The Year in Review

It's been quite a year! We started this year trying to conceive a biological child on our own. We had been trying for the year before this one so we were quite frustrated and heartbroken to start the year without much hope of having a family this year. Not long after the new year started we began what seemed liked endless doctors appointments, prescriptions and tests. We didn't get very far before we realized that this was not the path we wanted to take. We began to care less and less about having a biological child and more and more about being able to have a child without having to face that monthly disappointment. We began to research adoption and was soon on the process on deciding to adopt a child from Colombia through Children's Hope International. The sense of relief and excitement we felt was thrilling. The paper chase was on and we wanted to get our paperwork in as soon as possible. We submitted our dossier to Colombia the end of August this year. We have spent the rest of the year on a roller coaster of emotions from being excited, anxious, melancholy, happy and everything in between. We face the new year knowing that we won't have a child this year but we look forward to taking the days one step at a time learning all that we can about how to care for our child and incorporate the Colombian culture into our household. We know there will be good days and bad days but we know that the journey will be well worth the wait when we get to hold that precious child in our arms.

Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year! All around the world people gather together tonight to ring in the new year, and the same holds true for our Colombian friends. Friends and family get together to eat a huge meal, to dance and watch fireworks. Here are a few of the colorful Colombian traditions to ring in the new year:

• The whole family make a large (almost life size) male doll that represents the old year and name him "Mr. Old Year." The doll is dressed with clothes from each family member and stuffed with any items from the last year that may bring sadness to the family. The doll is burned at midnight as a way to put all the bad things about the past year behind them.
• Some families will pack a suitcase and after the clock strikes midnight they will walk around the block. It is believed that if you do this you will travel a lot in the upcoming year.
• It's believed that if you eat 12 grapes (one grape for each month in the upcoming year) you will have good luck the next year.
• Colombians prepare New Year's Bread which contains a coin or charm baked within the bread. The bread is cut into at midnight and whoever receives the piece with the coin or charm will have good luck the rest of the year.

Here's a video of a New Year's celebration in Cali, Colombia which shows a Mr. Old Year being made and lit on fire. Looks like quite a party!

Dia de los Inocentes

Today is "Dia de los Inocentes" or "Day of the Innocent" in Colombia as well as many other Latin and South American countries. This day is very similar to April Fool's Day which is celebrated in the United States. On "Dia de los Inocentes" Colombians play inocentadas (practical jokes or pranks) on family and friends. When the joker gets caught they exclaim "Inocente, Inocente!" ("Innocent, Innocent!"). Sounds like fun!

Christmas Eve in Colombia

Christmas Eve, December 24th, is the main day of celebrations in Colombia. Adults and older children stay up until midnight to open their presents and then spend until dawn playing with gifts, feasting and watching fireworks in the night sky.

Tim & I would like to wish everyone happy holidays and we hope that everyone has a wonderful time with their friends and family this holiday season. We want to give some extra big hugs to all the waiting mothers and fathers out there like us who are yearning just as bad as we to hold their little bebe in their arms by the glow of the Christmas tree. Our time will come! Happy Holidays!

Christmas Novena Begins Today

Today is the first day of Christmas Novena making this is the official start date of the Christmas season for many Colombians. These nine days of Christmas are filled with prayer and celebrations for the families. The houses and cities are decorated with el pesebre (nativity scenes) which are made or plastic or hand crafted figurines. The nativity scene is setup sans the baby Jesus, which is added to the scene on Christmas Eve.

Christmas trees are put up and decorated very similarly to Christmas trees in the United States, with bows, lights and ornaments. They of course have their share of "unique" decorated Christmas trees as well. Here's a picture of a Christmas tree in Bogotá decorated by a cheese company.

Día de las Velitas

Today I received the monthly email update about our agency's Colombian program. It had some interesting details on the holidays that Colombians celebrate this time of year. I read that today, December 7th, is Dia de las Velitas, "Day of the Candles." I did some more research on the Internet to learn more about this special day.

Dia de las Velitas is the unofficial start of the Christmas season in Colombia and streets, porches, balconies and public parks are decorated with candles, paper lanterns and Christmas lights. The city illuminates itself in a beautiful glow to honor the Immaculate Conception, which takes place tomorrow on December 8th. Besides the decorations, it's a time where families and neighbors get together to put up light displays, light off fireworks and listen to music. I found a great picture of fireworks above a building in Bogotá at last years Dia de las Velitas and video (below) of the celebration taken at a popular park in Colombia.



Look for more posts this month on other Colombian Christmas celebrations!