¡Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays as much as I am here in Carorita!

Venezuelan Christmas tradition is very different from that of the states. The first welcoming of the Christmas season occurs in early December when everyone starts to paint their houses and make all the necessary home repairs to make sure the house is in top condition to welcome baby Jesus and the New Year. Then, the 15th of December, the first Misa de Aguinaldo, or Misa de Gallo (Rooster Mass), begins, which is an early morning mass that starts at 4 am in town. The Misas de Aguinaldo are held everyday from the 15th until the 25th, and many here in Carorita make the hour and a half walk down the mountain (in the freezing cold, I might add) at 2 am to make it on time to mass. After the mass, comes the real fun, when all those who dare start to ride home made wooden cars down the sloping town square. Even those who aren't brave enough to ride stick around to see how many crash! I must add, this is a very scary experience, and I only rode one time last Christmas, and that was enough fun for me!

In the few weeks before Christmas, almost every household begins to put together their pecebre, or nativity scene, which takes the place of our traditional Christmas tree. In rural Venezuelan homes, it is rare to see a Christmas tree, but you sometimes see them in middle and upper class houses more frequently, as an adoption of the international tradition. The nativity scenes are creative and elaborate and often times huge, with women using plants from the community itself to decorate. This is a tradition that does not only take place at home, but also in town squares, malls, office buildings, universities, museums... everywhere!

On the 24th, families start early in the morning making the traditional Christmas dish, the hallaca, which is basically a beef stew with a corn flour shell wrapped and tied up in a plantain leaf, then boiled. Sometimes, they're also made with black beans and picante (which are my favorite!). This is a long process, requiring the help of everyone at home, some kneading the dough, others cooking the stew, others wrapping the plantain leaves, and still others tying them up! Some households make 200 or 250 of them, because, in the spirit of the Venezuelan understanding of community, enjoying Christmas food isn't eating it at your own house, but sending hallacas to all your friends and family, and eating hallacas at all your friends' and family's homes. It's truly a joyful experience, both in the making and in the eating! Many households make hallacas again on the 31st.

Unlike in the States, the 31st and New Year's is a more important holiday in terms of being at home with your family. On the 24th, all the young people go out to party, and they party until the sun comes up on Christmas Day! Everyone waits for el niño Jesús to be born at midnight, and the parties begin! Here, it's baby Jesus who brings the Christmas gifts instead of Santa Claus. Then, on the 31st, you stay at home with your family until midnight to share Feliz Año, Happy New Year. After you share with everyone at home, you hit the streets to tell Happy New Year to everyone in your community. Here in Carorita, we go up the mountain to the farthest house and down the mountain to the farthest house to say Happy New Year to everyone!

My computer class kids are on vacation, too, though almost everyday, I'm asked by at least one student when we'll finally start up again. We're going to start back with the school year here on January 7th. Until then, we are all enjoying the Christmas season, visiting as much as possible! I hope you'll be doing the same this Christmas season - enjoy Christmas as a community!

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