Christmas Traditions - Nacimientos, AND the white version; Winter Wonderland

Returning Catracho Report images

"Nacimientos" (Nativity Scenes) are a big deal in Latino families, the ones that aren't Pentecostals anyway. Growing up Pentecostal meant that Christmas celebrations consisted of prayer and worship vigils until 2 A.M., if the holy spirit chilled for longer, the vigils could run until 5 or 6 in the morning!!! We didn't have Nativity Scenes or Santa Clause, that's Idolatry. Pentecostals don't get down like that. Asking for a present from Santa Claus gets you 2 hours of kneeling over rice or a beating with an electrical cord. "Which do you want? Tell me know or you get both!" I think being frugal and a disciplinarian are requirements for the Pentecostal sect. I do recall a Christmas tree and gifts a few years, ironically that time coincides with my step father's... uhhhh... most lucrative venture, but that's another blog.

Nativity Scenes can be spotted all over L.A., but never realized that people obsess over these toy figurine landscapes. My first bit of insight to this craze was Christmas time at the suegros' (to be), I wasn't aware of the tradition at that time. Rosa's mom had a ridiculously expensive baby Jesus and the remains of three other broken and equally expensive babies she refused to part with. I thought of it as a weird collector's item like, Faberge eggs. What is up with those eggs, I wonder. It wasn't until Christmas 09 that I realized how crazy these nativity scenes really get. I was in Honduras in 2008 and completely missed the Nacimientos that year!!! Makes me wonder what else I've missed out on...? This is "connecting with your roots," folks! This seems like a cool tradition for my family, or maybe I'll just convert every December and not have to buy anyone presents.

This is way more than a Nativity Scene, this is Bethlehem... Or Tegucigalpa back in the day

Ladies making Baleadas and cooking on "Barriles", a lady bleeding a pig, clowns, a wedding and quincianera in the same place!!!


A cow (I think) being slaughtered, soon to be decapitated chickens on a table, clowns, a bunch of Chiquita Banana ladies, Baleadas and Barriles

They even made a cemetery.

This is the Gringo version... It even photographs better!

When I saw this I immediately noticed two things; 1.) Everyone is participating in recreational activities, not working. 2.) No JESUS!


Everyone seems so much happier in this setting. The only people without a smile on their face are the chubby guy in shock over the light post not having an energy saving bulb and the clown that made it over from the Honduran Nativity Scene.