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holiday season

So the holidays are DEFINITELY different here.

So for Thanksgiving we had dinner at our house. It was pretty hectic and insane. There were around 50 people there and our house was filled to capacity...meaning very few people sat down, definitely not us and I was on stuffing duty so I put stuffing on everyone`s plates. I also felt pretty awful and I`m pretty sure i had a temperature so it was an interesting night. Definitely not like any Thanksgiving I experienced before.

There is preparation for Christmas here too including lights and trees. I went to the mall yesterday and was quite disturbed to see a plasticy white santa claus taking pictures with the kids. I think he was wearing a mask. I`m loving advent as usual, but it`s weird to have the advent wreath and be wearing a tank top to mass... Also at the 1 o`clock mass we usually go to we`re usually crammed in the back standing so I didn`t see the wreath until last night when I went at 8 (yes I went twice yesterday because at 1 i thought we were pretty late...we got there during the homily... and later i was with a different group who hadn`t gone yet and wanted to go at 8 so...i did) and there weren`t tons of people there so i actually got to see the wreath in the front and i really enjoyed it.

saturday night i went to see the big tree lit in mexico city with isaac and pool. there were so many people and the main street was blocked off with decorations on both sides. LOTS of piñatas (here they use them at christmas). Then the tree lighting was so fun. I was happy to hear the christmas songs, which i tested myself on how well i actually know the words because of course most of them are in spanish and i wanted to sing in english. The tree was lit (according to the signs it`s the biggest in the world). It`s not actually made out of any live trees...all lights. One part of the lighting was snowflakes and I asked Isaac if there is snow here...partly as a question partly for affirmation that there`s not. I`m not going to miss snow for awhile after the last few years in Chicago. He sort-of laughed and said "It`s just like Chicago." And no... there isn`t snow here. Good thing...especially considering no one has heat. Whew.

This weekend is the big celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe so you can expect some more updates after that.

So overall I`m trying to enjoy experiencing the holidays in a different way, but some days it can be very hard and I miss my own traditions a lot. But it is what it is so enjoying what I have here is what I`m trying hard to do.

I am really excited for the big celebration at work with the kiddos. I think their excitement for the event is rubbing off on me. =)

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