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Post by 溪山 on Nov 2, 2018 22:32:12 GMT -5
Top 10 things to know about the Day of the Dead www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/mexico/top-ten-day-of-dead-mexico/。。。。。 History Day of the Dead originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and other Nahua people, who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. For these pre-Hispanic cultures, death was a natural phase in life’s long continuum. The dead were still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit—and during Día de los Muertos, they temporarily returned to Earth. Today’s Día de los Muertos celebration is a mash-up of pre-Hispanic religious rites and Christian feasts. It takes place on November 1 and 2—All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on the Catholic calendar—around the time of the fall maize harvest. .......... In 1947 artist Diego Rivera featured Posada’s stylized skeleton in his masterpiece mural “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park.” Posada’s skeletal bust was dressed in a large feminine hat, and Rivera made his female and named her Catrina, slang for “the rich.” Today, the calavera Catrina, or elegant skull, is the Day of the Dead’s most ubiquitous symbol.  Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central ...... |
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Post by 溪山 on Dec 25, 2018 1:19:44 GMT -5
My beautiful Puerto Rican friend just texted me a lovely Christmas Eve message and shared a nice poem in latin style:
The Night Before Christmas, Latin Style
'Twas the Night before Christmas and all through the casa not a creature was stirring...hijole, que pasa? Los ninos, they were all tucked away in their camas, some in long calzones, some in pajamas.
While Mama worked late in her big oficina, El Viejo, he was shopping at the corner cantina, buying some milk and a little cerveza, for Santa to find on the dining room mesa.
While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado, in hopes that old Santa would feel obligado to bring all the ninos, both buenos y malos, a nice bunch of dulces and other regalos.
Outside in the yard, there arose such a grito that I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito. I ran to the window and looked out, afuera. And who in the world do you think that it era?
St. Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero. He came dashing along like a crazy bombero. And pulling his sleigh, instead of venados, were eight little burros approaching volados.
I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre, ey Poncho, ey Pepe, ey Cuca, ey Veto, y Chato, ey Chopo, Maruka, ey Nieto. Then standing erect with his hand on his pecho, he flew to the top of our very own techo.
With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea, he struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea. Then huffing and puffing at last to our sala, with soot smeared all over his red suit de gala, he filled all the stockings with lovely regalos, for none of the ninos had been very malos.
Then, chuckling aloud, seeming muy contento, he turned like a flash and was gone like the viento. And I heard him exclaim, and this is verdad, `Merry Christmas to all! Feliz Navidad.'
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Post by 溪山 on Dec 25, 2018 1:32:45 GMT -5
12 Grapes At Midnight: Spain’s Great New Year’s Eve Tradition, And Superstition Eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve is both a tradition and a superstition in Spain. Rare is the Spaniard who will risk poisoning their fate for the coming year by skipping the grapes, one for each stroke of midnight. Americans may giddily greet the New Year downing a glass of champagne and grabbing a kiss at the drop of the ball. But the first 12 seconds of the Spaniards’ New Year are somewhat quieter and more intense, as everyone focuses on eating all 12 of the “miraculous grapes” that symbolize 12 lucky months ahead. from: www.foodrepublic.com/2012/12/28/12-grapes-at-midnight-spains-great-new-years-eve-tradition-and-superstition/ |
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Post by 溪山 on Dec 25, 2018 1:37:27 GMT -5
Christmas in Spain Most people in Spain go to Midnight Mass or 'La Misa Del Gallo' (The Mass of the Rooster). It is called this because a rooster is supposed to have crowed the night that Jesus was born. Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena. In the days before Nochebuena, children might take part in 'piden el aguinaldo' where they go and sing carols around their neighbors hoping to get some money! Most families eat their main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve before the service. The traditional Spanish Christmas dinner was 'Pavo Trufado de Navidad' which is Turkey stuffed with truffles (the mushrooms, not the chocolate ones!) or 'Pularda asada' (a roasted young hen), although they are not commonly eaten now. In Galicia (a region in north-west Spain, surrounded by water) the most popular meal for Christmas Eve and for Christmas Day is seafood. This can be all kinds of different seafood, from shellfish and mollusks, to lobster and small edible crabs. www.whychristmas.com/cultures/spain.shtml |
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Post by 溪山 on Dec 25, 2018 1:42:50 GMT -5
Christmas in Mexico In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated from December 12th to January 6th. From December 16th to Christmas Eve, children often perform the 'Posada' processions or Posadas. Posada is Spanish for Inn or Lodging. There are nine Posadas. These celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Joseph and Mary looked for somewhere to stay. For the Posadas, the outside of houses are decorated with evergreens, moss and paper lanterns. In each Posada, children are given candles and a board, with painted clay figures of Mary riding on a donkey and Joseph, to process round the streets with. They call at the houses of friends and neighbors and sing a song at each home. The song they sing is about Joseph and Mary asking for a room in the house. But the children are told that there is no room in the house and that they must go away. Eventually they are told there is room and are welcomed in! When the children go into the house they say prayers of thanks and then they have a party with food, games and fireworks. Each night a different house holds the Posada party. At the final Posada, on Christmas Eve, a manger and figures of shepherds are put on to the board. When the Posada house has been found, a baby Jesus is put into the manger and then families go to a midnight Church service. After the Church service there are more fireworks to celebrate the start of Christmas. One game that is often played at Posada parties is piñata. A piñata is a decorated clay or papier-mâché jar filled with sweets and hung from the ceiling or tree branch. The piñata is often decorated something like a ball with seven peaks around it. The peaks or spikes represent the 'seven deadly sins'. Piñata's can also be in the form of an animal or bird (such as a donkey). To play the game, children are blind-folded and take it in turns to hit the piñata with a stick until it splits open and the sweets pour out. Then the children rush to pick up as many sweets as they can! from: www.whychristmas.com/cultures/mexico.shtml |
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