Christmas is on its way...

Christmas is almost here, and I don't think it will be a white one.

I have been talking to all my classes about Christmas in Chile and what it means for them. There are some differences, and a lot of similarities. The climate obviously is a major factor. Roasting chestnuts over an open fire isn't much of an option here. The heat (around 30 degrees C) and the patterns of the sun at this time of year have some interesting effects. I don't think Christmas is as depressing here for Chileans as it is for those who celebrate the holiday in the dead of winter. It stays light longer, until around nine o'clock, it is possible to go sit in the park and take a break from the buying frenzy. Something about it being cold outside makes the inside of a house with a large family and a party feel much warmer. So those without that option I think feel the lack of the warmth in the northern hemisphere. I remember the holiday season in the military, and it was horrible to be anywhere near the barracks two weeks before, or a week after Christmas.

The fact that it is light out much longer means that there are less Christmas lights set up. Sure they sure exist here, but not in the same quantity as the states. One of my students was in the US from Thanksgiving until December 22, and that was one thing that really caught his attention, how much more lights there are. He was also quite shocked when he arrived on Thanksgiving day, a rather inconspicuous day in Chile, at the Atlanta airport to find the mad chaos that exists on such holidays. The weather also makes it obvious what ideas have been imported to Chile. I really do feel sorry for the "Santa Clauses" who walk around Santiago wearing a heavy dark red coat, a beard, warm pants and a hat. It is hot enough with a short sleeve shirt on. The white Christmas trees don't make much sense either, and both are a source of entertainment and bewilderment for most of my students.

The big day in Chile is Christmas Eve, though it is not a day off. There is usually a dinner, usually some sort of meat, drinks, conversation, and more. The Chileans have a special drink which is loosely comparable to Egg Nog, but quite different. It is made with milk, cream(?I think?) and a sort of hard alcohol made from fermented grapes. It is called Corte de Mono, or in English: Tail of the Monkey. I am so curious as to how that name came to be about but have yet to receive an answer.

After the food, it all depends on the family. Most go to a midnight mass, many open presents at midnight or after the mass, and everybody stays up very late, the children pass out with there new toys. One of my students told me here family goes to sleep very early, around 2 am. Christmas Day is for sleeping.

Right now I am planning to go to the family of a friend of my roommate America, I really want to go to the midnight mass though, so we'll see what happens with that. So on, so forth......