Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Wonder what's going on in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico?


Christmas decorations going up at the mall!  What a shock.........Probably the same thing that is happening in the USA.

The reason it is a surprise and shocking is that (a) we have a mall and (b) we have traditional decorations going up.

Here's the story.

Eleven years ago you couldn't find a Christmas tree anywhere around here.  The only Christmas decorations, per se, were poinsettas (which grow naturally in this clime) planted in the jardin.  I think there were a couple of wreaths - not much.

I remember it vividly because I wanted to decorate my house with all the "stuff" that I had accumulated over all the holidays and my PARENTS had accumulated too.  Greenery was needed to complete this task.  I searched all over the place.  None was to be found.  Pines don't grow in this area. At least not anywhere that I know or could find.

In my search I discovered, at the time, that Christmas in Mexico, at least in San Miguel, was all about the Baby Jesus.  The mercados were full of moss and ferns and green stuff to decorate the manger for the coming of Jesus.  All kinds of manger animals and angels were there to buy also.  But, alas, no greenery.

So, I didn't have the fragrance of evergreen.  I cut branches off the eucalyptus trees adjacent to the property and had that fragrance.  Not exactly the same, but one uses what one has.

Fast forward to today.  Trees everywhere to be purchased.  There is a Soriana grocery store at the mall on the outskirts of town.  Also a Mega at another intersection that will have trees and decorations.  In fact when I walked into Mega yesterday there were boxes of Christmas ornaments stacked ten feet high!  There is a village two hours south of here that is the Christmas ornament capital of Mexico.  The whole village does this year round.

And now, decorations.

I'll be heading to Texas next week for the Holidays.  I'll be inundated with decorations, music, food and good cheer.  I'm looking forward to it - all except the massive merchandising of "stuff" to buy.

Thankfully, that, as yet, has not become a tradition in Mexico.  Three Kings Day is THE day for the children.  It is not as gift focused as the USA.  Christmas is all about the birth of Christ.

Viva Mexico!
 
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6 comments:

Unknown said...

Hola Babs -

Thought you'd be a great person to ask if you don't mind -

Do you know of a reliable car service to book when flying into Queretaro and then needing to get to San Miguel? Would like to book one round-trip, that we can rely on to be there to meet our flight in, and be there to pick us up the day we leave San Miguel and take us back to the airport in Queretaro.

Any help/advice is much appreciated!

Thank you and Happy Holidays (can you beleive it's time to say that already?)

Dean

Babs said...

Bajio Go is the best. I think their website is www.bajiogo.com. Just google them if that doesn't work. You can book online.

Safe travels........

Steve Cotton said...

Mexico has always been expert at assimilating other cultures -- especially, anything involving parties and decorations. Halloween pops to mind. And merchants wisely use any method to loosen pocketbooks. As they should.

Shannon said...

Querétaro and Celaya certainly caught on quick. The Christmas decorations began appearing in Sam's Club and Costco at the beginning of September!

Babs said...

There is a backlash going on here over the LaCAlaca Festival put together by a group out of Mexico City. It was to bring more tourists to town, have a big party and have a nude photoshoot with Spencer Tunick. Loud music in Juarez Park which is surrounded by a residential area and the photoshoot were the last straw. There is a group of Mx nationals that are petitioning the Mayor not to allow it again. It trampled on the reverent and spiritual traditions of Day of the Dead. We'll see what happens - money is not the most important thing in the Mexican culture. Thank goodness.

Babs said...

Shannon, haven't been to Q-town in forever and Celaya in about four months.......guess I need to get out more often....ha.