Tis the Season

Yes, it is the season and we are starting to get jolly. The people of Mazatlan love Christmas and decorations have been popping up all over the city. I love the store selling Christmas Pinatas and also the fact that you can buy your tree and lunch at the same location.

These are part of the holiday display at Plaza de Revolution, in front of City Hall and the Cathedral.

It's a true Christmas wonderland, complete with a creche, donkeys (including one very tired little guy who just gave up and laid down for a nap), and of course, Santa Claus! The tree at the Plaza is huge, with rather interesting decorations. The Coca Cola tree is a tradition and this is the third variation we have seen.

The children are loving it, and the adults are having a good time as well.

We have seen numerous live trees being transported home on the roofs of cars, some as early as mid-November. I can only imagine what these trees will look like by Christmas Day, but right now the ones I have seen through the odd open doorway are lovely. The trees are often burnt after the holiday, but some are just left to completely wither away, tucked into an outside corner near the house. Our neighbours have had such a tree in their outer courtyard for several years and this year, dead or not, they decided to go ahead and decorate it anyway. It is truly spectacular. As well as multiple strings of lights and dozens of brightly coloured balls, they have set up, on one side of the tree, a winter wonderland scene, reminiscent of the Dickens Villages so popular 'up north'. On the other side is the village of Bethleham, and of course, no tree is complete without a toy train.

The tree on the top of the Pacifico Beer Plant has been up for several weeks now.

At home we always had a beautifully decorated 'real' tree (I know, we all think our trees are the best) but, although I decorate for Christmas every year in Mazatlan, we have not had a tree. This year, however, a friend is spending Christmas Eve and Day with us, and she felt that we simply had to have a tree. So, on a recent visit to New York, she bought one and brought it all the way back to Mazatlan, in her suitcase. This is one special Christmas Tree! It came with it's own decorations, and lights, and with the addition of a few extra baubles found lying around the Casita, we now have a tree.

Just can't wait to see what surprises Santa will bring!