'Twas the Night Before Navidad or Christmas?

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through la casa
Not a creature was stirring, Caramba! Que pasa?

Los ninos were all tucked away in their camas, Some in vestidos and some in pajamas.

While Mama worked late in her little cocina, El viejo was down at the corner cantina.

Photo Credit: Christmas Cooking
on WPClipart

The stockings were hanging con mucho cuidado, In hopes that St. Nicholas would feel obligado

To bring all the children, both buenos y malos,
A Nice batch of dulces and other regalos.

Outside in the yard there arouse such a grito, That I jumped to my feet like a frightened
cabrito.

I went to the window and looked out afuera, And who in the world, do you think que era?

Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero Came dashing along like a crazy bombero!

And pulling his sleigh instead of venados,
Were eight little burros approaching volados.

I watched as they came, and this little hombre was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre.

Ay, Pancho! Ay, Pepe! Ay, Cuca! Ay, Beto!
Ay, Chato! Ay, Chopo! Maruca and Nieto!

Photo Credit:Santa - Greeting Card
by LynnsChristmasShop
Available on Zazzle

Then standing erect with his hand on his pecho He flew to the top of our very own techo.

With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,
He struggled to squeeze down our old chimenea.

Then huffing and puffing, at last in our sala, With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala.

He filled the stockings with lovely regalos,
For none of the children had been very malos.

Then chuckling aloud and seeming contento,
He turned like a flash and was gone like the viento.

Photo Credit:Vintage Santa & Sleigh Christmas ornament
by Bevsdesigns
Available on Zazzle.

And I heard him exclaim and this is VERDAD,

Merry Christmas to all, And to All Feliz Navidad!

Photo Credit:The Night Before Christmas
Photo Credit:Cajun Night Before Christmas
Photo Credit: Big Annie: An American Tall Tale
Available on Amazon

The following link has hundreds of variations. You will find many humorous ones but beware that there are also some for mature audiences. Some of these are wonderful for illustrating customs of other countries.

Most Christmas Woksheets and coloring pages in English can be adapted to Spanish but it comes in handy to find ones that are all set to just print and color. I used to create all my own worksheets and hand them out to my students but found that I was learning more than they were. Now I ask the children to create the worksheets. They have lots of fun creating them, learn lots of Spanish. remember the Spanish they have learned and enjoy doing the sheets made by fellow students.

Photo Credit: Portal
Available on Amazon

The Portal is a major element in Costa Rican Christmas decoration. The Portal symbolizes Jesus' birth, along with Mary, Joseph, and the Three Kings: Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar figures.

Traditional Christmas meals in Costa Rica are pork leg and tamales. Entire families help to make tamales in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas. Each ingredient is cooked separately, usually by the elderly women while the men pick, clean and sear the banana leaves.

Photo Credit: Banana Leaves
Available on Amazon

The masa, or cornmeal dough is cooked and stirred. Some add mashed potato to make the dough softer. Juice from cooking the pork is mixed in with the masa to give it flavor.



Once all these ingredients are cooked the ingredients are laid out on a long table, the family is gathered and each person is given a job to do in assembly line fashion.

The matron of the family directs the process while the patron wraps and ties the tamales. Traditionally the tamales were tied with strips from banana leaves. Many people now use cotton string. Two tamales are placed facing each other and tied together.

During the days surrounding Christmas families exchange tamales with their friends and neighbors.

This is the story of a little girl from New England who visits her father's Cuban family in Miami for Christmas. What will it be like when the temperatures ore hot? How are Cuban traditions of Navidad different from New England Christmas Traditions?

We needed to teach our children Spanish so that they could communicate with their grandparents and cousins. Here are some helpful links for you to learn Spanish too.