No snow (or chance of snow I should say.... seeing as BC is usually only a wet wonderland).
No name exchange of presents.
No crazy brother dressed like Santa.
No turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing.
No Christmas programs for the kids.
No Christmas parties.
No lights or decorations.
No Christmas music EVERYWHERE we went.
No.... coziness.
Now to be fair, we've had a warm Christmas before. We were in Florida with Shaun's family two years ago. And we survived just fine. Was it the fact that we still had all of the above around the date? We still had the Christmas parties, the food with family, the Christmas programs at church and school, the searching for the perfect present, the decorations in our house... maybe. Somehow it is different being away for months and not really knowing when we are returning. Then suddenly Christmas at home feels very far away.
Of course in Brazil there is Christmas. The malls are decorated (if you've seen my facebook picture). There are lights and trees on some houses around here, which makes me smile. The city of Maragogi decorated the palm trees and along the plaza in the centre of town. But I have to admit when Shaun played Christmas music on December 1st I cried. Don't tell anyone. And every so often when I heard "I'll be home for Christmas" those pesky wet droplets entered my eyes. Who thought that song was a good idea to write anyway?!
I knew that wallowing wasn't going to do anyone any good. So on December 1st I joined an advent Bible study online. This was great for me to remember the real reason for the season, instead of feeling sorry for myself for "missing" Christmas. And there was a children's resource study guide, so I got to involve my whole family. We did some crafts that looked somewhat Christmas-y.
At times in the hot weather it is hard to remember it even was Christmas. Such a different feel. In fact, the feeling around Christmas mirrors the party type feeling of New Years' Eve. We spent Christmas Eve having a service at the church and then went to a party with everyone in the church. Everyone stayed up until midnight to say Feliz Natal! My impression is that Christmas becomes almost a celebration of the start of summer holidays, or is very linked to that feeling you get when the kids are done school .
Anyways, since our Christmas Eve was a very late night, we were thinking we were going to have quiet family day on Christmas. We got a welcome phone call to join some friends for a Christmas barbecue. It really was a wonderful, relaxing, fun-filled day. I kept getting that song in my head: "So this is Christmas, and what have you done? another year older, and a new one just begun...." It is almost overwhelming to think of what has happened this past year(S).
Here's a collection of pictures reflecting a wonderful Brazilian Christmas. Not better, not worse, just different. I just wish we could be in two places at once.
After the church service there was a little program with the youth of the church and the women of the church singing.
At the party you could sing.
Potluck style.
A giant balloon full of goodies.
It got dangerous.
On Christmas morning we did a puzzle together that was a christmas present to our family.
Then we got invited to Moizes and Bete's house. This lovely lady is often the one working in the kitchen.
Christmas barbecue.
Let me out of here! I've heard what they do to us once we are caught!
He said my parents would be jealous....
Luiz, you need to put some weight on before the wedding!
Revenge of the Crab
Seth and Gabriel spent a long time biking down a very rocky, treed, and bumpy terrain as fast as the bike would go. I could barely watch. Where's the North American helmets!?!
Hazel and Lyla and their "Uncles!"
And in case anyone was worried, there was turkey and mashed potatoes at our church Christmas party ;)
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