How we celebrated Christmas this year

We have spent more Christmas's in Honduras than we have gone to the US for. Parts of that are sad because we miss all of the family happenings and that is hard for us and we get homesick. But we have also found that we really enjoy the Honduran Christmas celebrations and that it's fun introducing our traditions to some of our friends here too. So to get an idea, here's a few of the Christmas things we did this last year:

The girls and I invited a few friends over to do cut out sugar cookies - we made tons of cookies and decorated them and they each went home with a full plate and a full belly. It was great fun introducing one of our family traditions to someone that has never done it before.

                  

A few years ago we started the tradition with some friends to make gingerbread houses with the kids - this year we did it with new friends. The kids (and adults) had a blast using as much candy as possible on their graham cracker creation. :)

                 

Almost every year we do some sort of Community Christmas Party in the community of Lo De Reina (our closest community) and this year we did a movie night and served the traditional nacatamales and coffee... over 150 people showed up and it was a great night!

These are nacatamales - THE Honduran Christmas season meal: we were given so many of these during the week of Christmas and thankfully our kids love 'em. 

This event the local community leaders participated
a lot - helping with the planning and then the serving
and clean up!

Maddy & Ali served with us the whole time!

We were invited to a Quincenera for the 24th of December - Daniela is one of our scholarship students and we've known her a long time. It was hard missing the Christmas Eve service at church, but fun to be invited to the community event. The entire evening Maddy was planning her future quincera! Her plans include a big yellow Belle princess dress. Yikes!

Over Christmas it's a big deal in Honduras to use lots and lots of fireworks! And for the 31st also! So for the 31st we went to the fireworks booth and bought a bunch and then Tristan put on a great fireworks show for everyone around. 

   

 

On New Years Day Tristan went to a local Rodeo with his friend Salvador - although not like a rodeo in the States, he had a great time. 

Over all we have learned that the birth of Jesus can be celebrated in any country and in any culture :).