Año Nuevo

Año Nuevo, or New Years, has a few interesting traditions that come with it in Mexico!

The most common Mexican tradition (that isn't used in the USA), and the only one I've participated in is the midnight grapes tradition.  Instead of watching the ball drop in Times Square, a group of Mexican TV stars, newsanchors, and other famous people get together on TV and at midnight there are twelve clock chimes.  At home, you should have prepared 12 grapes for each person present.  For each clock chime you put a grape in your mouth (I'm unsure as to whether or not you're supposed to chew it right away or not!), the chimes go fast, so you (and the famous people on TV) end up with a mouth full of grape by the time it's done!  :)

Another tradition is that you should get an empty suitcase or some type of luggage out, and run around the block with it at midnight (I'm assuming after the grapes! heehee!).  Supposedly if you do this, you'll travel somewhere cool during the next year.

And, if you come visit us during December in Mexico, you'll notice that WalMart and similar stores have a huge stock of yellow and red underwear.  If you want to get more money in the new year, you should be wearing yellow underwear at midnight.  If you want to fall in love, you should be wearing red underwear.  And you have to choose one - no wearing two pairs of underwear because then it doesn't work! 

Apparently, last New Year's Eve JP and I didn't watch the ball drop in Times Square.  In the morning on the 31st, we were watching the Today Show, and they were lifting up the ball over Times Square.  I explained to JP that for the minute befre midnight the ball will start dropping.  He said he wanted to see it because it's a really big ball and he wanted to see it shatter all over the place.  When I said it doesn't shatter, it just "lands" at the bottom and makes the big 2013 light up, he was like, "What?!  What's the point of that?!"  Good point JP.  I guess every country has some nonsensical traditions!  But they're fun anyway!

Holidays!

This was our second holiday season in the United States - it was good to be able to spend it with my family again!  We spent Christmas morning with Rick and Barb, had Christmas lunch/dinner with the Lanes, then went to the church where we opened it up for anyone who may not have had Christmas plans to come to and enjoy dessert and games!  We ended up having a whole meal at the church, as a family brought their Christmas soup, which is has noodles and fish in it, and also rice and kimchi!  It was yummy! 

 

 

 Rick and Barb

For New Years, JP and I went to hang out with a few other families - again eating Korean food, which neither of us had ever had before Christmas this year - playing lots of games and talking until midnight.  The next day, we had the Gillette family (my mom's side) party.  It was good to see aunts, uncles, and cousins again!

 

New Year's Eve dinner

 

Gillette family party!