Christmas Bucket List
I recently read an article in which a woman talks about how her family creates a bucket list during the holidays of the things they think are most important to do, see, eat, visit etc. She says this is a way to accomplish your Christmas goals without getting too stressed out. Though it is still early, I have been thinking a lot about Christmas this year since I won´t be going home to spend it with my family. On the other hand, this will be José and my first year celebrating as husband and wife. We will also be able to be with his family and partake in their traditions. However, it is important to me to begin to create our own as well. So I have decided to take the Christmas Bucket List idea to heart.
First I must mention that there is NO way we will have a white Christmas here in the south of Spain, no matter how much dreaming I do. The temperatures do cool off quite a bit but are still too mild for the white stuff. After having spent one holiday season here while we were dating, I can say that for me not seeing snow does make a difference in getting me in the spirit. Though it is nice to not have to scrape frost off your car windows in the morning or shovel out a driveway, there is something about snow that speaks of Michigan and family. Instead, I have to appreciate what we have here that signifies the upcoming fiestas. For example, though people do not decorate their homes with lights, the city does a good job of putting up Christmas lights throughout the area, stringing them up in trees and on lamp posts. Seeing them lit at night really is beautiful, especially juxtaposed with the cathedral.
Bucket list idea number 1: Walk through the city center at night to enjoy the lighted decorations
Downtown Sevilla at Christmas:
Here in Spain people get really into putting up their Nativity scenes. In fact, I would say that this is more important than Christmas trees (they are Catholic after all). A lot of churches and private residences set up huge displays creating cities around their holy families that you can actually visit. Each year beginning in November there is a fair in Sevilla where you can buy additions to your Nativity. They sell all kinds of figurines, animals, some even moving, a lot you know where not at the birth of Jesus but are fun to add anyway like flamingos or scuba divers. They are beautiful and it is fun to walk through the stands and see what people have to offer.
Bucket list idea number 2: Take a tour of the local Nativity scene displays
Here is a picture of the fair:
Since I will not be home for my family´s annual cookie making party I plan on making some recipes here for my Spanish family to try.
Bucket list idea number 3: Bake and make cookies to share
Speaking of eating, one of the things that Spanish people love when the winter season begins is to eat chestnuts. You can actually find chestnuts roasting on an open fire at stands around the city. If that doesn´t get you into the holiday spirit, I am not sure what else will. They also have other typical sweets like mantecados (thick, yummy dessert cakes) and foods that they associate with Christmas time. I am going to try it all.
Bucket list idea number 4: Enjoy some typical holiday eats
First I must mention that there is NO way we will have a white Christmas here in the south of Spain, no matter how much dreaming I do. The temperatures do cool off quite a bit but are still too mild for the white stuff. After having spent one holiday season here while we were dating, I can say that for me not seeing snow does make a difference in getting me in the spirit. Though it is nice to not have to scrape frost off your car windows in the morning or shovel out a driveway, there is something about snow that speaks of Michigan and family. Instead, I have to appreciate what we have here that signifies the upcoming fiestas. For example, though people do not decorate their homes with lights, the city does a good job of putting up Christmas lights throughout the area, stringing them up in trees and on lamp posts. Seeing them lit at night really is beautiful, especially juxtaposed with the cathedral.
Bucket list idea number 1: Walk through the city center at night to enjoy the lighted decorations
Downtown Sevilla at Christmas:
Here in Spain people get really into putting up their Nativity scenes. In fact, I would say that this is more important than Christmas trees (they are Catholic after all). A lot of churches and private residences set up huge displays creating cities around their holy families that you can actually visit. Each year beginning in November there is a fair in Sevilla where you can buy additions to your Nativity. They sell all kinds of figurines, animals, some even moving, a lot you know where not at the birth of Jesus but are fun to add anyway like flamingos or scuba divers. They are beautiful and it is fun to walk through the stands and see what people have to offer.
Bucket list idea number 2: Take a tour of the local Nativity scene displays
Here is a picture of the fair:
Since I will not be home for my family´s annual cookie making party I plan on making some recipes here for my Spanish family to try.
Bucket list idea number 3: Bake and make cookies to share
Speaking of eating, one of the things that Spanish people love when the winter season begins is to eat chestnuts. You can actually find chestnuts roasting on an open fire at stands around the city. If that doesn´t get you into the holiday spirit, I am not sure what else will. They also have other typical sweets like mantecados (thick, yummy dessert cakes) and foods that they associate with Christmas time. I am going to try it all.
Bucket list idea number 4: Enjoy some typical holiday eats
That is all I have so far. I will update as I come up with more ideas. I wish I were going to be home for the holidays with my family but I guess in a way I will be home since this is where I am living now. Weird.
Comments
Post a Comment