Marney: Blog Of The Week

Costa Rica 

In Costa Rica People decorate their houses with tropical flowers of all different colors.  In Costa Rica near December 3rd people have plays for other people and there is one big one called Pasito or Portal.  Most people call it Pasito. They decorate the stage with fruits and flowers, they also decorate the walls of the stage and paint houses and things like that.  Most of the homes and shops there are decorated with Christmas lights and wreaths that have wild berries on them. 

     Most people call Santa,  the gift giver, Colacho, or Saint Nicholas. On Christmas Eve almost everyone dresses up fancy and goes to the town square where all the lights are.  After Christmas and into January they have parades and and parties and festivals.  After all of that the have a big feast.

Some things at pasito

     Another holiday in North America in December is Kwanzaa.  Kwanzaa is a week long celebration.  It starts on December 26 and ends on the first of January.  You have to have 7 candles.  There are always 3 red candles that stand as blood shed.  The one black one stands for the African race and the three green stand for land of Africa.

 hanukkah candles 

Kwanzaa candles

     Jewish people around the world celebrate Hanukkah at this time of the year.  Hanukkah is also known as the festival of lights.  It is a week and one day celebration.  Using the Hanukkah lights for other things is forbidden.   On the first night of Hanukkah the blessing are said right before the candles are lit.  There are three blessings.  On the first night the first two blessings are said.