That's My Story

FELICES FIESTAS – HAPPY HOLIDAYS- published Dec. 2005 – Western Outdoor News

It’s a little different being in a foreign tourist town for the holidays, if you’ve never been. I mean, it’s kinda funny watching folks spray fake aerosol snow on their windows when they live in the desert and you can’t help but grin watching a dust-covered truck with all-terrain tires with a fresh Oregon Christmas tree tied to the back turn down a gravel cactus lane destined for someone’s living room.

But some things remain the same, no matter where you go. I don’t know how it is in your town, but you can “feel” Christmas coming no matter where you live even if you never had a calendar to look at. It’s almost like there’s something in the air much more so than just noticing that the sunlight isn’t so strong and the shadows come up a little earlier.

It’s interesting how “Buenos dias” seems to be said with a little more sincerity, a bigger smile and a stronger handshake. People invite you to their homes as if they really would enjoy your company. Little kids, seem a little more watchful and attentive to their ways and it seems that food is everywhere on display or being discussed or prepared as certain delicious aromos you won’t find at other times of the year seem to catch you just when you’re hungriest.

But you know what I especially like about being in Baja? As much as it seems to be trying to run stride for stride into 1st world capitalistic hedonism, it actually slows down for Christmas instead of speeding up like the rest of the world. Where Christmas comes too fast for most of us, it seems that Christmas can’t come fast enough in Baja. Christmas cards? For what? There’s no mail service! Fight the weekend crowd at the mall? What mall? Camp in line for X-Box? Are you kidding? Travel and flight plans to Grandmas? Abuelita lives next door or in the next bedroom. Caterers need to be confirmed? Mama has all the kids together in the kitchen making with pots of masa making tamales. Family scattering in too many directions? Not until after church and everyone lives in the same town anyway so we might as well just have one big fiesta for everyone!

Chances are, you’ll still hear the same carols but in Spanish and it’s not unusual for the town Santa to show up although under that hot beard you’ll probably notice a dark black mustache. And later on, don’t be surprised to see Santa sitting up with the amigos in the yard behind the house tilted back on plastic chair in front of a fire… sans whiskers and toasting the chickens and la luna and a prosper ano nuevo with a shot of tequila. Tomorrow, it’s back to working the fishing boats or off to pick chiles on the ranch, but tonite, the children laugh inside; the wives are sitting in the living room sharing holiday gossip and like many daddy’s everywhere in the world, Santa lets out a big sigh, crosses his arms, squints into the fire and grins contentedly and lifts his glass once more. “Que Dios te bendigas, amigos!” (May God bless you, my friends).

That’s my story…
Jonathan