Happy Holidays

Hi all! I know it´s New Year´s Eve (or as the Dutch say, Old Year´s Evening) but I wanted to share with you my thoughts about the Christmas season here in Peru. I don´t know what it was, but something possessed me the day of Christmas to write in my journal the following. I hope you enjoy.

Twas the day of Christmas and all through the town,
All the creatures were stirring, everyone is around.
No stockings are hung, no chimneys are found
And there´s snow in the mountains but not on the ground.
The ladies in their mantas and I in my coat,
From a short winter´s nap, I have just awoke.
Yes, a nap I´ve taken, it seems for the first time this year
Because Christmas is celebrated at all hours here.

It begins Christmas Eve, with the Nochebuena meal.
Dinner´s at midnight and then, it gets real.
Chicken, potato puree and rice, a toast with champagne
Then out come the cuyes and you remember this dinner´s not tame.
Then we took our hot chocolate and our panetón
I offered my cookies to share something from home.
We wished each other ¨Merry Christmas¨with hugs for all
But before we could sleep our came beer, cold and tall.
At 1 or 1:30 I climbed into my bed
But the sleep was short-lived, hardly a dream in my head.

For at 5:00 Christmas morning I awoke with a start
To the sound of firecrackers, oh dear, attack of the heart.
I quickly got dressed and ran to the square
And found the church open, people singing and dancing there.
Each lady carried with her her own Christmas tree
From a branch covered with tissue paper, flowers unlike any you´d see.
They were singing and dancing around in a ring
And entered the church in pairs to worship the newborn King.

To combat the cold, they served drinks nice and hot.
This was the first Christmas I broke fast...with a shot.
Chamis, they call it, a calientito hot toddy
One quick swig and it will warm up the body.
Then a hot punch was served in a cup made of tin,
It was a very different sunrise service to participate in.
Then back to my house to turn on the gas stove,
For a breakfast of pancakes for my family, I strove.

Later, Saint Nick had come to visit via an NGO,
And I watched as the kids lined up to receive their ¨regalo¨
The dancing continued down in the square,
Then up the hill moved the party, it only seemed fair.
In a house made of stone, lunch was provided for all
They started drinking in the morning, everyone was having a ball.
Then we sat in the sun, my face burning perchance,
And then surprisinly one of the ladies invited me to dance.

I carried the asusena, the name for the tree
Knowing full well that all eyes were on me.
I danced and I danced as best as I could
But when the song was over, a little girl asked ¨Why did you dance no good?¨
Then we left the scene, a nap on my mind
And before I could sleep came the words for this rhyme.

What a day, what a day, what a day don´t you know.
All types of weather - sun, rain, hail - but no snow.
The party will continue through tomorrow day
And I hoope I can keep my heavy eyelids at bay.
Here I write Christmas day without electical light,
Still, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.


And a happy New Year! Blessings.