Tag Archives: Christmas in Mexico

Christmas below the Tropic of Cancer, for Esther’s Writing Prompt, Nov 29, 2024

8 Replies

Christmas below the Tropic of Cancer


Christmas below the Tropic of Cancer

Many once among us have long since passed away,
so we’ll make do with newer friends on this Christmas day.
We will light our candles and cook the spiral ham.
Eat the sugar cookies filled with nuts and jam.
We’ll enjoy the babble around the Christmas table
and squeeze another helping of pie in if we’re able.
The sounds and tastes of Christmas are fraught with memories—
with bubble lights upon the tree and packages to squeeze,
but the nice thing about memories is that we keep on making them,
for supplementing memories does not mean we’re forsaking them!

 

This week”s Writing Prompt from Esther is Christmas

6 A.M., Dec. 24, 2020

6 Replies


6 A.M., December 24, 2020

All around my room and all around the house,
everything is still and quiet as a mouse.
All the sounds of living are muffled by the night,
as if a large hand censors both my hearing and my sight.

Then the greater world is thrust into my ear—
a single church bell tolling is all that I can hear
signaling the hour—6 A.M. again—
a barrage of fireworks setting up its din

to welcome us to Christmas Eve though it is merely morn.
It is our second  notice that a child will be born.
First the star low in the west—a bauble in the sky
tells the whole world of the day that is coming nigh.

Odors of the pine tree, presentiment of myrrh,
the stirring of the dogs, the cat’s insistent purr,
the roasting of the turkey—the onions in the dressing
bring another sense to transmit the Christmas blessing.

A touch of lips ‘neath mistletoe can’t be far away,
bringing that last sense of touch to calm the worldly fray.
May all the troubles of the world thereby find surcease
and for this brief holiday, may all the world find peace.

Prompt words today are mouse, great, bauble and living. Image by Peter Bucks on Unsplash, used with permission.

Chameleon Poinsettia: Flower of the Day Challenge Jan. 7, 2016

12 Replies

Chameleon Poinsettia

IMG_1006

This pot of poinsettias is right on my deck so I can witness the changes in color from green to yellow to white. I also love that the centers are starting to pop out their little pom poms.  I know Christmas is over, but my poinsettias don’t know it.  Actually, at the market today everyone was buying King’s Cake (Rosca de Reyes) to honor the 12th day of Christmas–January 6–the supposed day the wise men arrived with gifts. Shaped round like a king’s crown, the cake contains a surprise inside–a porcelain or hard plastic effigy of Jesus.

The one who finds it in his cake is the one expected to host the party and make the tamales for Candelaria, on February 2nd.  On this date everyone takes the baby Jesus from his creche, redresses him in new clothing and takes him to the priest to be blessed.  On buses, in the streets and in the subways, people can be seen with babies in arms, taking them for their yearly anointing. If you think Christmas is strung out in the States, you should witness Christmas in Mexico!

http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/06/flower-of-the-day-january-6-2016-and-color-your-world-challenge/