stephen, the first martyr in the Christain faith. In South Ireland it would not be uncommon to see "Wren Boys" on St. Stephen's Day. Originally it was a day of hunting wrens because of the legend that a wren is the tattletale who gave away Stephen's location to those who were hunting him. Then it became a day for young men (think frat boys here) to dress up in straw outfits and march from home to home drumming and playing whistles and reciting the poem:

"The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
On St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
Although he is little, his family is great,
I pray you, good landlady, give us a treat."

Originally they would be given a penny or some pittance from the home which they then put toward a party! That was sincerely frowned on by the church so now the Wren Boys collect for charities.

Now here is a tradition I found that all women should embrace regarless of their ethnic background! January 6th (no, not Dia De Los Reyes!) is called "Women's Christmas." It is the day that all the decorations come down and the season is closed. But here's why I say we should all embrace it - the men give the women the day off! That's right ladies! The men take down the decorations and clean up the holiday mess. All in favor? Unfortunately for us it didn't really stick and women do get honored but still pretty much do the work - but you don't have to tell your family that!!

Now what would our stop be without a nod to all the food? As a starter you would see smoked salmon or prawns. Then you have goose or turkey with all the trimmings (potatoes of course!) and the finishers would be Christmas (plum) pudding or mince pies. On a side note, mince pies and a Guinness are the traditional offerings for Santa as well as some apples or veggies for the reindeer.

After dinner it is traditional to see a Pantomime or go to the horse races. Although the truly brave souls head for water and go for a Christmas swim. Only in Ireland!!

**Information was heavily gleaned from DoChara, an absolutely fabulous site that made me fall even more in love with Ireland!**

I am Enjoying Summer in December!

I'm enjoying it so much in fact that I think I'm going to stay in the Southern Hemisphere for a while longer (at least for today)! So it's over the mountains into Chile!

Christmas in Chile is a combination of our traditional customs and some that we saw in our other Latin American countries. The Nativity is present under the Christmas tree and Masses begin on the 16th and culminate with a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. There is a little twist though in that the children open their gifts on Christmas Eve instead of on Christmas Day.

Are any of you from Chile or familiar with the Christmas customs? Because I got a little confused here. Viejito Pascuero (Old Man Christmas) aka Papa Noel (Father Christmas) aka Santa still comes to bring the presents either via the chimney or through the window. So if he comes at night and brings the presents then either he is coming the night of the 23rd and the children have to wait ALL DAY on Christmas Eve or he comes while everyone is at Mass. For the sake of those poor Chilean children I hope he comes during Mass! Can you imagine looking at your presents ALL DAY and you weren't able to open them until after church - at midnight!!

Christmas Day is dedicated to playing with all those new toys and apparently the popular gifts are bikes and roller skates (again?!). Then there is a large family meal with azuela de ave (chicken soup with potatoes, onions and corn on the cob) , pan de pascua (Chilean fruit cake) and cola de mono - Monkey's Tail (coffee with milk, liquor, cinnamon and sugar). Something tells me after a meal like that you could be acting like a Monkey's Tail!

Both in Brazil and in Chile it is not uncommon to spend Christmas on the beach. I know some folks dream of a white Christmas but I can't say I would be terribly distressed if every once in a while I could have sand in my shorts on Christmas.

Oh cabana boy! I'll have a pan de pascua and a cola de mono - hold the pan!

How is your Portugese?

Here we go to visit Brazil - one of only three countries in the world that speak Portugese. And now we are officially below the equator. So let's test your geography - what season is it in Brazil in December? Winter? Nope! It's actually summer! Imagine Christmas with temperatures in the 70's or warmer.

Since it is so warm in Brazil for Christmas, Papai Noel (Santa) has to make a little change. Instead of a fur or wooly coat and suit he gets to don a silk suit and might even get rid of his hat if a silk one isn't available.

A tradition that I found in my research is the amigo secreto (secret friend). At the beginning of December friends and family pull names and send correspondence and encouragement to that person under a pseudonym through out the holiday season. On Christmas the gather to exchange gifts and reveal their identity to their amigo.

Brazil has been home of many different cultures so many of the traditions are shared with the rest of the world. The large Roman Catholic population is known to attend a midnight mass known as Missa de Galo (The Rooster's Mass) which doesn't end until 1 AM! And it is still followed by a large meal - not something that is common any other time of the year. Traditional dishes are taken from all over the world with turkey, ham, rice and lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Even some German and Italian dishes have been known to make it to the festive table.

And yet another surprise for me on my trip around the world this holiday season. If you had told me I could have Italian on Christmas in Brazil I would have called you a liar! A million thank you's to those of you who have been my travelling companions. Here's to many more surprises and lessons along the way to the holiday!

I'm Headed to the Canal!

When I made my list of countries to visit on my Christmas tour I thought the traditions would vary significantly - especially in Central America where there were so many different tribal influences - Mayan, Aztec etc. And there is some of that but it I am quickly learning that the global communtiy is very quickly bleeding one culture into another.

Our next stop on the tour is Panama where I thought for sure there would be a lot of very different traditions since it is the gateway between North and South America. Guess what? I forgot about our little visit there called the Panama Canal! As a result I am learning that there is a very strong American influence on their holiday traditions.

Panama strikes me as a bit conflicted in their holiday. Christmas is brought in with fireworks - very unlike their highly religious neighbors who celebrate with midnight mass. Then they go to Mass the next morning to offer prayers. Particularly in the area around the canal they are very American in their decorating with elaborate outdoor lights and flood lights and Christmas trees. But like every good holiday they don't hold back on the food. Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), ham, tamales, fruitcake, and bowls of fruit all come together for a family meal.

Of all the countries (all 3 of them!) that we have visited so far Panama has been one of the most interesting. They have married the American and Hispanic cultures to create a very unique holiday of their own. I would love to be able to pass through the canal this time of year and see just how close that marriage is!

Grab your GORP! We're Headed Further South!

It did a funky snow, sleet, rain thing here today while the sun was shining and I decided that I'm going to stay on my tour of Christmas Around the World as long as I can! And because of all that nastiness I'm going to head a little further south - to Costa Rica!

**The info I am about to share comes from Michael Smith by way of the Cocori (Complete Costa Rica) site.**

This was a really fun article to read! And the stuff I learned! Just wait until I get to the part about New Years!

How many of you have your tree up? And I am absolutely sure you used a cypress branch and painted it white right? How neat is that! They decorate them with bright paper and mini lights (talk about easy decorating!) and under them they place their portal - Nativity. According to Smith every year they add to and elaborate on their Nativity to make it grander and more impressive until it can actually out grow the space under the tree. One site (and I've lost it now) noted that people actually tour from home to home to admire los portales much like we would for the lights.

And one more thing before I move on - if you don't own your home, you use a portal that has been given to you in faith that the portal will bring you a home of your own. Now THAT is a gift!

Then you have the topes. Originally a procession of horses that were used to cut prize bulls out for the bull fights, the tope has evolved into a full blown parade much like I think of Carnival. Still with plenty of horses and proud owners and riders, but expanded with floats, brightly painted carriages and ox carts and even clowns and bands.

And what would a Latin American celebration be without a bullfight? Maybe I slept through too much history but when I think bullfight I think of Spain before I think of Central America so this was a new one to me. Part of the fight is (and forgive me as I laugh at men!) a swarm of men who rush the bull and scare him into fighting. Wait for the other shoe now! They don't harm the bull but the men get their tails kicked!

Now here is a tradition that I am all in favor of the U.S. adopting. There is a manadory Christmas bonus distributed to all laborers with a national lottery drawn on Christmas! And it's not just a bonus - it is a full months wages!

Like Mexico, Costa Rica celebrates on January 6th to close the holiday season. It is a more solemn event with family and friends gathering to pray and take down the portal. Then they have a formal meal together to close the season.

Before some one calls me on it - I didn't miss New Years! It is a custom for the women in Costa Rica to sweep their ENTIRE homes on New Year's Day. They start in the back and sweep to the front to get all the dust and dirt of the year out. It is symbolic of starting new and is intended to bring good luck in the coming year.

It gives a whole new twist to your spring cleaning doesn't it? So there you have it! Christmas in Costa Rica! So pass the tamales and the super spiked eggnog (rompope)! Feliz Navidad!

Christmas Around the World South of the Border!

Welcome to Christmas Around the World! In an effort to add some new traditions to our family I thought I might do a little exploring and see how other cultures and nations celebrate Christmas. So strap on your backpacks and let's take a little trip together around the globe!

I thought we would just take a little stretch of our legs today and head south to some warmer climes in Mexico! If you are a little weary of the commercialism and gimmee attitude of "American" Christmas, this might just be the place for you. In my digging I learned that Christmas is treated very religiously in Mexico which makes sense considering the Catholic faith base in the country.

Nine days before Christmas (the 16th) families begin Posadas - mini parades to celebrate the Nativity. Children acting as Mary and Joseph pass through a village and knock on three doors. At the first two they are turned away and told that there is no room. At the third door they are welcomed in and the family and friends gathered join in praying the Rosary together which is followed by a formal meal.

Since opening the borders with NAFTA Mexico has adopted many of the American traditions such as Santa and gifts on Christmas but traditionally the 25th passed without very much ado. Instead families celebrated Dia de los Reyes (Day of the Kings) on January 6th. The children leave their shoes (versus stockings) out for their gifts. Of course there is a family meal like ours but one particular part of the meal is very interesting.

The Rosca del Reyes (described as an oversized egg bread wreath - a big bagel if you will) is shared with the family. If you are familiar with the king cake of Mardis Gras this popped into my head. There is a ceramic Baby Jesus baked into the bread (try to to think too hard about that!) and the person who receives the piece of bread with jesus is named the His godparent. They go about preparing a "christening" of sorts which is celebrated February 2nd at the Day of the Candle. The Day of the Candle is when the Nativity is put away and the "closing ceremony" if you will of the holiday season.

Did you follow all of that? They kick it off on December 16th with Las Posadas and don't wrap up until February 2nd! I don't know about you but that seems like a very long holiday season to me. What I love about the traditions of Mexico is how little they focus on the gifts (traditionally at least!) and how much they focus on the reason behind the season - The birth of the Savior!

If there is one thing I can take from the traditions of Mexico it is to keep the Christ Child at the center of my holiday celebration. Have you ever thought about the traditional arrangement of a Nativity scene? The Wise Men and their gifts are not set up in the middle. Keep that in mind as you head into this holiday season. And may the peace heralded by the star be in your heart all year!

What is a Tannenbaum anyway?

So I think with this post I am back up to date with posting. The Comp Crash of 08 as we are referring to it (more child friendly than the blue streak I was emitting yesterday) put me behind the ball. So now to just catch up with all of the other participants and let you know what I think and it's party BACK ON!! Woo Hoo!

On the way home from church on Sunday I saw someone with a Christmas tree on top of their car. No kidding! Before December even gets here? I so don't want to vacuum that house on the 15th! I'll give you 3 guesses what we're talking about today!

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Drum roll please.....And the query of the day is....

Do you decorate for the Holidays? Do you have a themed Christmas tree? Share pics! Do you think there is such a thing as OVER decorating?

Do we decorate? Does the Zoo decorate? Really? We sure do! Are we over the top? Not by a long shot!

But we do have rules. No decorations before Thanksgiving. In my book Thanksgiving is very important and I would say that this year it is even more important than in years past. Soap box moment – make sure you take time to be thankful before you move on to Christmas.

We usually have some kind of theme to our tree – not really by choice. The Lion inherited all my decorations when we got married so he got a snowman, snowflake tree by default. Four years later we finally moved on. Poor guy. He sure is tolerant! Last year we did an old fashioned tree. The exhibits and I made homemade ornaments out of baking soda clay and cinnaclay and I painted them up. We dried oranges, grapefruits and apples and even went so far as to attempt stringing popcorn and cranberries. Not as easy and delightful an experience as one would have hoped. It was Lion’s favorite by far so there will be a repeat of it this year. The great thing is that it won’t be exactly the same because all the fruit starts new. And of course Auntie B added more to our Hallmark collection as well!

Is there such a thing as over decorating? Oh my YES!! I had the perfect picture for you to illustrate but since the Comp Crash of 08 I can't scan it in. Let's just say that mini Santas, mini snowflakes, candy canes (all by the dozens!), two Nativities, three sleighs with reindeer and about seven different versions of Santa grace the front of a singlewide trailer. And that happens every year and gets bigger every year. Did I mention that the folks across the street from this particular house used to try to compete? Yeah it was a landing strip heading into our little country town in PA!

We try to keep it simple. White lights in all decorations. Two simple wreaths over the garage and one above the fireplace. Daddy’s Japanese maple landing beacon (800+ lights on a 3 foot tree) in the front yard. Garland on the banister railings and mantle with stockings. And the tree. Not a lot of special candles or centerpieces. No huge yard art displays complete with inflatables. Just a simple decorating philosophy.

Need some more decorating ideas? Head over to MomDot and see what the rest of the crew is up to. Think you can top theirs?