El espíritu de los festivos (Holiday Spirit)

I will start by saying that it is impossible to find a Menorah in Sevilla. Not terribly surprising. But it's also pretty hard to find Christmas trees. As in real trees used for Christmas. So far as I can tell, because evergreens don't really grow here and because most people live in apartment buildings (houses in Sevilla are, very, very rare), the whole tradition of cutting down a tree and putting it on display in your home doesn't seem to be done much at all. Two of my friends tried to explain to their homestay parents that they normally get a tree for Christmas. Their señora thought she understood, but she thinks that when people do that, they leave the roots on the bottom of the tree and replant it when they're done. Yeah. Nope. So clearly the whole tree thing isn't done much around these parts.

So I have a few things to discuss before I return to today's theme of holiday cheer.

1) My sister got accepted early decision to Vassar! Applause, applause to Jenny! The delivery of our mail seems to have been somewhat epic, considering how late it was (5 hours) and my mom's dedicated investigation of the situation. But she's in! I'm happy for her and selfishly happy that seeing her for a weekend next year would be fairly easy.

2) Fernando was sick this past weekend. He was taking antibiotics or something (translations with medicine are always lost on me) and was lying on the couch in the living room. Mayte was in the kitchen preparing food to bring to him while Katie and I were eating dinner. She was telling us how he wanted wine, but she can't give him wine because it's bad and dangerous with the medicine. But then she sighed and poured a little for him, saying that a little never hurt anybody. Katie and I found this funny. I probably found it more funny than Katie. I cannot imagine my parents or grandparents EVER doing that. Just goes to show you that vino = life here in the deep south of Spain.

3) All of the trees on our street are getting buzz cuts. I was going to say trimmed, but that is not accurate. They are getting totally stripped of all leaves and extra branches until they are left only with the trunk and the main branches on top. They look dead. It is weird. I don't know if this is common practice or what. I have seen other trees around Sevilla with the same look... I don't think the trees were dying or anything, so I'm confused. Yesterday I woke up and the trees were all basically in the road outside of our building. I guess time shall tell.

4) Yesterday I saw Antonia for the last time until the second week of January. She didn't realize it was going to be that long, so after she finally understood what I was saying, she asked me if I wanted a 'polvorone.' I couldn't understand here, and this poor, bent-over woman was standing there practically SHOUTING at me if I wanted polvorones, polvorones, polvorones! I didn't know what she was saying. So she hobbled over to the kitchen, opened a cabinet, and made me take a bunch of Spanish Christmas sweets. That's when I remembered what "polvorones" means... if only I could have remembered in time! All she was trying to do is be nice and offer me sweets, and instead I thought she was asking me to bring her something or do something for her. Ah, how confused I was! I felt really bad. She was so nice and kept offering me more... then, when I left, she said something. I have no idea what she said, so I smiled and said 'gracias' and left. Pretty sure that was the wrong move. I felt really badly after. I wish I could have been more competent. She's so nice to me and I just act weird in return. I will be immune to social awkwardness once I return home. After this year, nothing fazes me!

Now on to the fun part: pictures!
To be honest, this first series is mainly for Angie and my Grandpa. I think you two will probably appreciate this more than anyone else. So, Fernando set up his nativity scene or, better said, his excuse for a nativity scene, this past weekend. He made it all. 100% hecho por Fernando. The details on everything are just incredible. He even adds lights inside the houses, light and wind to the fires, and there's a fully functioning water mill with water! It's very impressive and is right in the front foyer when you walk in the house. Here are some pictures:

Fernando, posing next to his masterpiece. I told you he was sick this weekend, so he was playing it cool in his warm up outfit because he wasn't going anywhere. I told him he's like God for creating this village. He laughed and told me that he's better than God because it took him two days to make this scene and "nada más." He's a funny guy, Fernando is.

I love the paper he found and taped up to the wall behind it... it really makes the scene!

So the dirt and moss-y looking stuff is real, from outside. Fernando made all of the rest -- even the little veggies and the bags of sugar and flour (and the fire behind them)! Oh, wait, I don't think he made the people. I think he bought those. They were his inspiration, if you will.

Note the lights coming from inside the houses. The back left is the water mill, although you can't really see the water turning.

I'm pretty sure he said it took him years and years to make all of this and acquire it all. He was unloading boxes and boxes filled with this stuff as he was setting it up. I like it a lot, besides the whole birth of Jesus part. That's ok--with Fernando and Mayte, it's easily avoidable. I like it because I think Fernando used the holiday to max out on his artistic interpretations. I approve.

Moving right along, Sevilla is now lit up at night. There are light decorations all over the city. I still haven't seen all of them, but I have gotten used to seeing the ones around the university on a pretty regular basis (ha, like every time I have class). I still haven't gotten used to some of the contrasts that go on. The following pictures aren't the best because it was night and I just had my little camera, but it still gives you an idea.

University, university gates, lights, and... palm trees. Yep. Kind of throws you off, doesn't it?

Then, if you look closely at the row of trees on one of the main avenidas that are so nicely decorated, you will find that those trees are in fact orange trees. Orange trees with lights. Yep. I think these are worse than the palm trees!

But the effect is still overall really nice. This is the street outside of the university and the main pedestrian street of the city center. Lights are always pretty!

And such is the Christmas Cheer in southern Spain. Wish me luck on finding that Menorah!