Felices Fiestas

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

It has been a little difficult for me to wrap my brain around the fact that it is the Christmas season for any number of reasons:

• The boys are finishing their school year and anticipating a 3 month vacation, not just a 2 week one.
• It's summertime.  And it's hot — so hot that one is known to sweat stinky just sitting still.
• The twinkling lights, family photo cards, and consumer mayhem have not become important parts of the festivities down south.  I'm feeling particularly thankful that there is no such thing as "Black Friday" here... no further comment.
• The Christmas decorations that we have used for the past 17 years of marriage and family life are resting in our attic in California.

December 25 of last year does not go down in our memory books as one of the best days of our life.  I'll spare you the details.  What a difference a year has made.  While we still miss what we've known our entire lives, we are thankful for each other and for new traditions, while keeping many of the old.

Since, as I said, all of our Christmas decorations are somewhere else, last year, we had to make due and come up with our own.  In so doing, we have laughed and learned a lot... and cried a little.

My favorite Christmas items are our Nativity Sets from all around the world.  Many have been gifts from Jill (lover of all things Advent) and my mom.  We have also done our fair share of collecting throughout the years.  This year, we have a special one on loan made by our friend Kristy and a few others created by certain boys in my life. 



Drawn by Andrew last Christmas



This is Johnny's Lego Nativity Scene.
You can't see R2D2 who is the Angel "because he can fly"
and Mary isn't here because Johnny didn't have the "right kind of Lego hair for her."
And just so you know, "Jesus's manger has gold all around it because it's His birthday."

Part of the Nativity made by Kristy over 25 years ago

Throughout the month of December, we used to read a different Christmas book each day from the collection we had built up over the years. Now, we spend time reading through Ann Voskamp's Jesse Tree Devotional that I was blessedly able to download. It has readings from scripture, beginning in Genesis, and covers significant events throughout the Old Testament that all point to the coming Messiah, the baby Jesus. There are also daily family devotions that include an action plan on sharing Jesus's love with others. Last year, I printed out the beautiful ornament drawings in black and white and the boys took turns coloring them. We had a unique and handmade collection of ornaments hanging on our Christmas, um, plant.  This year we have the same cute ornaments and a more festive tree.

At the risk of boring you, I'll tell you that our other traditions haven't changed.  Every Christmas morning, the boys wake us up and we read the story of Jesus's birth from the gospel of Luke in the comfort of our cozy bed. 

We figure that because we're celebrating Jesus's birthday and He received 3 gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh), and gift-giving is a part of the joy of this season, the boys also receive and give 3 presents.  One is a wanted toy, one is intentional family-time, and one is a gift-given-in-their-name. With this last one, Compassion International and World Vision have captured our hearts, and we peruse their catalogs to find something that has been particularly meaningful to each of our boys. David has been known to give soccer balls and sports equimpent, Andrew likes to give education or medical care to orphans, and Johnny seems to change each year from chickens to mango trees to mosquito nets.

After gifts, we have cinnamon rolls and smoothies for breakfast. 

This year, we have some special handmade adornments created by forever-friends.  If you're looking for a personalized, made-with-love gift, I highly recommend Jill's Joy in the Small Things.

As far as cultural differences are concerned, in Argentina, Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) is the time of family celebration and Christmas Day is a time for sleeping off the festivities of the night before.  There is a big, lit up Christmas tree in Plaza España, but not many other green and red items.  Various stores sell plastic trees and ornaments, but there are no tree-lots or Santa's lap photo shoots. 



I like this mellow version.  It's nice.  We will enjoy it with sweet friends this year and will definitely join in the firework extravaganza at midnight on Christmas Eve.  We will, however, miss our family, Santa Barbara friends, and our Christmas season beach walks.

Joy and Love and Peace and Hope to you this Advent Season.