Holiday season in Mexico and Spain

*Felices Fiestas

*Mexico : Las posadas

*Happens from el 16 de diciembre hasta el 24 de diciembre

*Las posadas

*Commemorates the Journey that Mary and Joseph took from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a safe refuge

*Parades happen everyday to honor Mary and Joseph

*Mass generally happens after everything has ended everyday

*Fun stuff

*Pinatas in the shapes of stars (because the North star helped guide Mary and Joseph) are broken open by children in celebration.

*La Navidad en España

*Would the real Santa Claus

please stand up?

*Children in Spain do not look at Santa Claus as the person who brings their gifts.

*St. Nicholas (el 6 de diciembre), Papa Noel, or Los Reyes Magos (el 6 de enero) are looked at as the one’s who bring the presents.

*La nochevieja

*Christmas Eve:

*When families go to midnight mass

*The big meal is generally after in the early morning hours

*Seafood is a big part of the meal

*Quirky Customs

*El 22 de diciembre: El gordo the big lotto drawing for Spain

*El 28 de diciembre: Dia de los Innocentes day of the innocent Spanish equivalent to April Fools Day

*El 31 de diciembre: New Years Eve At 12 midnight, everyone eats 12 grapes for good luck

*Milad un Nabi

*Birth of the Prophet

Muhammad

*Celebrated le 24 diciembre

*It has been said that Muhammad did not believe in celebrating births or deaths

*Stories are told during this day about Muhammad and how he forgave his enemies

*What do they do?

*Donate

*Exchange gifts

*Eat sweets

*Festival of Mawlid

*Children get a chance to ride ponies and other fun activities

*Classes of reading the Qur’an

*La cultura judia

*La Celebracion de Januca calso called La Celebraction de luces

*Celebrated le 6-14 diciembre (think of Adam Sandler- they have 8 CRAZY nights!)

*Los luces

*The eight candles represent the length it took for the Macabees to reclaim the Holy Jewish temple by the Greco-Syrian king

*The ninth candle on the menorah is used as a lighter candle for the rest of the 8 candles

*Fried Foods!

*During this time period, Jewish people eat more fried foods than the norm

*This is because of the story about the lamp that the Macabees had only having enough oil for 1 night but burned for 8 instead

*Laktes are common (fried potato pancakes)