Colombian Culture, Colombia Adoption and Raising Colombian Kids

According to Law 511 from 1999, March 1st is National Recycler Day in Colombia. Note, I did not say National RecycLING Day. Nope, this day is dedicated to the people who perform some of the hardest, dirtiest work in Colombia [see yesterday's post]. While the law lets each department and city decide how to best celebrate this day, they are required by law to offer the “Condecoración del Reciclador” -- Recycler of the Year award each year. This award is to be given to the person in their community who has most "distinguished him or herself in the collection of recyclable materials so that they may be treated and reused." One of last year's National winner: Jaime Henao Gómez M "All of his working life he has worked as a recycler thus contributing to the betterment of the environment and the quality of life in the community."

This is Ash Wednesday (Miercoles de Ceniza). It marks the beginning of Lent (Cuaresma). In Colombia, a primarily Catholic country, it is not uncommon to see thousands of people sporting a cross made of ash on their foreheads. It is placed there during a special service at the local Parrish. This was something I had never seen before. Granted, I had known very few Catholics in my lifetime -- only my next door neighbors growing up -- however, they had never worn these outward manifestations of inward commitment. For me, during my first visit to Colombia, this was a unique cultural experience. I have since seen this in the US, but I will always associate it with Colombia if for no other reason than the number of people I saw wearing the mark of CENIZA. It was amazing. Photo Credit -- Flickr Creative Commons: Rudy A. Giron http://www.flickr.com/photos/antiguadailyphoto/3310929196/ Rudy Girón/http://antiguadailyphoto.com/contact-the-author/

Many an adoptive parent has been set back a few days by the observance of one of the many Colombian holidays. Here is a list of the official N ational holidays . This list was established by Law #53 in December of 1983. On these days, courts close, ICBF offices are closed, and many tourist attractions also close. So, if you will be in Colombia on these days, be forewarned. To this list, you might add department or city holidays such as the closures in Barranquilla during Carnaval or in Manizales during the Feria. 1st January New Year's Day -- Año Nuevo 6th January* Epiphany -- Epifanía or Reyes Magos --Celebrated 1/9 19th March* St. Joseph's Day -- San José 5th & 6th April -- Maundy Thursday & Good Friday -- Jueves y Viernes Santo 1st May Labour Day -- Día del Trabajo 21st May -- Asención Day (40 days after Easter) 11th June* -- Corpus Christi 18th June* -- Sacred Heart -- Sagrado Corazón de Jesús 2nd July -- Feasts of St. Peter & St. Paul -- San Pedro y San Pablo...

December 28 is the Dia de los Santos Inocentes . A traditional Catholic holiday, it is meant to remember the children that were slaughtered by the order of King Herod when the Three Wise Men did not return to tell Herod where the child King could be found. El Dia de los Santos Inocentes is similar to the U.S. way of celebrating April Fool's Day. It is a day for playing pranks on people, fake news reports, and jokes. If you'd like to prepare your family a special Santos Inocentes dinner in honor of this holiday, Check out the recipes and crafts that Family Fun magazine has for April Fool's Day. It is a fun way to introduce kids to this Colombian holiday. http://familyfun.go.com/april-fools-day/april-fools-day-recipes/

December 23 --Day Eight of our Christian Novena Scriptural Basis -- Matthew 2:1-12 Message/Activity -- Wisemen visit the Christ child. They brought 3 gifts. Make a treat and bring it to 3 widows or other people. Carol to them and offer the gifts. Here are the links to the Catholic Novena if you are doing that. In Spanish: http://es.catholic.net/aprendeaorar/688/2097/articulo.php?id=26390 Here it is in English: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=939

December 21 --Day six of our Christian Novena Scriptural Basis -- Luke 2:6 Message -- No Room In the Inn -- Often at Christmas time, we have No Room for the real meaning of Christmas. Our Inn is full of cards, presents, wrapping, parties, etc. This is the night to focus on offering the Baby Jesus room in our Inn. We watch a Nativity Movie and then talk about other Homeless people. Activity -- Movie and then make a donation to the Homeless shelter. Sounds Track: Two Songs Let Him In by Micheal McClean Homeless by Micheal McClean Here are the links to the Catholic Novena if you are doing that. In Spanish: http://es.catholic.net/aprendeaorar/688/2097/articulo.php?id=26390 Here it is in English: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=939

December 19 --Day four of our Christian Novena Scriptural Basis -- Luke 2:4 Message -- Importance of knowing your Lineage -- Joseph was of David. We also have wonderful ancestors that give us a feeling of our own self worth. We are building our own family now and some day our stories will be important to our descendants. Activity -- Share stories or a story of an Ancestor's Christmas or just a story from their life. Add to our family scrapbook a story from this year. Go out and buy family gifts and wrap gifts for each other. Here are the links to the Catholic Novena if you are doing that. In Spanish: http://es.catholic.net/aprendeaorar/688/2097/articulo.php?id=26390 Here it is in English: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=939

December 18 -- Christian Novena Alternative Scriptural Basis -- Luke 2:1-3 Message -- Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to be Taxed. Explain what Taxes are used for. Activity -- Have the children contribute a "Tax"from their money to support a donation to Toys for Tots or an Angel Tree child, etc. Buy the gift with the child's TAX, wrap it (if appropriate) and let the child deliver it to the donation spot. The sound track for tonight also includes Juanes version of Burrito de Belen. Here are the links to the Catholic Novena if you are doing that. In Spanish: http://es.catholic.net/aprendeaorar/688/2097/articulo.php?id=26390 Here it is in English: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=939

As a primarily Catholic country, Colombia celebrates the holiday season with many Catholic traditions. One such tradition is the NOVENA. While here in the US many people celebrate 12 days of Christmas, in Colombia the Novena is 9 nights long. It starts on the 16 th of December and ends on the 24 th . That makes tonight the start of the NOVENA. Not being Catholic, I am unsure of the details. However, if you are a Catholic family with Colombian children this could be a great way to incorporate Colombian tradition in your home. Here is an interesting link on Catholic.net that seems to indicate which prayers are to be said on each of the nine nights (In Spanish). http://es.catholic.net/aprendeaorar/688/2097/articulo.php?id=26390 Here it is in English: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=939 Again, as a non-Catholic family, we have decided to create our own Christmas Novena. It helps us focus on the true meaning of the Christmas season and gives...

December 7th is the official start of the Christmas (Navidad) season in Colombia . December 7th is the Catholic Holiday called the Día de la Anunciación . However, both Catholics and non-Catholics celebrate tonight by placing candles and lanterns and lights all over the front of the house and along the sidewalks. It is known as the Día de Velitas or El Alumbrado . In our family, we celebrate by placing red, white and brown paper lunch sacks -- each filled with sand and a lighted candle -- around our front yard. This year to our Open House Celebration, we have invited over 80 guests. We invite them in shifts (29 from 5:30-6:30, 29 from 6:30-7:30, 26 from 7:30-8:30). People are to bring a plate of American cookies (this is the mingling of cultures part of the night) and we provide the Colombian Hot Chocolate, the music, and the lantern making supplies. Our guests make their own paper sack lantern and place it in front of our house. When we are all finished, it looks pretty cool....

When people in Colombia think about Christmas, they think about today, December 24 th . December 25 th is just a nice day off, a day most people will spend sleeping. Let me explain. Known as Noche Buena , Navidad , or simply El 24 , December 24 th is the time when the essential traditions of Colombian Christmas celebrations take place. But before diving into what will happen tonight, a little background is in order. For most kids, the school year ends around the middle of November. This is true for University students as well. With tests and grades behind and even remedial tests and courses postponed until January, the arrival of December is akin to the arrival of a long awaited weekend after a hard work week. Maybe is more like the arrival of summer in places away from the Equator. Usually December also brings the end of the November rains and ushers in the beginning of bright, sunny days. Thus, everything is set for a month long celebration, and the build up to the 24 th be...

If this is your first Christmas in Colombia, here are some things you can expect and some instructions on how to weather the Holiday season there. 1. For 98 % of the people it IS Christmas. Not much mention of Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or any other non-Christian tradition. Furthermore, while there are many Christian and evangelical denominations in the country, most Colombians call themselves Catholics. In fact, it is around this time, whether on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, that a lot of them actually make it to Mass. 2. Thus, you can expect decorations with religious motifs and people gathering to do the Rosary around Nativity Scenes. However, more recently, Santa, Reindeer, and snow-covered pine tree decorations have become more common. Hey, if Americans and Europeans do it, it's got to be cool, never mind the sunny -- and in some places sweltering -- weather outside. 3. Yes, there are Christmas trees too. They are everywhere. We hang Christmas ornaments from them too. However...

Over the past two holiday seasons, I have shared many Colombian Christmas traditions. Here is a review for you: For Christmas Traditions: #1 -- El Alumbrado http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/colombian-christmas-culture-post.html#comments #2 -- El Pesebre http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/pesebre-where-is-baby-jesus.html#comments #3 -- Mis Aguinaldos http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/mis-aguinaldos.html#comments For Christmas Carols -- Villancicos: #4 -- Burrito de Belén http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/colombian-christmas-carols.html#comments #5 -- A la Nanita Nana http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2009/12/la-nanita-nana-christmas-carol.html #6 -- Vamos Pastores Vamos http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2009/12/vamos-pastores-vamos-christmas-carol.html For Christmas Recipes: #7 -- Tamales http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/abuelita-carmens-tamales-boyacenses.html #...

Happy Día de la Afrocolombianidad!!! I have asked the adoptive parents of Afrocolombianitos how they plan to celebrate today's holiday. Here is their response: Johnsons -- USA In honor of the Dia de Afrocolombianidad we'll be celebrating 2 things...we got our referral call for Ava on May 20th, just one day before el Día! So we're going to celebrate that call and Ava's heritage. :) Pete and I hope to learn so much more as our children grow older so that our celebration of Ava's unique heritage goes beyond just one day, but I have to say honestly, we don't know much about Afrocolombian history. Our goal this year is to create a timeline of the history of Africans in Colombia (mostly to keep my husband and I accountable to learn/research) and let the girls color it and talk briefly about Ava's country and heritage with both girls. We're taking them to a local park that has a LARGE map of the world painted on the ground with fountains to play in on top of i...

Many an adoptive parent has been set back a few days by the observance of one of the many Colombian holidays. Here is a list of the official national holidays . This list was established by Law #53 in December of 1983. On these days, courts close, ICBF offices are closed, and many tourist attractions also close. So, if you will be in Colombia on these days, be forewarned. To this list, you might add department or city holidays such as the closures in Barranquilla during Carnaval or in Manizales during the Feria. 1st January New Year's Day -- Año Nuevo 6th January* Epiphany -- Epifanía or Reyes Magos 19th March* St. Joseph's Day -- San José 1st May Labour Day -- Día del Trabajo 29th June* St. Peter & St. Paul -- San Pedro y San Pablo 20th July National Independence Day -- Grito de la Independencia 7th August Battle of Boyacá -- Batalla de Boyacá 15th August* Assumption Day -- Asunción de la Virgen 12th October* Columbus Day -- Día de la Raza 1st November* All Saints Day -- ...

January 6 th is a National Holiday in Colombia, and it officially marks the end of the holiday season. This particular holiday is known as the Día de los Reyes Magos -- Three Kings Day or the Epiphany. There is a great explanation of the evolution of the celebration of the Epiphany at the following site. http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Epiphany.htm However, the key here is that in Hispanic countries, January 6 th has become known as Three Kings Day. It is a commemoration of the day when the 3 Wise Men who had followed the Star of Bethlehem, arrived bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This holiday is widely celebrated, however, while it is a big deal in Mexico, Spain and other countries, it is less of a big deal in Colombia. There is a tradition that the Reyes Magos give gifts (like Santa), but in Colombia this tradition is usually only observed by the few people that have money left from their Christmas Eve gifting. While this day should ...

When we found out that we would be in Colombia over New Year's we originally planned to travel to Lebrija, Santander to spend time with Arnold's family. However after our 2nd day with Elian it became kind of clear to us that it wasn't a good idea. Adoption is a hard transition for a toddler and we didn't want to change his schedules and surroundings so quickly. Also it is INSANELY loud and raucous in sleepy little Lebrija during New Year. At a Christmas Novena Elian covered his ears and sobbed because people were singing too loud which kind of sealed the change in plans. However... celebrating New Years in small town Colombia is superfun. If you ever have a chance, please GO FOR IT! This is what my family does: First I like to sleep as much as I can all day because it's gonna be a long night. Even though it's not New Years yet there will be all sort of festive pre-partying with random fireworks and very loud music. That night you'll get dressed up i...

Last year I made an extensive list of Colombian New Year Holiday traditions. You can read more about them here: http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/traditions-for-midnight-on-new-years.html http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-years-music.html One thing I promised was the Lenteja recipe -- and well -- here it is: Ingredients: 1 lb. of lentils 1 can tomato sauce 1 medium onion minced 2 teaspoons dry chicken broth 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt as needed Cumin (optional) Steps: #1 Cook lentils in water as per directions on package -- do not salt or drain. #2 In a sauce pan, put other ingredients and cook 10 minutes. #3 Add sauce pan ingredients to cooked lentils. Let simmer together for 10-15 minutes -- don't let it burn. #4 Let cool and serve with white rice.

I know I said this last year, but this has to be one of my favorite Colombian traditions -- El Año Viejo . After Christmas, most Colombian families make an Año Viejo . The Año Viejo is a life size doll made of old clothes and stuffed with straw and newspaper (and fireworks). Just before midnight, people set fire to the Año Viejo . The whole thing is symbolic. It is burning the old and bad of the past year in preparation for the new. We make an Año Viejo here is the US and stick it on the porch. I think the neighbors must wonder what the thing is doing there, but nevertheless, there he sits for a week. Then, on New Year's Eve, we all state one thing we want to leave behind while holding left over 4th of July sparklers. (Instead of burning the Año Viejo -- which would probably be against the law, we use the sparklers). Then, we ceremoniously throw him away. Here is a link to last year's Año Viejo -- you can see pictures: http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2008/12/...

So, last year I posted about this holiday, but it bears repeating. December 28 is a holiday called the Dia de los Santos Inocentes. It is a traditional Catholic holiday designed to remember the children, that were slaughtered by the order of King Herod when the Three Wise Men did not return to tell Herod where the child king could be found. El Dia de los Santos Inocentes is celebrated like we here in the US celebrate April Fool's Day. It is a day for playing pranks on people, fake news reports, and jokes. On this day the Colombian newspaper, El Tiempo , publishes a special insert called El Trompo which is filled with funny and fictious stories about current events. If you'd like to prepare your family a special Santos Inocentes dinner in honor of this holiday, Check out the recipes and crafts that Family Fun magazine has for April Fool's Day. It is a fun way to introduce kids to this Colombian holiday. http://familyfun.go.com/sitesearch/results/q=april%2520fools/