In my house, you can hear everything. “What is that noise??” is a frequent question when I skype with people. Usually it’s a neighborhood kid crying, a loud cricket, a passing truck, or a rooster. There’s simply no insulation anywhere, so sound comes through the cement-block walls and windows with nothing to stop it.
For that reason, I was awakened at 5:15 this morning by the sound of a live band, the sound of adults’ and children’s voices, and firecrackers. (Ok, it was probably the firecrackers that woke me up….) There is usually a lot of activity early in the mornings, but not to this extent.
The band was a lot more enjoyable to listen to once it was outside of my house, rather than down the street. They stopped to play a song for my neighbor across the street, an elderly couple who have lived in the neighborhood since they were kids.
You can see that on the other side of the band are some candles outside my neighbor’s house. These, I think, have been burning since last night, in celebration of the Dia de Las Velitas (Day of the Little Candles), which is the eve of the holiday celebrating Mary’s Immaculate Conception. From all that I’ve gathered, Christmas has officially started.
Last night I joined some friends on Avenida Primera (the street that runs next to the river Sinu) to celebrate a friend’s birthday. As we walked through the brightly-lit park, I realized that for my friends, these are sights, smells, and sounds of Christmas. For me, it’s just another part of my foreign experience.
Of the traditions and cultural norms I observe here, I’m never sure what’s a religious, Catholic practice and what are the “traditions” that my Protestant friends have as part of their Christmas experience. And, then, of course, I’m reminded that whether I’m here or in the US, the heart of Christmas is often buried in traditions, warm feelings, and family gatherings. I’m reminded to keep Redemption in mind as I become part of a new tradition.
It was good for me to remember that these sights, smells, and sounds say “Christmas” to my friends here just like egg nog, snow, and Amy Grant’s Christmas album say it to me. I’m grateful to be going home for Christmas, but I’m also grateful to be forming new ideas of what “Christmas” means here. My life is truly rich.