Christmas Street Scenes of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

In most places, if you want to know the schedule of activities during festival times, you purchase a newspaper.  Here one just goes to the corner of the jardin and can read the whole schedule for the Nativity festivities.

Pinatas and twinkle lights are everywhere as decorations for centro.  Nancy over in Mazatlan, a fellow blogger,  showed a truck there delivering pinatas to be installed in her town.  Here they put them on a LONG pole and walk them from wherever they have made them.  I tried to get my camera out to get a photo but they were moving to fast for me.

This is the Christmas tree in the jardin this year.  I can't remember when they started putting up a tree in the jardin but it hasn't been that many years.  It used to be only the Nativity scene which they fenced in so they could add the live animals for a few days before and after Christmas.

These tin stars are one of the things made in San Miguel.  Tin is a big item made mostly in individual tallers (workshops), usually at home, and then delivered to a central selling point.  The hearts are oilcloth which is something used a lot for tablecloths, bolsas, aprons and other things.

I noticed that the nativity is not in the kiosk in the jardin but over here near the churches.  Of course as time draws closer, more creatures will be added.  It will be interesting to see if live animals appear again this year.

Speaking of creatures, this basset hound belongs to Peter who is holding him.  Today he had on a sweater!  In my next life I'm coming back as that dog so I can lay in the sun ANYWHERE I want to in the jardin.  The bassett hound usually lays in the middle of the walkway all stretched out like the photo and people step over him or walk around him.  WHAT a life!

As I sat on the wall to warm my back and not have the sun in my face, this couple sat down directly in front of me on the bench.  She, all bundled up.  He, in shorts and a short sleeve shirt.  I asked if they were from Canada? The reason for the question was because we all go around all bundled up and the snowbirds show up and dress like this man.   They answered that no they were from England originally.  She pointed at him with his shorts on and said, "No sense, no feeling".  It made me laugh.

I finally went over to talk with them as they looked at their guide book.  WHAT an interesting couple!

  They started traveling 10 years ago - she loving nature along with hiking, he loving architecture and cultures.  They started in Africa then Australia, Borneo at some point and then have been all over Canada and the USA. They've only been in Mexico three weeks but intend to see Mexico before they head south driving all the way to Argentina.

I asked if they needed a cook.........partially joking.

Across from them were three Mexican women eating their yogurt and chatting while warming up in the sun.  Friends.  The Mexican women have an innate sense when you are going to take a photo and almost always look away.

As I was walking home, I spied a man carrying a statue of the Baby Jesus somewhere.

I snapped this photo.  He was standing next to a store window that, instead of selling merchandise,
had a scene of the Nativity.

Notice that the Baby Jesus isn't there yet.......next week.

The town is so photogenic that I could take hundreds of photos in a few hours.
These were just a few that I thought you might enjoy.

Our Christmas is simple and innocent.  Decorations, for the most part, are hand made.  The focus is also on the Nativity with the posadas from the 16th til the 24th.  The mercado is full of moss, bromeliads and things to use in the making of the Nativity.  Typically they are made to look as though it is a cave or a rocky place.

Today's photos were taken in about an hour.  Hope you enjoy seeing San Miguel through my eyes!