Spanish Christmas
Christmas festivities begin with Las Posadas, nine consecutive days of candelight processions and lively parties starting December 16.
Throughout Mexico kids get together each afternoon to reenact the holy family's journey for a place to stay in Bethlehem. The procession is headed by a small Virgen María, often perched on a live burro, led by a equally tiny San José. They are followed by other children protraying angels, the Santos Reyes, and a host of pastores y pastoras, all usually decked out in colorful handmade costumes and carrying brightly decorated báculos or faroles.
LAS PASTORELAS
Pastorelas are staged throughout the holiday season by both amateur and professional groups. The Pastorelas tell of the shepherds' respect of Baby Jesus. First they are visited in the fields by an angel who announces the holy birth. As the shepherds attempt to follow the great star leading them to Bethlehem they are plagued by a series of evils and misadventures provoked by the Devil. But in the end all ends well.
EL NACIMIENTO
In most Mexican homes the principal holiday adornment is el Nacimiento. The focal point, naturally, is a stable where clay or plaster figurines of the Holy Family are sheltered.
It is not unusual to also find the forces of evil represented by a serpent and a grotesque Lucifer lurking in the shadows. The figures may be simply positioned in a bed of hena, or scattered throughout an elaborate landscape.
Nowadays a decorated Christmas tree may be incorporated in the Nacimiento or set up elsewhere in the home. As purchase of a natural pine represents a luxury commodity to most Mexican families, the typical arbolito is often an artificial one, a bare branch cut from a copal tree (Bursera microphylla) or some type of shrub collected from the countryside.
NOCHE BUENA
Holiday festivities culminate on Noche Buena with the celebration of a late-night Misa de Gallo. After that families head home for a traditional Christmas supper which may feature a simple meal of homemade tamales and atole or other regional dishes. Roast turkey, ham or suckling pig are other popular menu items for those who can afford it.
Ponche, sidra or other spirits are served for the holiday brindis . The evening is rounded out with the opening of gifts and, for the children, piñatas and luces de Belen. As these happy family gatherings generally last into the wee hours, December 25th is set aside as a day to rest and enjoy el recalentado .
Dia de los reyes magos is on Jan. 5 - Feb. 2 and the day is about the 3 wisemen, But January the 6th is the special day in Mexico….. this day represents the height of the Christmas season. This celebration is where it is stated that the kings, Melchor, Gaspar, and Balthasar, traveled by night all the way from the farthest confines of the Earth to bring gifts to Jesus, whom they recognized as the Son of God. As well as regal, the Three Kings are depicted as wise men, whose very wisdom is proved by their acknowledgement of Christ's divine status. Arrived from three different directions, the kings followed the light provided by the star of Bethlehem, which reportedly lingered over the manger where the Virgin Mary gave birth for many days. In
...ligious life of the town of San Miguel and construction of its main temple which from 1872 he was raised to parish. But like everyone, this temple of the Holy Trinity underwent several transformations, for example: in the first decades of the 19th century was built the current altar; and from 1881 to 1897 he received major improvements, like the composure of the entire building, the purchase of pictures, furniture and several sacred ornaments as well as the construction of the chapels of the Tabernacle and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad and the arches of the entrance to the former chapel of the Entombment of Christ and the old sacristy; the most recent improvement was made in the last years of the 20th century, and which involved the National Institute of anthropology and history, the Government of the State and the father Carlos Cabrero, responsible for the parish.
...can descent. School children also often get a chance to try their hands at creating basic Mexican cuisine. In some area of the southwest, particularly in the city of Los Angeles, celebrations of regional mexican dancing and music are held. However, regardless of the area of celebration, one could almost certainly find mariachi band filled restaurants, outdoor festivities, and social gathering with large amounts of Dos Equis and Corona beer for the adults.
Las Posadas is a Mexican holiday that is like Christmas for the United States. It was originated in Spain and lasts for nine days. This holiday begins on December sixteenth and ends on December twenty-fourth. This is also a catholic holiday but most people in Mexico celebrate it. This holiday was thought to be started in the sixteenth century by “St. Ignatius of Loyola or Friar Pedro de Gant in Mexico.” In Mexico they have a tradition where they put a candle in a paper lampshade. Then they would take the lampshade with the candle inside it and went outside to sing a song, allowing Joseph and Mary to be recognized and allowed to enter the world. This is still a tradition today but one thing has changed from around when it was started. It, for some people, celebrated it in a church instead of the family’s home. There is a thing that is common for both the United Stated and Mexico. They both sing Christmas carols, they go along to houses or in a church and sing Christmas songs. On these days the children will break piñatas to get the candy and prizes inside. They also so another thing ...
...parts of the celebration, October 31st, November 1st, and finally November 2nd. On October 31st, it is seen that the kid’s souls return. November 1st is considered the adult’s day of returning, and November 2nd is when all souls have returned from the dead and there is a big celebration. People of Mexico celebrate by making many baked goods and cooking meals, making objects such as masks and decorating papers and toy coffins to prepare for the return of the souls.
Easter is as big of a celebration as Christmas is. Easter in the US, is celebrated by going to church for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and also on Easter Sunday. We recognize what happened each day leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and when he had risen from the dead. Non-religious people in the US only do Easter egg hunts and hunt for candy from the Easter bunny. This is a very common activity practiced on Easter Sunday by most families in America. Just like Christmas, Hispanic cultures really only focus on the real purpose of Holy Week and Easter. Hispanics celebrate Easter by dressing up as creatures and people from brotherhoods, and roam the streets celebrating and devoting their love towards Christ. They also celebrate by burning Judas dolls in the streets, these are made out of straw. Hispanics also go to Church to celebrate these days and to recognize them. Hispanics and the US both celebrate Easter in their own and unique
While lymphoma is a complex cancer of the lymph system that can have devastating effects, it can be overcome. Over 75% of those with intermediate-risk lymphoma have at least a five year survival rate. And that rate is likely to increase as detection and treatment options improve with new genetic research and lymphoma vaccine developments. Maybe one day there will even be a cure.
There are many different types of treatment but the main ones include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, sometimes children’s immunes systems rid themselves of neuroblastoma before anything needs to be done. Therefore, doctors prefer to give the tumor a little bit of time, depending on the seriousness, before taking unnecessary actions. Surgery is often done for many types of cancer and can be a very successful treatment. Despite this fact, “ . . . most neuroblastoma is not found until after the cancer has spread. In that situation, the doctor removes as much of the tumor as possible during surgery” ("Neuroblastoma - Childhood: Treatment Options"). If the tumor cannot be completely removed by surgery, sometimes doctors will advise chemotherapy or radiation to eliminate the rest. Chemotherapy can also be effective but can have some unwanted side effects. “Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide . . . The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the individual and the dose used, but they can include fatigue, risk of infection, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, loss of appetite, and diarrhea” ("Neuroblastoma - Childhood: Treatment Options"). The doctor and parents may believe that the potential side effects could be too dangerous for a young child to endure. Another treatment option includes the use of radioactive energy. It is explained, “Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells . . . radiation therapy can sometimes cause problems with the normal growth and development of a child’s brain and the ovaries (in girls) or testicles (in boys) . . .” ("Neuroblastoma - Childhood: Treatment Options"). Alike to chemotherapy, the side effects may be too severe for young children. The possibility of stunting a child’s brain growth can seem to harsh.
Christmas is a holiday filled with tradition, family, and happiness, but what most people don’t know is that Christmas is celebrated all over the world, not just the United States. Latin American countries are especially passionate about Christmas. The way Hispanic people celebrate changes throughout each country. Each one has its own unique Christmas culture. In this essay I am going to write about some of these different countries, and tell how each one is similar and different in showing their Christmas spirit.
...o most Italians, especially on Christmas Eve. For me, being surrounded by my family and eating linguine with clams is all I need on Christmas Eve.
The Day of the Dead celebrates life past and present and not just death alone. Revelers construct ofrendas, the offerings of food, drinks, cigarettes, toys, and candy, set out for returning souls. Revelers take joy in honoring the dead, usually with music, dancing, crafts and food. The children have many activities also including the decoration of pan de muerto. Kids can also try to throw beanbags into a skeleton's mouth, make cascarones (confetti-filled eggshell wands), or create clay whistles, paper flowers, pinatas or masks. Mexico and other Central American countries to include visits to graveyards, where families decorate the sites of deceased loved ones.
The pursuit of happiness for some is a journey that can lead to new and great horizons. Sometimes it means to leave everything behind to start something from the bottom up. More and more people decide to leave their hometown, others their state, and others their country to go and find what their hearts desire. In most case that is the vision of an immigrant, to seek and find that better life. In one way or another we are all immigrants in this earth. Since the foundation of the U.S., immigrants from all over the world have marked its history, even though some oppose to this idea; immigration is a key point for this nation.
Emma, Marissa and I are in charge of the making the lefse. This has been our job ever since we were little girls, becoming experts through all our years of experience. My grandma makes the most amazing food and always has enough to feed us for a week. After we stuff ourselves full of delicious, lasagna, salads, and hot dishes all made with love and while the adults lean back comfortably in their chairs, us kids go put on our pajamas and troop downstairs to open our gifts. The most memorable gift would be the ring my grandma gave me that used to be my great-grandmothers who died a couple days after my grandma turned fifteen. My great-grandma loved to travel and had a great passion for fashion, so this circle of metal with a little diamond in the middle and a floral pattern surrounding it, had been bought in California and has been in the family since. “Bang, bang, bang!” A huge pounding comes from the front door. Dogs bark, adults grin, and we race to open the creaky door. Santa Claus, eyes twinkling, dressed in red with coal-black boots, and swinging a sack over his right shoulder, steps inside. He plops down heavily; ringing merry bells and passes them off to David, my brother, telling him seriously to keep ringing them so Rudolf won’t fly away without him. With wide eyes, little David shakes the bells with such rigor that if Rudolf was in the North Pole he would be able to hear them. We each take a turn perching on his knee, hesitant at first but then opening up and telling him our age and that, “yes we have been really, really, really good this year.” As Santa’s beard tickles our chin as we lean in close for a picture and his big belly shakes as he laughs at the same time as you start to giggle. Then he opens his sack and pulls out gifts wrapped in colorful paper for each of us. With a few cookies for the road, crumbs in his beard and a
The preparation for this big event starts months in advance. Cofradias are the like the coordinators of the event. In English, Cofradias means brotherhood and they work together to plan and make sure the entire holiday is taken care of. They are also known as the “Heart of the Holy Week”. Confradias have to map out the route of the parade for every day of the week. The parts of the parade that are on main streets have bleachers on the sides for seating. However, these seats must be booked far in advance and are very costly. Cofradias also have to make sure that there are police and security so that the holiday is safe and peaceful. After the day’s parade ends, there are crews that come out and clean the streets. The Confradias are in charge of taking care of the Jesus and Virgin Mary throughout the year and that al...
...ormal functioning brain cells. Chemotherapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for many cancers including brain cancer. Chemotherapy uses drugs designed to “kill” the cancer cells. Chemotherapy is very effective at doing so but in the process can damage normal cells. Side effects of chemotherapy include fatigue, hair loss and mouth sores. There are more less common treatments such as hyperthermia (heat treatment), immunotherapy (insertion of immune cells that are intended to kill certain cancer cells) and steroids.