Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Though I have been here for nearly 9 years in Argentina, many of you often ask me how we celebrate Christmas here. Differently!

When you think about the things that make Christmas feel like Christmas, you must first imagine that none of it exists here. There are no slay bells jingling. No here comes Santa Clause in a one horse open sleigh wishing for a White Christmas blaring from ever store front. There are not Candy Cane Lanes to be strolled down. There are few decorations hung in the streets, a straggling bell or two, a holly branch here or there, maybe even a tree but that is as far as it goes. 

People do not take part in the drinking of hot coco or warm apple cider by a log lit fire. Quite the opposite in fact. 

It doesn't feel like Christmas when you are scantly clad in loose fitting clothes to avoid the sticky and sweaty effect of Summer taking its tole on you. Today it will be upwards of 100 degrees with 40% humidity at the very least. Without all of the sing songs and decor, the bundling up and the staying in to bake, one forgets it is Christmas. Or, perhaps they remember what Christmas is really about. 

On the day of the 24th, the Eve of Christmas, we prepare food and buy last minute gifts. In Argentina Papa Noel arrives at midnight and every little kid in the nation stays up late to see his arrival. Wait, SEE his arrival? Yep. There is typically a large spectacle of fire works announcing his landing and someone in the family often dresses up as good ole Saint Nick to cause a bit of commotion inside the house while everyone is conveniently in the street staring at the sky. Suddenly he appears on a rooftop or you see the traces of his fleeting red coat as you race to catch a glimpse, which of course, happens either from a distance or not at all. 

Finally, there is a distribution of gifts, but all gifts given on this day are from Santa - 1 per person - so one must be careful not to talk to much about who gave who what and where they purchased said what. 

After the hoopla of present opening is over, a bottle, or two or three, of champagne is opened and we cheers to the holiday, to health, to new unions and new comers - and usually sit around talking or playing for an hour or so before retiring to bed. 

On the 25th, as no one ever sleeps too well due to having over eaten (or drunken) too much, that is unless you are 25 weeks pregnant or 4 years old, the day is built to be lazy - left overs in the park and around the pool.