La Purisima!

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Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception - celebrating the Virgin Mary's birth without sin. It is a HUGE holiday in Nicaragua and it's been really great experiencing it here with a family (I am staying with my friend Ashley's host family).

For the 9 days before the 7th, people partake in a novena (daily prayer) to the Virgin Mary. The 7th is called La Griteria (gritar is to shout or scream or cry out). Everyone goes out with their family and it's sort of like trick-or-treating.

We began the night around 5 by going to a neighbor's house to pray and sing songs. During this, the hosts give out candy, fruits, plastic buckets, household items, jewelry, toys to the kids. After that, around 6:30, we began walking around to other houses. A few families on each street have an altar on their porch - when another family comes and sings a few songs about Mary, the host family gives you a gift or two. We continued until about 10 pm but some people keep going until midnight. Then at 12, everyone sets off fireworks for a long time.

The 8th is the actual holiday but most of the celebrating takes place on the 7th. Quite fun experiencing a holiday that we celebrate at home but in a completely different way.

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Photos

Boys waiting for presents
At the first house where we began, they had one special present for boys and one for girls so the boys all picked a number and the closest one got the gift.

Singing!!
This is Ashley's extended host family. The kids are sooo cute!