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)
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