Christmas in Mexico

Angel on the malecon in Puerto Vallarta.


Statue of a couple. Muy romantico historia.

Tim, Buddy, and I had a pleasant, relatively uneventful trip from Dallas to Chacala. We almost made it in 2 days and arrived in Chacala about 10 am on the third day, having travelled 1300 plus miles. Tim did the lion’s share of the driving. I drove him to the airport on the 22nd, so he could be home with his family for Christmas.

Christmas Eve is the traditional time of celebrating in Mexico. I had plans to have dinner with some friends at a local beach restaurant, Las Brisas, which is a bit more upscale than the others, and caters to the gringos. They were, in fact, having turkey with dressing, a big salad bar, barbecued shrimp brochettes, and for openers, taquitos and other Mexican finger food.

I drove the car down to the beach, walked Buddy in the spectacular December sunset, put him in the car, and went to the restaurant about 6:00 as we had planned. We had a reserved table, so I sat and ordered an agua mineral con lemon, my usual, visited with a family next to me, and waited for my friends. A group of gringos that I didn’t know, dressed to the nines, were milling about the bar area of the restaurant, visiting loudly. Many of them were French Canadians from a nearby village so they were speaking in French and, as they do, ignoring anyone who is not French.

I waited until about 6:40 and then, feeling more and more uncomfortable, I decided that I didn’t want spend Christmas Eve this way. I was feeling tired and not especially hungry, and didn't want to spend $22 on this elaborate meal. I should say that I have a Mexican cell phone now, which is great for local calls, but I am not in the habit of using it yet, so hadn’t checked for messages. Later, I heard the messages that the turkey wasn’t going to be done until 7:30, so my friends were coming later.

The church bells tolling on the hill reminded me that the priest from Las Varas was coming into town and performing? doing? a mass at 7:00 in our little church here. I decided that would be a lovely way to spend my evening, so I moved the car closer to the church, let Buddy run around a little, put him back in the car and went into the church.


Chacala Church

When I first came to Chacala in 1998, the church was just being built. I remember a huge pile of bricks in the middle of the cement floor, where the arched, herringbone ceiling had been started, then abandoned for lack of funds, and finally fell. Then, for a baptism I think, we sat in the church yard on crude wooden benches and tree stumps.

Now, sitting in the actual inside pews for the first time, I regretted not bringing a pillow for my back. The seats slant forward, as well, and seem to want to dump you to the floor, or rather to your knees for prayer. At first, I was one of few there, but shortly after the priest began the service, the church was packed. Dogs wandered in and out the wide-open side doors. Kids ran around, and then mostly played in the churchyard. It was a very sweet scene. I have dropped in to masses at other churches in Mexico and always noticed the lack of solemnity. It is always surprisingly casual, with people moving around, in and out. Sort of like an AA meeting without the kids and dogs.



The front of the church was adorned with a very elaborate nativity scene, about 5 feet wide and 3 feet high, with colored lights all around, flashing and reversing direction. The priest, who was young and seemed jovial, opened the service by talking about baby Jesus, who was laying on the altar in front of him, legs and arms akimbo. He concluded that part of the service by kissing the doll, then carried him around and placed the disproportionately large Jesus on top of the tiny cradle in the crèche, as miniature Mary, Joseph, Three Kings, shepherds, and animals looked on at this giant baby.

See Baby Jesus to the right.

Two young women, friends of mine, did readings from the pulpit. One has a new baby, whom she passed off to the other before approaching the dais. When she finished, the other woman got up to do her reading, and passed the baby back to the first mid- stride, mid-aisle.

An old friend and mother of one of our students, came late and was standing at the side door in front of me. I motioned her over and squeezed myself to the end of the pew so we could squish her in. Her body is full, and she felt soft and warm and comforting next to me.

After helping the priest set up the altar before the service, the altar boy, about 10 years old and dressed in a bright, red tee-shirt (for Christmas?) began to get bored. He draped himself in various positions over the back and arm of the priests chair and hung on the divider in back of the altar, swinging in and out of view. What with his anctics, and the dogs and babies wandering the aisles, I couldn’t stop smiling.

After the initial prayers, standing and kneeling and sitting, the priest gave a very animated talk. I sort of zoned out at that point, but did catch that you can’t take your carro, or any of your other possessions, in fact, to the cemetario.

I relaxed, and closed my eyes. After the talk, there were some lovely call and response songs and chants and the service ended with communion at the altar. The altar boy came alive to prepare the chalice of wine and the wafers and take them to the altar. Everyone (mostly) stood in line to receive the body and blood of Christ. The priest dipped each wafer in the chalice of wine before he placed it on the tongue of the worshiper. Then he expertly downed the rest of the wine, and proceeded to wipe off the plate and wipe out the chalice with a cloth handed to him by the altar boy.

Standing around the church yard afterwards was the perfect way to end the evening. I was able to talk a little with many of my Mexican friends and acquaintances and pretend I am one of them. I felt full of Christmas, and Divine Energy, and went home to eat the cold chicken in my refrigerator and go to bed.


Praying mantis table decoration in my house.


Volunteer decoration between my mirrors in the upstairs bathroom. Cute, huh? He/she? was gently removed to the garden.

Adios de la vaca mas bonita de Chacala.


Sunset in Chacala