By Natalie Taylor
On the fifty-second day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me …
When we speak of the Christmas season in San Miguel, forget 12 days, the season lasts a total of 52 days!
It all begins with the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, from December 12th through the 16th. The day before, a banner of the virgin is placed before the Parroquia and that evening, people gather before the image to sing the traditional mañanitas. Fireworks go through the night.
After December 16th, the celebration changes its focus toward the birth of Jesus. Nativity scenes are placed in public places and in private homes. The next nine days have a number of traditional events.
The posadas are a reenactment of the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, with people playing out the two parts: The “pilgrims” asking for shelter, and the “inn-keepers” denying entry. Traditional songs follow the story line and finish when the “inn-keeper” (the host) finally lets them in. Then the party begins! The posadas are played out each night, the party hosted by different friends and relatives, an also in many public spaces.
Pastorelas are comic acts played out in neighborhoods, schools and theaters. They show the shepherds on the way to see baby Jesus. The shepherds appear dim-witted, although well meaning, and interact with a lot of slapstick.
Then comes December 24th—Nochebuena—Christmas Eve. There is one last posada, and a little doll, representing the newborn Jesus, is placed in all the nativity scenes. Everyone goes to midnight mass, and then a major meal is served with the traditional dishes such as tamales, pozole, and of course, the drink of the season—ponche.
December 25th, Christmas Day is the most quiet and peaceful day of the entire season. Everyone is recovering from the big meal, and most families make this a quiet day relying on left-overs from the previous night’s feast. For the faithful, there is always mass.
December 28th is Dia de los Santos Inocentes—Day of the holy innocents. It commemorates the day Herod sent out his troops to slaughter all male children under the age of two, in the hopes of killing the newborn king he had heard was born in Bethlehem.
In spite of its bloody history, the day has become the equivalent of our April fool’s day. Perhaps the reason for that is that the joke was on Herod—Jesus escaped after all. On this day, people play all kinds of pranks on each other, and whenever someone falls for it, he is called out “Inocente! Inocente!” The media also gets involved, reporting news that are too ridiculous or funny to be believed.
January 6th, is celebrated as Dia de Reyes—day of kings (whom we call magi), who come to visit Jesus, bearing gifts. This is when the children finally receive gifts. Although, because of the incorporation of US traditions, many now enjoy both Christmas and King’s Day gifts!
A rosca de reyes, roll of kings, is usually the centerpiece. A baked sweet bread in the shape of a wreath, with the miniature Jesus figure baked inside. When the rosca is served, whoever finds the baby Jesus will host the party on February second.
Dia de la Candelaria—Candlemas, is the final day of the entire Christmas season. The second of February marks the 40th day after Jesus’ birth, when he was brought to the temple. People come to church with candles, and the little Jesus figures they had in their nativity, to be blessed.
Then everyone gathers at the home of the person who got the baby Jesus in the rosca. Tamales are served with the traditional drink, atole. It is a thick, almost pudding-like, drink, made of milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and corn starch. Sometimes chocolate is added.
In San Miguel, Candelaria has its own tradition. It is a day for massive plant sales in Parque Juarez. Fifty two days culminate in a park covered with flowers and plants for sale, and vendors scurrying about with wheelbarrows full of plants, pots, and soil.
It is also considered the beginning of spring as the city makes ready for longer and warmer days, and the blooming of many flowers.
Therefore in San Miguel, the final gift to one’s beloved would probably be a potted plant, ready to be put in the ground.
On the fifty-second day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me,
A bright bouquet of flowers,
And a pot with a teeming lemon tree.
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