And the Christmas season continues

Last night we visited our neighbors Jorge and Azucena. We spent a couple hours just visiting and enjoying the snacks they had put out for us. They are Nicaraguan and have been gone to Nicaragua for the past several months. We always greet each other, but this is the first time we've actually been able to visit. Pray that we'll be a witness to this couple.

And more Christmas season was very obvious at the market today. The first one being that it was PACKED! We were getting a little claustrophobic by the end of our purchases! Bethie couldn't get through the crowds with our little market cart and I barely could get through carrying two market bags. If in the pictures it looks crowded, well, it was!

We don't see snow, or Santa Clauses - a few, but very few - or the usual Christmasy items you expect in the U.S., just lots and lots of piñatas, candy and more candy, fruit to make ponche (sugar cane, tejocotes, guayabas, tamarind, apples), oranges and tangerines galore that are in season right now, and yes! More piñatas! They´re everywhere! And yes, we have one in our house that´s STUFFED, ready for the Bible study group on Christmas Day!

Any guesses? You see quite a lot of this during this time of year. Yams, cooked with enough sugar to give us all diabetic heart attacks (is that possible???) Amazingly sweet. And it was amazing that in the short time I stood there, at least four people stopped by to get their stash for the Christmas celebration. No, not my favorite.

Another very Mexican custom, the posadas. These strings of decorated ribbon are put up all along the street, indicating that there is a posada being held there. And traffic is cut off, making for terrible traffic jams. But that's OK! The posada must go on!

The best waited for us for on the way home. This piñata store sells the BEST piñatas! We don´t usually buy here, because they´re a bit pricey. Can't imagine how much that huge star would cost - didn't ask - but it's beautiful to drive by and look at!