Boy is Montero, Bolivia getting this Christmas season started-- fake poinsettias, gaudy garlands and all. The balmy condition are a new accoutrement to enliven my Christmas spirit, but I must say the blatant Christmas advertising makes me feel like I am home already.
I have only five more days before I fly home to Minnesota for the holidays on the 15th. I have likened Minnesota to the North Pole for my kids because, well frankly they were so excited think of the only place they knew with snow and cold that I did not have the heart to tell them differently. At the time, I figured that my affirmation of their excitement was more important than the fact that I do not personally know Santa Claus and I do not have pet penguins.
We will have Christmas parties with the kiddies this week and next week also. We have already decorated trees and there will be lots of food, piñatas, x-mas cards...and quite possibly our Comedor´s first annual Christmas play. I was not able to procure a oboe soloist for the pit band, so Amahl and the Night Visitors is out, but we may have an original (and rocky) production of Jesus´ birth.
I have given the kids creative license and so far in our story there are 9 king, Jesus is a girl and Mary is a single mother (I am my mother´s daughter).
Despite meager financial situations in the community where I work, Christmas still seems to have a heavy materialist leaning. For the majority of the families, what the Comedor offers in terms of presents and food will be the most elaborate part of their Christmas celebrations.
For me it is an odd truth that both Bolivian and American Christmas emphasize gift-giving to a degree that seems to create a ritual out of over-analyzing one´s personal and financial situation before mustering up that yule tide cheer. This reminds me that I ought to thank my parents when I get home.
